recipe for success

We had a great day at the International Women's Fair on Saturday.  Pretty cakes and biscuits. Excellent company. A laughter lesson. Origami birds. Sweet neighbours and visitors. A touch of crochet.

If you fancy having a go at the delicious cake Veronika made for the stall, take a look here.  And if you want to see more pictures of our day, take a look at our Facebook page.

truly, madly, inspired

If I looked a bit stressed on Tuesday, it was because I was worried about what had happened to our speaker.  While she was trying to get into St Margaret's House, we were wondering where she was.  We need not have worried at all, because Jean Fullerton proved to be a most resourceful woman.  We heard about her varied career moves and how a stress workshop when she was a nurse manager set her on the path to becoming an historical novelist.  And it turns out to be about more than dreaming up stories - you clearly have to be very determined to find the right voice, agent and publisher.  I don't think I was the only one in the audience to go home feeling inspired and energised - and with a surprise present for my mum too.  Jean - you are a heroine of the first order.

It was our turn to be left out in the cold on Friday because I forgot to check the time that the Whitechapel Gallery opened, so we had to wait for a while to get in.  Still, we did have time to discuss how we would fill the time if our speakers really did got lost.  Party games maybe?  It turned out to be worth the wait - a decent pot of tea, a touch of crochet and knitting (Annie's string bag is very nearly finished now, but Elizabeth may very well still be working on the wrapping on Heather's scarf), followed by a bit of high art in the Government Art Collection exhibition.

We meet next on 20th March for a bit of spring crafting, but check out our diary dates for what we're up to before then.  We'll be at the International Women's Fair at Spitalfields Market on 10th March, 10 - 5pm, with a cake stall.  If you are willing to bake or serve, do let us know via email or leaving a comment here.  Then on 17th March, we'll be joining in the Big Dig as part of the Edible Garden project.  More information to follow.

Make the most of the early spring weather until then.

love February with EEWI

We're still feeling the Valentine's love here, and to help us through the last days of winter, we've invited romantic novelist Jean Fullerton along to our meeting on 21st February to talk to us about why she loves writing stories about the East End and the lives of women.  I went along to see Jean at Bethnal Green Library and was really impressed by how passionate she was about what she does, and the inspiration she takes from East London.  So whatever your preferred reading matter is, I'm sure you'll enjoy hearing about what it's like to share stories.  Usual time and place, 7.30 for 8pm, St Margaret's House, Old Ford Road, E2.  We'll provide the tea and coffee, but do feel free to bring along cakes, wine or whatever to share.  There may even be pancakes.  Visitors are welcome of course - we just ask for a donation of £3.

Our coffee morning on 24th February will be at Whitechapel Art Gallery cafe at 10.30am, followed by a visit to Simon Schama's choice from the Government Art Collection.  It's a lovely little exhibition - well, I think so - and I can't wait until someone asks me to browse the collection and make a choice (I know, dream on).

If you're still wanting to fit in some late Valentine's fun this weekend, you could pop into Rich Mix to join in their Snapshots Part 8 series of events with Valentines: An East London Love Affair.  Take along a wedding photo to scan and add to the exhibition, book a workshop for the kids to make a gift out of clay, listen to a story.  

I'm off to a potato fair at the Garden Museum, thinking ahead to the Edible Garden (more news when we meet!).  Whatever you choose to do this weekend, have a lovely time. 

Looking forward to seeing you all next Tuesday.

stay warm with a good book

We love our libraries here at EEWI and we're lucky not to have suffered with closures like lots of places in the country.  So if you fancy doing a little something to celebrate National Libraries Day tomorrow you might want to get along to Bethnal Green Library tomorrow afternoon to have a cup of tea, a slice of cake and some advice on how to fall in love with the past.  Sounds like a good way to celebrate to me.

aim and aspire women's business club

You may remember that Lana Hersak mentioned Aim and Aspire's Women's Business Club which runs lots of networking events.  Their next event on MAstering Your Money is on 7th February.  If you are interested in attending, you'll find further information on their website . There is also a link to the website in our "You may be interested in..." box in the sidebar.

where the heart is

copyright Dorothy Lloyd Magic Me

55+ Local women needed for "where the heart is" arts project 

Every year, local charity, Magic Me partners with The Women's Library and 

Mulberry School for Girls to work on an arts project. Magic Me needs local older 

women that are over 55 to get involved in this year's project, Where the 

Heart Is. You will explore stories of love in the East End with experienced 

Magic Me artists. Using film, theatre and story telling techniques as a group 

you will design a walk of the area drawing from your stories. The final artwork 

will be presented as part of this year's LIFT Festival. 

Sessions start on the Wednesday 22nd February from 2-3:30pm, and then 

every Wednesday from 3:30-5:30pm at The Women's Library. 

For more information call Clea on 020 3222 6064 or email cleahouse@magicme.co.uk

the edible garden gets cooking

Now normally the idea of an afternoon at a steering group would not fill my heart with joy, but when we met today with Corinne, Sue and Fabio from Phakama to discuss the Edible Garden project we all came away full of the fun to come.  And food too, lots of lovely food.  We've got grand plans - a space has been identified in Mile End for the garden! - and we are already thinking about how to use the space, plan our growing, and what we need to do to get ready for a grand feast later in September 2012.  And for a trial run, we shared a food preparation and testing session with our prospective chefs with some imaginative and delicious outcomes.

Many thanks to Annie, Clare, Heather and Ruth for coming along this afternoon and sharing their time, ideas, experience and all important tastebuds.  We are really looking forward to working in partnership with Phakama, giving and gaining to make the Edible Garden a beautiful, productive space.  There will be regular updates on the Edible Garden blog and plenty of opportunities to get involved with growing, cooking, crafting and story-telling.

Watch this getting-greener space.