Bishopswood WI members welcomed Amanda Cornes, taking a break from her busy holiday barn business to be their guest at the August meeting.

Amanda explained how she makes wall art from paper ephemera or the stuff that usually gets tucked away in drawers or the attic.

Starting with an inexpensive canvas and paint Amanda demonstrated how to build a meaningful and professional collage using photos and small mementos. They were able to see examples of her work themed around her time living in Switzerland and happy memories of her family history.

The group’s monthly competition complemented Amanda’s subject, as entrants were asked to bring an old photo or small heirloom with a description. All in all the evening proved to be a fascinating insight into unknown aspects of each other’s lives.

The group only wished that one person’s Clarice Cliff teapot could have been accompanied by the complete dinner service if her grandmother had kept it.

Also, it was wonderful to read about one member’s grandfather, who was featured in a local newspaper of the time detailing his life as a steam train driver. It spoke about his many years of service and included some brilliant pictures of steam trains.

The next meeting is on September 14th at 18.30pm at Bishopswood Village Hall. See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.