Howdy Dabblers!

We heard ya - the (g?)rumblings echoed something along the lines of "my mind and body are ready for it to be December, but said body and mind are also actively avoiding Westfield from. now. on.- no exceptions."...
So we've maintained the same wide event net, with a wee sprinkling of festiveness, so you can choose to partake if you're feelin' it. ❤️💚

A speedy one this week - let’s dive (well, manu) in!

C.x ✨

Wednesday 10th December

📚 Scholastic Warehouse Book Sale​
​https://scholastic.co.nz/parents/warehouse-sale​

Thursday 11th December

🎨 Midweek Twilight Tour + Stencilism Workshop with Bols​
​https://events.humanitix.com/the-little-street-art-festival-2025-guided-tours-and-street-art-workshops​

🚲 Open Gate Session at the North Avon Christchurch BMX track​
​https://www.facebook.com/events/775836988839708/775837002173040​

Friday 12th December

🏠 Gingerbread House Workshop
​https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/gingerbread-house-workshop-friday-12th-december-tickets-1956940665209​
(also on Sun)​
​https://www.eventbrite.co.nz/e/gingerbread-house-workshop-sunday-14th-december-tickets-1956948057319​

🐈 Christmas Card Making at Catnap Cafe (only 2 spots left to book, go go go!)​
​https://www.catnapcafe.co.nz/events-all/cardmaking2025​

🍂 Sogetsu Ikebana (arranging natural and foraged elements)​
​https://www.artscentre.org.nz/whats-on/sogetsu-ikebana/​

Saturday 13th December

🩲 Edgeware Pool Open Day (mid-build, so no splashing about just yet, but it's clooose!)​
​https://www.facebook.com/events/1955281931774741​

🌊 Manu Competition at Te Hāpua Halswell Summer pool (this one you CAN splash about!)
​https://facebook.com/events/s/-manu-competition-te-hapua-hal/2068540557256062/​

🧑‍🌾 December Crop Swap​
​https://www.facebook.com/events/2044215539725826​

Sunday 14th December

👗 Ōtautahi Pre-loved Clothing Market
​(I was lucky enough to nab a stallholder spot for this one, come and say hi!)
​*see Dreamer to Doer section also 😉
​https://otautahipreloved.wixsite.com/clothingmarket/markets​

💍 Natural Textured Rings Workshop​
​https://www.workspacestudios.co.nz/service-page/natural-textured-rings-xmas-gifts-1​

⛸ World Ice Skating Day (half price beginner lessons!)
​https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2025/world-ice-skating-day/christchurch​

🕯 Candle Crafting Workshop (2 sessions - classic or pressed flower)​
​https://www.creativeotautahi.com/christchurch/p/candle-crafting-workshop​

Monday 15th December

🥊 Punching Up - Performer Workshop
​'A performance workshop focused on artistic identity and inclusive practice'​
​https://events.humanitix.com/punching-up-performer-workshop-dec​

Tuesday 16th December

🧮 MathsJam​
​https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2025/mathsjam/christchurch​

☕️ Ancestral X Atomic Coffee Latte Art Throwdown​
​https://events.humanitix.com/ancestral-x-atomic-coffee-latte-art-throwdown​
​

OTHER STUFF COMING UP SOON THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA BOOK ASAP:

🪅 Paint & Sip - Paint An Ornament
​What it says on the paint tin...decorate your own Kiwiana style tree ornament​
Where: Great Hall, Arts Centre
​When: Thu 18th & Sat 20th (various times)
​Entry: $26.50
​Tickets: https://www.artscentre.org.nz/whats-on/paint-an-ornament-with-paint-and-sip/​

​
​Fire through your upcoming events here!

Get the full picture at MetService​

Word Jumble: (hint: related to the events above, answers at the bottom of the newsletter)

AGDEIRGBERN

ANBIEKA

OCRP PSAW

✨Eileen and Lisa✨ sprung the Ōtautahi Pre-loved Clothing Markets on us in May last year, and have been popping up regularly (and booking out stallholder spaces in literal hours (actually, it might have been less than an hour!)) around the city ever since, with their entourages and their thrifted goodies.

While we all know social metrics aren't eeeeverything, we couldn't help but notice that two thooouusand people had smashed the "interested" (or going) button on this weekend's event 🤯 and their FB and IG pages boast similar fan numbers each (not bad for a year-old biz, hey)! Also, If you wanna help bump them over the 2K mark on IG, you could do that here 😉

This is the last one of the year (obviously, since we're swiftly approaching *that* magical date), this time at Richmond Club on Sunday (10am-1pm).

Personal sidenote: This is the first market I've done in yeeeears (it's just dawned on me that it's a bit of a 'full-circle' moment - I previously made costume jewellery, which I found a briefcase with the very last of when moving house, so I'm bringing that, too!).
I haven't done purely clothing before, so feeling slightly under-prepared 😆, but if it goes well, I hope to do more next year (and as well as curating menswear/vintage/designer collections, maybe some upcycling and custom embellishments)!

While World Ice Skating Day has officially only been celebrated since 2022 (you thought it would have been waaay longer ago than that, too, right?!), our own ✨Alpine Ice✨ has been chilling out (geddit?) along on Brougham St since 1985 (well, before that trading as The Big Apple, and before *that*, over on Centaurus Rd, which closed in 1983).

In addition to beginner's sessions/programmes, they, of course, love hosting parties and events, hockey, figure skating, and speed skating.

Current discussions happening about whether to take a break (that 2~ week void doesn’t exist anyway), or write on through- have your say:

​
​Here are your quick links:​
👋 Share your community event [free]​​​​
🤝 Share your business or something for sale [paid]​​​​
🤘 Share your current hobby-obsession [free]​​
​🫶 If someone rad sent this to you and you wanna sign up for yourself [free]

Now go unearth your togs, nab a book (colouring book counts), and take your body to be around/in your body of water of choice. Manu’s optional.

C.x​
​Publisher, The Dabbling​
​Ōtautahi’s Unofficial Hobby-Hypewoman

Fun answers:

GINGERBREAD

IKEBANA

CROP SWAP