Hi 

Welcome to the July edition of the Taff Rocks newsletter.

This month we bring you, in 'Your Corner', some stunning creations created using the resources from the Craft Pack Project. We also have a link to the report prepared from the beneficiaries reponses.

Also in this month's issue we have:

1. Spotlight on our Trading Posts
   • New Trading Posts
2. Community Workshop Updates
   • Cashless Workshops
   • Free Q&A Session
3. Craft Pack Project Updates
   • Future Projects
4. YouTube Updates
   • Tutorial Requests
5. Your Corner 
6. Message Board 
7. Your Questions Answered 

Please do not reply to the email address this newsletter was sent from as it is not regularly monitored. Please continue to use our address at the end of this newsletter.

If you have written, or would like to write, a news article to submit for publication here, why not send it to us at the address at the bottom of this email? 

Please include the name of the author, even if it's you.

1. Spotlight on our Trading Posts

It's been a while since we've seen an article on our Trading Posts, not since the very first newsletter actually.  As we have so many new members who may not be aware of them, we thought it's a good idea to include this spotlight in this month's issue.

Once social distancing measures are relaxed, a Taff Rocks Mid-Week Short video will be visiting all the Trading Posts.

What are they?

Our Trading Posts are little rock gardens designed to be a permanent fixture at a location where our members, and members of any other rock painting group, can share and trade their creations or foundling rocks.

We also have a "travelling" Trading Post, but that's not being used at the moment due to restrictions.

Sometimes, you can't get out far, so a central trading post is a good idea.

These are created using scrap materials, donated materials or upcycled 'things' by members of Taff Rocks.

We encourage you to visit them, leave your rocks or trade with one that's there. 

They don't always have rocks in them, sometimes the 'Rock Fairy' visits during the night and, by the next morning, they're empty again.

Never be disheartened that they're empty, paint a beauty and leave it for someone.

The Trading Posts are only possible due to the generosity of building managers or land owners. They are placed on private properties that are accessible to the public. So, if you have somewhere like this, let us know for a future posts maybe.

The Nixonville Trading Post

This was our first ever one and installed outside St John Ambulance Hall in Nixonville back in July 2019.

It was thanks to one of our members, Richard, that this one came to life. It was once a tired old pallet. Richard created this wonder, then other members decorated it.

With permission from Aaron, the building manager at St John's, it was given its home and installed with the help of Aaron and other members. This one is open to the public 24/7

The Llandovery Trading Post

This one swiftly followed the first one, thanks to Ian and his crew at the Owl's Nest in Llandovery.

This was once an old, tired carpenter's tool box that had seen far better days. Ian asked that we create this one with no legs as he had space to rest it on.

Some of our biggest painted rock travelling companions, would you believe, are bikers!

There has been some friendly banter of who can take a rock the furthest, who can share it in the best place and so on. Of course, these guys and girls try to ask us who the winner is, but we decline :-D it's all good fun.

The Owl's Nest Trading Post in situated in a gated area and is open to the public when the gates are. See 'Opening Times' below

• New Trading Posts

We have, for some time, been 'sitting' on Trading Post number three. Why? Well, it was due to be installed during the summer of this year but, of course, we are all stuck at home and unable to travel far.

At this time, it has not been constructed because the materials are waiting at Taff Rocks HQ to be transported to the wonderful volunteer who has offered to make it for us.

We don't want to raise your hopes of it being installed already where it will eventually live, so we will keep the location secret until its eventual opening day.

2. Community Workshop Updates

At last month's meeting of the Taff Rocks management committee, the preparations of the how's and how-to's started for community workshops. The situation has not changed.

We currently have no start date but, as soon as we do, this will be announced in a special email bulletin and the monthly newsletter. Which means, those we have emails for that do not wish to receive the monthly newsletter, will also receive this bulletin.

It is a difficult time, there are many options and we need to discuss which one best suits everyone.

• Cashless Workshops

Due to the Coronavirus, we are looking at 'going cashless' for the workshops. Our fundraising platform offers us the option of tickets for events, check the Taff Rocks Tuesday Event here.

Nicola has been trialing the ticket purchasing system and has found that it meets the needs of Taff Rocks with an option for a printable / downloadable ticket to bring with you on the day.

You will notice there is a 'register or buy' button on the page, this will show all tickets available. The workshop for this ticket does not exist! It's just an example. You will not receive an email ticket. For a 'real' workshop, tickets will be automatically sent to you to print, or save to your phone to present at the door.

Once tickets have sold out, the event will no longer be visible.

We will keep you updated with what's happening and list any diary dates here. Once we assess our venue to determine how many we can safely and lawfully admit, including volunteer facilitators, we will update you on this too.

Meanwhile, we have online tutorials on our YouTube Channel, we're looking at online live workshops and so much more, plus, of course, the craft packs to help you with resources and ideas.

• Free Q&A Session 

Is this something you'd be interested in? Would you be interested in being part of a trial session, which we'd use for a rock painting Q&A?

If so, let us know and Niki will schedule something for everyone. She will also be inviting other members of the Taff Rocks Team to join in.

Niki uses Microsoft Teams as this is secure and does not require anything to be downloaded onto your PC or laptop.

She did try Zoom, but this was restricted to the amount of people and length of time.

Beyond that, Zoom a paid for service which Niki feels there is no need to spend on if 'Teams' works without the need for additional funds.

This free online Q&A would be a group session where a link for the 'meeting' will be sent to you in an email.

If this works, future sessions could include specific topics which may be of interest to you.

Interested? Click here to let us know.

To find out more about joining an MS Teams event, click here

3. Craft Pack Project Updates

The initial trial project is now complete. The financial report has been submitted to the funders (Invest Local Ynysowen) and a full, informal project report was sent to the beneficiaries and other interested parties, by email, last month.

If you'd like to read the report, click button below.

• Future Projects

We'd like to run a similar craft pack project again. But this is dependant on:

• Enough interest in an additional project
• Funding availability
• Volunteers

If you think you can help, please click here.

4. YouTube Updates

We are slowly getting better at our videos. Of course, learning to get things right can take time, especially when there are financial implications involved. We're upgrading our personal equipment to enable better quality videos for you.

Stick with us!

All our videos are currently released at 10:00am (UK time):

Monday: We release the latest tutorial video.

Wednesday: The release of a Mid-Week Short episode. Dealing with your questions and other topics of interest.

Friday: If there are any special announcements, we try to keep these for release on a Friday, this is not every week

Our channel is too 'young' to bring in revenue, support comes by generous gifts and donations or through Patreon or Ko-Fi sponsorship, or gifts from an Amazon WishList. Not forgetting the creator's own equipment and resources of course.

No resources dedicated to Taff Rocks community workshops are used for the channel or to create content. 

• Tutorial Requests

We've had a number of tutorial request in by email. These are being added to the schedule and include:

• Cupcakes and Ice-Cream
• Dotting / Mandala Rocks - due later this month
• Bumble bees
• And more

If you have a rock painting or Taff Rocks related question, we answer these in our series of Mid-Week Shorts. If you'd like to see something on our schedule, a rock you've always wanted to try or something you like, let us know.

Requests and questions can be sent to us using the email address at the end of this email or, you can leave them in the comments on our YouTube videos

5. Your corner

To have your works of art and creations shared in next months issue, send them to the email address below with the name of the artist and permission to share.

You can also share them in our Facebook group or tag us in your share on Instagram @taff.rocks

Example:

"Image by: Name of artist

Age: Only if a young person

I give permission to use this image publically"

You can also copy and paste this into you email and personalise it

This month, we are sharing with you some of the awesome rock art creations from the Craft Pack Project that have been sent to us by email or we were given permission to share from our Facebook Group:

Thank you all so much for your amazing works of rock art! Keep sending them in guys, we will share as many of them as we can. If we've missed any, send them by email letting us know who painted them.

They don't have to be from the Craft Pack Project, they can be any painted rock creation you, or your family / friends have done.

6. Message board 

Do you have any birthday or other messages for others you'd like to include here?

If you know they subscribe, send those to us to include in future issues. The newsletter is published regularly on the second week of each month.

7. Your Questions Answered 

Any questions that you don't mind waiting until the next edition for an answer to, send them in using the email address at the bottom of this newsletter.

It can be about:

• Rock and rock painting
• Taff Rocks
• Volunteers
• The list is endless

Your question(s) could also feature in a episode of 'Mid-Week Shorts'

This question came in on our Facebook Group:

• "Can someone please help we have been painting rocks but they are not coming out glossy I'm just wondering what you use to make them glossy and also what paint /paint pens you recommend please? Thanks in advance x"

The question was answered perfectly by members of Taff Rocks who came to this rockers aid, but if you guys have similar questions, why not check out the FAQ on our website. For this question, we have:

• A basic shopping list to get started
• Various sealants you can use
• Reviews on paint pens

And over on our YouTube Channel, we have:

• Spraying your rocks with lacquer tutorial

Hopefully, this will answer a few questions. Not a subject we wanted to ever tackle but, with the increase of rockers (rock painters) out there, we felt it was needed.

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It does not use any Taff Rocks grants or donations intended for workshops and community work.