Leah Higgins

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So exciting and so scary - getting ready to teach

I love a good list and it turns out that there is a very long list of things that I need to do before I can start to teach in my studio. It is so tempting to start rearranging the studio, to start ordering 'stuff' and to spend hours at my bench preparing samples and practising demonstrations. But there is not much point in doing any of that unless I know I've actually got some students.

So first things first - writing lesson plans and getting everything loaded onto my website. Writing lesson plans is fun; figuring out what can be fitted in a two day workshop and what is a logical order for the demonstrations whilst remembering that the technique driven workshops will be aimed at beginners; making the workshops fun, intense, great value for money but not overwhelming. Getting things loaded onto my website has also been fun albeit in a slightly masochistic way. Lots of going round in circles figuring out what works and what doesn't work. Lots of cups of coffee. Lots of biscuits. Maybe the odd swear word. 

So far I have four workshops loaded but hidden from view. I am itching to share them with you but I am waiting for my local council to confirm that I can teach without needed to submit a formal 'change of use' application. Everything I have been able to read suggests not so fingers crossed!

And as a reward for all my hard work I 'allowed' myself to do a little rearranging. I started with the most important area. I have moved my coffee machine away from where we'll (hopefully) be mixing dyes. Health and safety in action. Still need to buy more cups, glasses, different teas, fruit bowl etc but I think this will work.