Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair this Saturday!

There's no need to panic about the lack of purchased christmas gifts just yet,... as The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair is this Saturday!

The Stalls plays host to 60 designer makers who are ready to entice you, to buy their exclusive ranges and wares.

With a wide range of mediums such as textiles, photography, jewellery, glass, knitted crafts, illustration and ceramics, to name but a few - you'll be able to find that unique gift for your loved ones and friends.

So avoid the freeze and mundane high street shops and shop in style at The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair at Victoria Hall in Saltaire.

The Marvellous Tea Dance Company have the kettle on and cupcakes on stand by!

Event Details:

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair

Address: Victoria Hall / Victoria Road / Shipley / Saltaire / BD18 3JS

Date: Saturday 18th December 2010

Time: 10am-4pm

Entry:£2 On The Door / £1 With A Flyer (print and bring) / Under 12's Free

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Christmas Fair, is one month away

The Stalls fair is set in the idyllic and prestigious location of Victoria Hall in Saltaire. With amazing designer makers and skilled artisans work readily available, The Stalls is the perfect opportunity to purchase unique and exclusive gifts for friends, family and loved ones.

The Stalls plays host to new emerging and established artists and designers specialising in virtually everything: art, ceramics, textiles, upcycling, photography, glass, fashion and jewellery.

The Stalls Arts & Crafts Fair, is the must-visit location for Christmas shoppers!

Venue: Victoria Hall / Victoria Road / Saltaire / Shipley / BD18 3JS

Date (for your diary): Saturday 18th December 2010 10am - 4pm

ENTRY: £2 on the door / £1 with a flyer (just print and bring) / Under 12's free

or more info about the event visit: http://www.natashajoe.blogspot.com/

Leeds Federated’s Christmas Craft Fair

If you love crafts, hand made gifts and cake you’ll love this!

Leeds Federated is hosting a lovely craft fair just in time for Christmas on Wednesday 8th December from 11 – 3pm.

There’ll be lots of stalls with fabulous items to solve your Christmas present dilemmas or to just treat yourself! We are raising money for our chosen charity Homeless International SEE HERE on the day so there’ll be a 50p charge for adults on the door and a café selling lovely cakes and refreshments for you to enjoy.

Stalls are available for a charge of £7.50, if you would like to reserve one or find out more information about the event please call 0113 3861000 and ask for Sue Jennings or Megan Henderson or visit SEE HERE

Punk & Hard Rock Night The Fenton Leeds

The Fenton is hosting a punk and hard rock night on Friday the 8th of October to help raise money for the Shaun Prest Cambodian Orphanage Appeal. Doors are open at 8.00pm until 11.30pm and some great local bands will be playing including The Sewersuckers, The Swindells, Auntiedope and guest band from Nottingham the Amplifires. Tickets are £4.50 on the door or £4.00 online (buy your tickets here: Fenton tickets

The Orphanage Appeal is seeking to raise £10,000 by January 2011 to enable them to start working building an orphanage for the beach children and street children of Sihanoukville, Cambodia. You can find out more about the Appeal here: Cambodian Orphanage Appeal

Other venues include The Snooty Fox in Wakefield on the 24th of October with headliners Gargamel (featuring the members of My Dying Bride), Carpe Diem in Leeds on the 18th of November and the Well in Leeds 9th of December with headliners Exit State.

one man's campaign to build an orphanage in Cambodia

FourSquare Innovations is sponsoring Shaun Prest in his one man journey to build an orphanage in Sihanoukville, Cambodia. This is his story:

My name is Shaun Prest, a 38 year old electrician from Halifax, West Yorkshire.

I first visited Sihanoukville, Cambodia five years ago and while there I became aware of the plight of the beach children living there. One little girl in particular caught my attention. She earned her keep acting as a pair of eyes for her blind uncle who in turn scratched a living by singing songs for tourists and through begging. At the time I gave all I could, but after returning to the UK I decided to try and help in a more practical and extensive way.

Last year I raised funds with a sponsored motorcycle ride across Cambodia . With this I purchased 300 colouring books and 300 felt tip pen sets took this with me along with $600.00 dollars when I set out on my journey across Cambodia in February 2009. This time I paid for everything myself including the tickets, pens and colouring books and all the other fees came out of my own pocket from money saved working back in England.

After arriving in Cambodia I first made my way to Phnom Penh and started out by making donations to the single street mums there. Then I made may way up to Siem Reap to river village and handed out colouring books and money donations to all the river houses there via a boat. On th next leg of my journey I made my way back down to Sihanoukville having completed the sponsored motorcycle trip. Here I handed out the remaining colouring books to the beach children on Ocheateal beach.

This year in april 2010 I returned to Cambodia with another load of colouring packs (600) which I took to several orphanages in Sihanoukville, whilst also going to see the homeless family I visit every year with books. This family was forcibly evicted from their homes in 2006 resulting in two of them dying and several of the children were taken off to so-called rehabilitation which in reality is prison. I spent a lot of time helping the families in April, May and June of this year. These families now live in tents and only manage to survive by sending their children out to collect empty tin cans and weighing them in in return for rice. I returned to the UK on the first of July and the following week received an email saying the family have been evicted again and are living at the side of the road in tents now.

After the Khmer Rouge were ousted in 1979 the government made a law stating that anyone who has settled and been in the same plot of land, and can prove it, then the land becomes their property by right. This was a measure taken to undo the Khmer Rouge’s seizure of land and property under Pol Pot. It is incredible that 30 years later the people of Cambodia are still being forcibly removed from their homes and land to make way for developers.

My colouring books don’t seem to be enough now so I am aiming higher and I have teamed up with a lady who has the same interests in helping the Otres beach children as myself. Together we are trying to raise funds to build an orphanage for the beach children. I am in need of any donations that you may be able to give. This is a really important cause with a chance to make a difference to a lot of people. If you can help please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Shaun Prest August 2010


07904036069

Read the Halifax Courier article on Shaun here:

http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/news/Return-of-the-39colouring-book.6474628.jp

Read the Huddersfield Examiner Story here:

http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/local-west-yorkshire-news/2010/08/17/brighouse-electrician-shaun-prest-s-bid-to-open-a-cambodian-orphanage-86081-27074501/

Find the orginal article here: Cambodian Orphanage Appeal

FourSquare Innovations LLP - the software training people

Leeds Wired City Reconnected Event Wednesday 29th September

Wired City Reconnected

LEEDS Wired City Reconnected

Stop Press: Newly posted Oldham Wired City Reconnected event video created for Oldham Partnership : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNq6je0B2dM

Date: Wednesday 29^th September

Time: 6 - 8pm

Venue: The Round Foundry, Media Centre, Foundry Street, Leeds LS11 5QP

Background: The Wired City Reconnected events are ‘collaborative’ networking events aimed at the digital, creative and ICT businesses interested in potential collaborations or the chance to share and exchange ideas. The events are facilitated by Les, Fiona and Immy, who will provide a bespoke matching & introduction service prior to the event. So whether your business has a current skills gap or you are looking to collaborate with others to meet new or current clients’ needs, these events are for you. Wired City Reconnected events are all about making the best use of your time, by providing an invaluable networking opportunity.

Book a place: please follow this Link to Leeds WCR Event

Delegates are charged £15.00. However if you book online up to one week before the event delegates are only charged £12.50. This fee covers liquid refreshment, buffet and an business introductory / matching service.

If you have not had the opportunity to look at the new promotional video, or are interested to attending your first event and would like to know more then please follow the attached link Wired City Reconnected Event Video (This video was produced in collaboration with SPL Communications)

Here are some of the previous delegates comments:

What the Oldham Chronicle said after visiting the Oldham event in January 2010 Oldham Chronicle Report

Rowena gives an account of her first Manchester Wired City Reconnected event.

Julies comments on first visit to Preston Wired City Reconnected: http://www.writeanglepr.co.uk/blog/?p=99

Sarah’s comments on Manchester Wired City Reconnected: http://tohtmlwithit.blogspot.com/search/label/wired%20city%20reconnected

WE are Supported by:

This events official Sponsor is Round Foundry Media Centre

The following organisations have previously sponsored or supported the Wired City Reconnected Events; Yorkshire Events: Cobbetts LLP, Montpelier, McParland Finn Ltd, Electric Work (Sheffield)

North West: Manchester Science Park; Manchester Digital; Manchester Digital Development Agency, Preston City Council; Oldham MBC; Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council; Creative Lancashire; Hive Network: Lancashire & Cumbria ICT Clusters; Blackpool Unlimited.com; CrISP; THE Storey CIC, Business Link (Digital and Creative Sector Team) SPL Communications; Cobbetts LLP; Montpelier, McParland Finn Ltd; TalkInternet

Other Forthcoming Events:

Future events:

Manchester Wired City Reconnected on Thursday 23th September at Manchester Science Park, Lloyd Street North, Manchester M15 6SE Link to Manchester WCR Event

Liverpool Wired City Reconnected on Thursday 7^th October (Venue to Confirmed)

Sheffield Wired City Reconnected on Wednesday 27^th September at Electric Work, Sheffield Link to Sheffield WCR Event

Felix Dennis At the Birdcage Leeds

An evening of fine French wine and poetry from one of Britain's best-loved poets.

Felix Dennis is setting out on a 21-date poetry reading tour to launch his sixth book of verse, Tales From The Woods. Did I Mention The Free Wine? 2010 Tour will see the poet return by popular demand to major cities such as London, Cardiff, Dublin, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as new stops in Newcastle, Ludlow, Milton Keynes and Cork. Felix Dennis will be reading a selection of poems from his hugely popular collections, Homeless in My Heart, A Glass Half Full, Lone Wolf, When Jack Sued Jill and Island of Dreams, all of which were sell-out books of original poetry. He will also be introducing his new collection of poems in an exclusive preview ahead of the book's launch on 28th October.

He will be performing at the The Birdcage, Leeds on Monday 4th October 2010.

Don't miss out on the poetry event of the year and book your ticket now!
Tickets prices: £10 pre-booked online or £12 on the door, £5 concessions. To book tickets go to: www.felixdennis.com

Leeds Festival Fringe - Live unsigned bands

Calling all West Yorkshire music lovers, check out the Leeds Festival Fringe for what promises to be a bonanza of live unsigned bands in Leeds. The Leeds Festival Fringe supports the Martin House Children's Hospice

Full details will be coming some time in April

Live Music at the Victoria Leeds This Sunday

Live Music Sunday 28th of march at the Victoria Leeds

This Sunday the Vic are hosting an all day extravaganza of country, blues, folk and rock music, with the following line up: AuntieDope (watch out for God Bless America and UFO), Time of Hibu, How Wax Reserve, very special acoustic acts and there are rumours of free samosas. Starts at 4pm and entry is free.

The Victoria, 28 Great George Street, Leeds (next to O'Neills).

Live Music Leeds at the Fenton

Music in April at the Fenton Leeds

April is a busy month for the Fenton with 7 whole nights of live music, great bands and flowing beer:

• Thursday 1st: Something in the Loft: Big G Ellmer, Lucy Divine and Floor Board George


• Friday 2nd: Base culture: Dub Roots and Jungle night with Kommissar and Boca



• Saturday 3rd: At the Crossroads: Live bands



• Thursday 8th: Jug O rum Promotions: Redemption, Just watch The Fireworks, Half Nelsons



• Fridsay 9th: Fused: We'll Die Smiling, Blacklisters, Aged Yummy



• Saturday 10th: Charity Gig: El Camina, Pearl Jammed



• Thurs 15th: Grassroots: Dub Reggae night

The Fenton, 161 Woodhouse Lane, Leeds - 0113 245 3908

Designer Teeshirts | Design your own Teeshirt | Online Teeshirts

You can find fantastic teeshirt designs at Spreadshirt, including unique and rare teeshirt designs, funky teeshirt designs, funny teeshirts, movie themed teeshirts and much more. 1000s of teeshirt designs are available and at Spreadshirt you can even design your own teeshirt and have it shipped to you. Delivery is available throughout the Uk and we also found it to be very prompt. Our first order landed within 3 days.

You can find some of our favorite teeshirt designs below, but there are many more on offer on the website

Yin-yang Teeshirt Things in life are not completely black or white

Vampire Hamster Teeshirt Vampire Hamster Teeshirt

funny lizard teeshirt Interesting lizard teeshirt

Dollar Signs Teeshirt Dollar Signs Teeshirt

Today's Mood - Writable Flex Teeshirt Today's Mood - Writable Flex Teeshirt

Mac Bomb Teeshirt Mac Bomb Teeshirt

Old School Teeshirt Old School Teeshirt

Yellow Beware Aliens! Men's Tees (short-sleeved) Beware Aliens! A vector teeshirt design by StiKMen's Tees (short-sleeved), yellow.

Sun Skull Teeshirt Sun Skull Teeshirt

Ant Love Teeshirt Ant Love Teeshirt

Mexican Restaurants Leeds - Las Iguanas

Mexican Dining in Leeds

Over the past few years I've dished the dirt on quite a few really poor dining experiences in Leeds, which makes it a real pleasure to introduce a really positive experience at La Iguanas for Valentines Day yesterday - good service, great atmosphere and great Mexican food.

Leeds city centre is really lacking in Mexican restaurants these days since the Cactus Lounge packed up its sombrero and high tailed it to Bradford, so with a date who loves Mexican there was only one place to try and Las Iguanas didn't disappoint. The Valentines Day set menu didn't have the chimichanga on it, but that we can forgive since we got excellent roast duck tortilla (Pato Taquito) and huge juicy mint, lime and chilli tiger prawns (Mojito Tiger Prawns) for starters. This was followed by a really good, albeit a little over leafy, Brazilian lime chicken salad in a crayfish and peanut sauce and divine burritos. And for dessert, the pistachio and white chocolate cheesecake is still making me drool and the Aztec chocolate fudge cake makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

With friendly and efficient service even on a very busy night and a complementary cava we really couldn't complain. Would have perhaps preferred to order a decent bottle of bubbly or even a sparkling rose, but we already had a few drinks inside us, so we let that one pass.

All in all, I think the upshot is that if you're in the city centre, you don't need to travel all the way to Dare in Headingley to get a really good Mexican.

Las Iguanas is situated right next to the Corn Exchange and within easy walking distance of the train station and major transport links and parking.

http://www.iguanas.co.uk

Unit 3

Cloth Hall Street

Leeds LS1 2HD

Tel: 0113 243 9533

Fax: 0113 244 3696

leeds@iguanas.co.uk

Craft, Sewing and Dress Making Classes Leeds

Fabric-ation are running the following craft, fashion, dress making and sewing classes in Leeds. Call 0113 243 9140 to book a course.

Vintage Hair and Makeup 1.00pm-5.pm

Join burlesque bombshell Anna Fur Laxis for a vintage hair and makeup session.

The workshop content will be tailored to the ladies who are attending and what they would like to go over, but in the main it will cover how she does her hair and makeup - using hot rollers, hot sticks and curling tongs, putting hair up into several vintage inspired hairstyles including victory rolls, using snoods/scarves/fascinators etc, vintage-inspired makeup, false eyelash application, and tricks and twists for make-up for parties & photo shoots.

Sat Feb 6th 2 places left


Sun Feb 7th 1 place left

Valentines Potions and Candles

February 13th 10.30-4.30pm

Following the success of our Christmas Candles class we have now decided to run a special one for the valentines season. We will be making candles, bath bombs, massage bars and lip balms using very simple recipes you can replicate at home. With essential oils and paraben and sls free ingredients in sensual and aphrodisiac fragrances. Make as many or as few items as you can fit into the day

Please note all our classes need to be prebooked. £35 + materials. Refreshments, but not lunch, included.

Learn to make a skirt using your own machine

Have a sewing machine, but haven't got any further than a cushion cover? Then come along to our class where you will learn how to make a basic skirt. You will learn how to cut a pattern, and sew the skirt together, put in a zip and work a button hole.

Cost £40 + materials, please bring your own and a pattern. Refreshments, but not lunch, included. You should have already attended our 'How to use your Machine' class or have the basic knowledge of how to thread up and use a straight and zigzag stitch.

Feb 20th fully booked


Feb 21st 2 places left

Make do and Mend, Recycle

Feb 27th 10-30-4.30pm

Here at Fabrication we are taking on the credit crunch with the spirit of the Blitz. Don't buy new, learn to alter, repair, customise and revamp your wardrobe.

You will learn to replace buttons, add new collars and cuffs, add trimmings, as appropriate to your garments and requirements. and turn unused garments into new objects. Either use bits and pieces you have found or root through our trim and button box.

This class will not only help you revamp your wardrobe but turn you into a canny bargain shopper. How often have you not bought the £5 sale trousers cos they were too long, or a fab markdown silk frock cos the beads were coming off or the zip was dodgy. After this that won't happen again.

Cost £35+ materials, includes refreshments but not lunch

Please note all these workshops take place in an upstairs room with no lift facility. All classes must be prebooked and paid for prior to the day. Places are ltd to 6 for clothes making classes so we can give you more attention.

If there is a class you want to us to run then let us know and if enough folks also want it then we will try and organise it. If you really want to attend one of our classes but work weekends etc then we may be able to run in an evening if enough people want to

Our Club Nights

Crochet Club 1st Thursday every month 6.30-9.pm

There seems to be lots of knitting clubs around these days but what about those of us who want to crochet. Well we have the answer. Come along to Crochet Club and bring your projects, wool, cake, gossip and tea. If you Knit, macramé, lace make etc you are also welcome.

Cost £6 inc refreshments and cake. You will need to prebook this event so we have an idea of numbers

Costume Clinic

Costume Clinic is for those making their own burlesque, theatre or historical costumes, of any description, who may need a hand to sort out problems they are experiencing with floppy bows, quick release systems etc or just an extra pair of hands and eyes to help them.

It will run the 2nd thursday of every month

Crafty Club 3rd thursday every month 6.30-9.pm

Because we all have projects we want to start/finish/ stop being bored of but get distracted by the telly/kids/hubby once a month we can get together, get inspired and finally finish them all with the addition of cake and gossip.

This is not a teaching workshop for a specific craft but a fun creative night just getting on with stuff 3rd thursday every month. Cost £6 inc refreshments and cake

You will need to prebook this event so we have an idea of numbers

Ho's Chinese Restaurant Leeds

Authentic Chinese Dining In Leeds

If you are looking for a traditional and truly authentic Chinese dining experience in Leeds with a great ambience, then Ho's is the place to visit. The menu is diverse, imaginative and alluring and would not be out of place in Beijing.

As with any good Chinese restuarant, the menu is extensive and you will need to choose carefully to get the right blend of flavours. Its going to help if you have a party of four or more and avoid the set meals which are ever so slightly more geared towards the western version of Chinese food.

Don't be shy to ask for help if you need it since, it is admittedly easy to get it wrong if you don't have chinese friends available to advise you. A few tips though would be as follows. You will probably get more than you can all eat at one sitting and this restuarant doesn't provide the facilities to keep your food steaming hot throughout the duration, but live with that. Chinese meals are meant to be to feasts and a couple of hours at the dining table would be considered fast food in many places

Try and order a good variety of flavours and textures for your larger dishes including chicken, pork, beef and one seafood if possible to get the best range and make sure that these four include one rice dish, one soup dish and one noodle dish. Only get one that has been cooked with chillies. Your fish dish should really go in the middle, since fish have all sorts of special symbolic significance including prosperity, happiness and largess. I would really recommend any of the fish soup dishes. I'm not even sure what sort of fish ours was last time, but it was soft, tender flaked and mouthwateringly delicious.

For your smaller dishes it doesn't matter quite so much if you get the balance wrong, and there is a great deal to choose from. I can recommend the crayfish scallops, but I'm not sure I would have the honey chicken again as it felt a bit like a pedestrian interoper in what was an otherwise exciting explosion of tastes and sensations.

For snacks and drinks, alsio check out the bar and bakery downstairs.

Ho's Chinese Restaurant, 115 Vicar Lane, Leeds City Centre LS1 6PJ