Stories
Inspiration on unique activities and gifts, mindfulness and more
Power Through Your Present List with Crafty E Gift Card Ideas
By ClassBento Team
Gift unforgettable experiences with these crafty e-gift card ideas! From jewellery making to cocktail classes, discover unique ways to create lastingGift unforgettable experiences with these crafty e-gift card ideas! From jewellery making to cocktail classes, discover unique ways to create lasting memories. ...
7 Crafty After School Activities for Kids
By Sam Bowden
Chasing down quirky and creative after school activities for kids? Here are some of our best offerings from two of our best kids providers!
Best Rainy Day Activities for Kids
By Sam Bowden
In need of rainy day activities for kids? Keeping kids busy when the weather conflicts with your plans is no easy task. So ClassBento has compiledIn need of rainy day activities for kids? Keeping kids busy when the weather conflicts with your plans is no easy task. So ClassBento has compiled a list of workshops perfect for little ones! ...
Different Ways to Celebrate the Leap Year in 2025
By Sam Bowden
With February 29 2020 being the first leap year day in four years, celebrate it in style with these fantastic workshops and classes running on FebruaryWith February 29 2020 being the first leap year day in four years, celebrate it in style with these fantastic workshops and classes running on February 29th! ...
Are We Losing Our Focus
By Sarah Hinds-Friedl
Revitalise your team's focus with our team building activities in Australia and discover how these exercises can help make a difference in your workplaceRevitalise your team's focus with our team building activities in Australia and discover how these exercises can help make a difference in your workplace (and life too). ...
Save Money and Become Your Own Barista
By ClassBento Team
Learn how to make barista style coffee at home with a barista class in Sydney and save money on takeaway coffee without compromising on taste.
Best Zoom Activities for Kids
By Sam Bowden
Looking to keep the kids entertained? Here are a few of our best Zoom activities for kids to enjoy at home!
Reinvigorate Your Workplace with These Corporate Team Activities
By Sam Bowden
If you're looking for team building activities in Australia that go beyond the pub drinks try these reinvigorating corporate activities for teamIf you're looking for team building activities in Australia that go beyond the pub drinks try these reinvigorating corporate activities for team building. ...
Top 10 Experience Gifts for Men in 2025
By Sarah Hinds-Friedl
Celebrate a special occasion with these top 10 experience gifts for men in Sydney and give him the best present based on his interests and passionsCelebrate a special occasion with these top 10 experience gifts for men in Sydney and give him the best present based on his interests and passions in 2025. ...
Terrarium Plants
By ClassBento Team
What makes a great terrarium? A classy enclosure (see our other story for ideas). The right soil, stones and internal decor. But most of all ofWhat makes a great terrarium? A classy enclosure (see our other story for ideas). The right soil, stones and internal decor. But most of all of course, the plants! You might be surprised to know that younger versions of plants that are typically quite large, can thrive in terrariums. The enclosed environment limits their growth and you'll get cute mini versions of the plants. If you're looking for a splash of colour, try African violets, or the pin cushion plant (Nertera granadensis) Want a dense forest? Try Maidenhair fern (Adiantum raddianum) Or have bold colours and stripes without any flowers, with Watermelon peperomia (Peperomia argyreia) or the Zebra plant (Aphelandra squarrosa) Want to have that lush wild overflowing abundant sprawling look? Try the Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) For a more delicate look, try Asparagus or emerald fern (Protasparagus setaceus) How about a glow-in-the-dark look? Try Moon valley friendship plant (Pilea involucrata) Discover more terrarium making ideas here. And that's just the tip of the iceberg! There are so many other plants to try, and so many ways to stretch your creativity. Inspired to build your own terrarium? If you're in Sydney, you're in luck. Join expert florist Chris Saban's fun class for beginners, or if you're up for a challenge, try his advanced class. Chris offers Kokedama (moss ball) and flower arranging classes too - check out all his classes here. ...
Smash Gift-Giving Stereotypes with These Unique Presents for Her
By ClassBento Team
On the hunt for unique presents for her? Discover a whole host of gift experiences for women who like to challenge themselves and get creative!
Best Gifts for New Mums Who Need a Bit of Me-Time
By ClassBento Team
Discover the perfect Mother's Day gifts for new parents! Treat new Mums to relaxing experiences like floristry and pottery for some well-deservedDiscover the perfect Mother's Day gifts for new parents! Treat new Mums to relaxing experiences like floristry and pottery for some well-deserved me-time. ...
The Colourful History of Jewellery Making
By ClassBento Team
I'd never tried jewellery classes in Sydney before. When I was a kid, my mother took me to meet one of her friends for an afternoon lunch. WeI'd never tried jewellery classes in Sydney before. When I was a kid, my mother took me to meet one of her friends for an afternoon lunch. We had to pick her up at her house, she explained, because Betty was blind and couldn’t drive herself. Having never met a blind person before, a flood of wonder and curiosity washed over my young mind: What would she be like? Would she be sad? What did she do if she couldn’t watch television? When we pulled up the gravel driveway, Betty was already at the doorway, ready to greet us. She was smiling and waving, and with her dark sunglasses, you wouldn’t even suspect that she wasn’t look straight at us. After introductions, Betty invited us inside for some iced tea before we went to the restaurant. As she turned to lead us into the house, I was mesmerized by her beautiful cascade of silver hair, pinned back with the most intricately beaded hair clip I had ever seen. The clip was an oval about five centimeters long and a few centimeters high and was adorned with blue, red and yellow beads arranged in symmetrical patters. It reminded me of the mosaics we had learned about in school, yet somehow more impressive because of the minuscule size of the beads (I later learned that they were called seed beads.) They were so small; you could almost mistake the entire thing for patterned fabric. My mother smiled. “She makes those herself, you know,” she said. Though she couldn’t see my expression, Betty sensed my surprise and laughed. “It’s true,” she said. “Come on, I’ll show you my collection.” Betty lead me to a spare room, where she had set up a workshop. On top of her desk, she had everything to make the intricate clips: rows and rows of brightly colored beads, spools of thread, various sizes of scissors and pliers, and strips of leather. Pinned up to the wall in neat columns were her finished products. Reds, blacks, oranges, greens, and blues. They were impossibly beautiful. Watching Betty show off her art made me realize how important beadwork was in her life. Just standing in her workshop, she was relaxed and full of joy. For the rest of the day, I couldn’t stop thinking about Betty making those incredible hair clips. I had always enjoyed making crafts with beads at school, but I couldn’t imagine creating something so detailed. My mother explained to me that the beadwork was an integral part of Betty’s heritage as a Native American of the Owen’s Valley Paiute Nation in the United States, and she had probably learned very young. Not a lot of people have an interest in learning the craft anymore, she told me sadly. Intrigued, I started researching the history of jewellery and beadwork on my own, finding a cultural history as elaborate as Betty’s art. History of Jewellery Making Jewellery, which in its most primitive form constituted decorative shells, bones, and colored rocks, is thought to be older even than clothing. As humans began settling into communal agrarian societies, in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt, jewellery developed into more ornate and sophisticated forms of art, alongside concepts like religion and governance. At this moment in history, jewellery began gathering social significance. For example, the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamen, whose treasures are housed at the Egyptian Museum (2) in Cairo, is still the largest collection of jewellery in the world, and gives modern historians a good idea of the opulence afforded only to the most powerful royal figures of the time. The next few centuries saw an explosion of jewellery trading that solidified the art as a staple of almost every European, North African, and Middle Eastern civilization. A historian can dedicate a lifetime to a single island in the Mediterranean, like Crete, and never learn everything there is to know about jewellery in the Ancient World. The waters are simply too deep. At the same time, on two completely separated continents, jewellery was weaving another historical thread in North and South American settled societies. In Central and Southern civilizations, like the Aztecs and Mayans, silver and gold were popular materials for ornamental pieces. For Western tribes, like Betty’s, early forms of jewellery consisted of natural materials, such as shells, silver, ivory, colorful stones like turquoise, etc. European colonists, surprised no doubt to see such beautiful jewellery in the New World, introduced glass and seed beads in the 16th century, revolutionizing Native American art. Today, Native American nations throughout the United States continue to produce beaded moccasins, hair pieces, and baskets to preserve the tradition. With such a diverse and vast history of jewellery in human civilization, it is no surprise that jewellery continues to be a key part of almost every society in the world. But in this age of mass-production, is there a way to preserve the age-old tradition of jewellery making? Is it even worth it to try? Scientists say we have a very strong incentive to keep jewellery making around, namely its potential to improve our mental health. One study (3), lead by Carolyn Adams-Price and Bernard Steinman of Mississippi State University, reviewed the impact of jewellery making on the mental wellbeing of 29 Canadian and American women, aged 31- to 64-years-old. All participants reported a psychological benefit, while 24% said that they experienced an increase in happiness and self-worth in particular. The organization, Bonita Bead Boutique (4) in the United States, has recorded similar effects, from reduction in stress-related illness to improved cognitive function, in individuals participating in jewellery making for the first time. Getting involved in jewellery making is incredibly easy. Jewellery making workshops are taught all over Sydney. Check out the long list of beginner’s classes by Chris Smalley: 1) nf!Earring making 2) nf!Beaded jewellery making and 3) nf!Jewellery repair and upcycle Because of the broad definition of jewellery, there are endless options for beginner’s classes, based on your personal preferences. A typical introductory class will teach the basics of anything from beadwork to simple silver- or silicone-molding to creating your own porcelain beads and pendants. References: (1) britannica.com (2) sca-egypt.org (3) aginghorizons.com (4) promedicahealthconnect.org ...
Brand Activation for Fashion Company
By ClassBento Team
A popular fashion company wanted to reinvigorate its brand, and launched a youthful campaign, with a Cuban theme, supported by a prominent singerA popular fashion company wanted to reinvigorate its brand, and launched a youthful campaign, with a Cuban theme, supported by a prominent singer and performer. To bring the campaign to life in Sydney, the brand designed an offline activation, inviting brand VIPs, influencers and press to Pitt Street Mall. A highlight of the event was ClassBento’s custom jewelry stand, where guests could custom order personalized earrings that fit in with the Cuban feel. There was a wide variety of beads and bangles to choose from, so the guests had plenty to spark their imagination – it was a nice avenue for them to indulge in their creativity. ClassBento’s teachers whipped up the earrings from their base components on the spot, and the guests could participate in the jewelry making if they liked. Our teachers know how to work a crowd, and kept the group engaged and buzzing. The jewelry was unique, authentic, designed specifically for this event, and of course, lots of fun to wear and share-worthy, and a nice way to remember the night by. Looking for an idea for your next marketing activation? Get in touch, and we’ll help find the right teachers to help you stand out and make it memorable. ...
How to Make a Terrarium DIY
By Julia Carr-Catzel
Succulents are the ideal household plant, and terrariums are a great home for them. Try out Sydney's most highly rated succulent terrariumSucculents are the ideal household plant, and terrariums are a great home for them. Try out Sydney's most highly rated succulent terrarium class and make one yourself. Succulent plants are a popular choice for modern Australian homes and gardens, due to their high-tolerance of various weather conditions, including life indoors. Teeming with water which is stored in leaves, roots and stems, these low-maintenance plants thrive almost everywhere, making them the ideal décor to spruce up a basic veranda or courtyard during the steamy summer months. Alternatively, owners can place succulents indoors, near windows to shower them with natural light. Pry through a gallery of frilled, spined and flower embellished succulents to liven up the indoors; opt for pincushion cactei dotted in beautiful hues of pink or perhaps a variegated zebra plant to match household décor. The number of succulent garden compositions are unlimited, choose from colours, shapes and sizes to adorn a bookend, hanging wall frame, wreath, pot, birdcage or terrarium. Not to mention the health benefits of indoor plants, such as the aloe vera plant, which produces cleaner air, lowers the risk of illness, boosts one’s mood and has potential to enhance concentration and memory. Despite their low-maintenance reputation, succulents thrive under a balanced upkeep. Refrain from over-watering when attending to your succulent garden, a common mistake among owners who overcompensate with a plant able to tolerate prolonged drought. Instead, make sure to check the soil moisture level with your fingers and water only when dry. Water or mist succulents at least once per week. Position them wisely with for time in shade each day, as succulents can burn when exposed to too much sunlight. Use a gentle formula once per month to fertilise. Do not combine succulents with non-desert dwelling plants Making your own succulent garden is therapeutic and rewarding activity to fill a morning or afternoon and doesn’t require any prior expertise. Adorning your home with a succulent garden can have aesthetically pleasing benefits for the inside of your home, as well as health benefits. The terrarium making experience can be shared with others and doesn’t have to be a solo mission. Encourage family and friends to take part in a terrarium workshop with Christoper Saban, Creative Director of ‘Merchant and Green’ who conducts beginner workshops in Sydney, catering for plant-lovers looking to design and create their very own succulent garden. Christopher, who has over fifteen years’ experience as a floral decorator and stylist provides all plants and equipment, and caters to all skill levels. Equip yourself with a pyramid or quad glass container, choose from a wide variety of mini succulents, toy with vase river stones, dirty your hands with moss and soil and create the perfect environment for your plants to thrive. Make a terrarium today. ...
How to Make Reusable Face Masks from Fabric
By Sam Bowden
Want to make reusable DIY face masks that are also sustainable? Check out these craft classes and become a certified sewing sensation!
Candle Making Classes Are for Everyone
By John Tabari
Join our candle making classes in Sydney for a fun, relaxing craft experience. Perfect for everyone to join, it's a therapeutic experience you'llJoin our candle making classes in Sydney for a fun, relaxing craft experience. Perfect for everyone to join, it's a therapeutic experience you'll love! ...
Fun Activities to Fit Your Busy Schedule
By ClassBento Team
In this day and age, everyone is busy. It seems almost a social misdemeanor to not be (or at least claim to be) busy, all the time. Many of us areIn this day and age, everyone is busy. It seems almost a social misdemeanor to not be (or at least claim to be) busy, all the time. Many of us are working long hours, often with overtime. Some of us work weekends. With our portable devices, it’s so much easier to stay glued to work, and it’s so much more convenient to be a workaholic. And beyond work, we often have lots of commitments. We need time for ourselves and to find fun activities to make the most of a day at home. Time to just be in the moment, without worrying about what’s ahead and behind us. Time to unleash the creative sparks we all have inside. Time to relax, unwind, and just enjoy the simpler pleasures in life. Every moment we invest into leisure, pays off handsomely. Studies have shown that activities like recreational classes can help to prevent workplace stress and burnout, and improve workplace performance. So it’s not just about indulgence, it’s also good sense for your career. Our workshops are perfect for the busy professional. ClassBento has a wide variety of fun workshops in the evenings, on Saturdays and Sundays, and even during lunch breaks during weekdays. Forget about your worries, as you concentrate on making some chocolate, or arranging some flowers. Form some meaningful social connections, as you draw a portrait or play a ukulele. Broaden your perspectives, as you learn a different language, or learn about philosophy. And it would be a minor crime for you to not invite your friends too. Put a smile on their face, by inviting them to a class with you, or say ‘take a well deserved break’, by sending them a gift card. Check out our classes, listed on a nifty calendar. Add more life to your work-life balance. Discover fun new ways to experience VIVID here. ...
Adapting the Workplace for Millennials
By Sarah Hinds-Friedl
Help the workplace adapt to millennials with our team building activities in Sydney! It's a great place to learn something new while connecting withHelp the workplace adapt to millennials with our team building activities in Sydney! It's a great place to learn something new while connecting with others. ...
Why You Should Take Up a New Hobby This Leap Year
By Natalie Kemp
What to do this February leap year to improve your wellbeing, make social connections and make your life more interesting...
Intimate Learning and Teaching - the Power of Privacy
By Classbento CTO
ClassBento's privacy options allow teachers to use secret venues, and gives students marvellous new ways to experience classes. So what'sClassBento's privacy options allow teachers to use secret venues, and gives students marvellous new ways to experience classes. So what's this all about, how would it be helpful, and how did we apply lessons from psychology research? Let's run through these options one by one and see. We allow teachers to mask their teaching venue. In this case, a circle is shown on a map, with the venue’s real location hidden somewhere within the circle. The exact location is only revealed to paying students. This allows teachers to use private venues like their home or private studios for classes, while allowing prospective students to know their rough location without compromising their privacy. These venues tend to be more convenient and cheaper for teachers, since they tend to be owned and used by teachers for other purposes. I’m personally uncomfortable with revealing my home address to strangers (strangers who pay me to be my students are the exception), so I use this option myself (1). There are of course other reasons why teachers may choose this option. For example, photography teachers may want to take students to their secret spots with the best angles, lighting and subject matter, and don’t want to reveal these to the general public. We offer private classes to students for intimate learning. Specifically, students can book some classes privately (where enabled by the teacher), which will immediately make the class unavailable for future bookings by members of the public. Students can book private classes either just for themselves, or also on behalf of others. Teachers can offer their own venues and/or to travel to students. We can imagine some ways that this would benefit students (there are probably more): You want to take a date out to something a bit more interesting than dinner and a movie, and want an intimate experience (you may know the song ‘Tennessee Waltz’; it’s both a great song and a cautionary tale (2)) You don’t want outsiders intruding on your company team or family bonding time You are an introvert and don’t cope well in bigger groups (between a third to a half of us are introverts (3), including me) You are don’t want to be judged for your currently amateurish skills (like me with dancing, singing, painting, skateboarding, Spanish … okay basically everything). After all, if you think that you're being judged negatively, you'll often perform worse, compared to if you were by yourself or with just trusted others (like a patient teacher) (this has been proven by scientific experiments) (4) You want to express your creativity fully, especially in open-ended subjects like the visual arts; you want to minimise the 'peer pressure' to produce conformist output (5) You don't want random other people who aren't quite as advanced as you slowing down your learning Of course, we offer 'public' options as well. Teachers can specify where their venues are to the public if they wish, and students can join public classes and meet new people if they wish (and if the teacher's class allows). Each option has its own advantages. We hope you love our privacy options! (1) Yes, I’m actually also a teacher on ClassBento. As to which one … that’s a secret for now (2) Listen to Patti Page’s lovely rendition at: youtube.com/watch?v=_Ek3eCbfqp0 (3) From "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking" by Susan Cain. A great read, highly recommended (4) The technical term from this is 'Evaluation apprehension'. It's a well researched theory in psychology. It's remarkably pervasive; a famous study showed that women perform worse in maths tests when their gender was implicitly brought to their attention, due to the women recalling the stereotype that they should be worse at maths than men (in this specific case, it's referred to as 'Stereotype threat', but now I'm going quite a bit off topic) - see Inzlicht, M.; Ben-Zeev, T. (2000). "A Threatening Intellectual Environment: Why Females Are Susceptible to Experiencing Problem-Solving Deficits in the Presence of Males" (5) This is related to the concept of 'Social desirability bias', which again is well established in psychology. Interestingly, studies suggest that this effect explains why men tend to artifically inflate the number of sexual partners they've had in self-reports, while women under-report theirs, to conform with the participants' view of what is socially acceptable. See Smith, T. W. (1992). "Discrepancies between men and women in reporting number of sexual partners: A summary from four countries", and Tourangeau, R.; Yan, T. (2007). "Sensitive Questions in Surveys" ...
Tea Brewing Versus Barista Workshops
By ClassBento Team
If you decide you want to become a Barista, you’re in luck. There are tons of classes that offer all different types of Barista training. ButIf you decide you want to become a Barista, you’re in luck. There are tons of classes that offer all different types of Barista training. But what about people who don’t like coffee? Those who prefer a morning green tea rather than a latte? Whilst tea brewing classes are not as common as coffee courses, there are options. In this article, we’ll look the rising trend of tea brewing classes. Tea Brewing Classes First of all, it’s important to understand exactly what a Tea Brewing class might look like. Though there are not as many of these classes as Barista courses, there are a few different types of tea-making courses: Tea Brewing workshop At a standard Tea Brewing class you will learn the best way to brew loose leaf tea. The teacher will outline the best type of water, temperatures and methods to use for different types of tea. You’ll also learn about different equipment for brewing tea and when to use it. Tea Sommelier After learning the basics of tea brewing, you can go on to learn how to become a tea expert. By navigating the history, culture and tasting notes of tea, you’ll be equipped to make recommendations for retail menus. Try out a workshop on how to make the right tea with chocolate or even tea with cheese. You’ll also come away with the ability to recommend food pairings for the tea. Kombucha classes Take your tea brewing one step further and learn to brew Kombucha. This fizzy, fermented tea drink has gained popularity in recent years because of its touted health benefits and it tastes great! Kombucha is made by adding yeast bacteria to green or black tea and fermenting it. But don’t let us tell you how to do it, you’ll learn everything at a Kombucha making class. Tea Specialist classes In the same way that Barista training will prepare you to enter the coffee industry, learning to be a tea specialist will help you get a job in a tea store. In this class you will learn the ins and outs of all the different types of tea. You will need a basic knowledge of tea brewing, which is usually included in these courses. With this foundation, you will be able to recommend products to customers based on their needs. Tea or Coffee? So now that you have a better idea of the topics and training you would cover in a Tea Brewing class. Should you learn how to perfect your tea brewing expertise or your coffee making prowess? which is better? Neither! Do both or do the one that you love! If you are looking into making a career move, smart money would be investing in a Barista training. There are more of these courses available and likely more jobs which need this knowledge. However, if you’re hoping to become a tea aficionado, whether as a hobby or profession, go for the Tea Brewing course and pour your heart and soul into it! ...
Inside a DIY Terrarium Class
By ClassBento Team
Spoiler alert! If you'd like to discover the magic of terrarium making for yourself, go ahead and book yourself in, and read no further. ButSpoiler alert! If you'd like to discover the magic of terrarium making for yourself, go ahead and book yourself in, and read no further. But if you're curious about what exactly happens in a terrarium workshop, I'll be sharing my personal experience with you in detail. Entree I stepped into the Merchant and Green floristry, where the walls are adorned with flowers and shrubs of all kinds, ranging from classics like roses and tulips, as well as Australian natives, through to more exotic (at least for me) flora like cotton. I also learned that there was a Happy Plant in the corner, as well as a Mother-in-laws-tongue (yes, those are really their names! Interesting names for interesting plants. Scientifically, they are Dracaena sanderiana, and Sanseveria respectively). The space had a relaxing vibe. Perfect for stopping to smell the roses (yes, I did that literally too). A table sat in the centre of the room, on top of which were neatly organised terrarium ingredients, giving me a sneak glimpse into the fun ahead. I was greeted by Chris and Mitch from the Merchant and Green team, as well as the other students. Our hosts offered us beverages, and we got to know everyone through a bit of light conversation. We flipped through a little book that Chris had recently acquired, all about terrariums. It reminded me of a cookbook, with recipes for the various types of terrariums, containing detailed lists of ingredients, preparation steps, as well as inspiring and appetising photos. We put on our aprons, and dove eagerly into our first course. Second course Chris showed us the various glass containers we could build our terrariums in. We opted for large circular 'fishbowl' vases, though also available were triangular prisms (a bit more challenging), as well as smaller spherical containers, which can be hung. For those who have a bit more time to spare in a more advanced class, larger terrarium containers are a great choice for indulgence - they allow for more plants, and are perfect for events which you don't really want to end too early (think hen's parties and other special occasions, or a fun team outing). Chris explained that we'd be building up our terrarium in layers, and the purpose of each layer. We also saw a finished terrarium, 'one prepared earlier', to get a better sense of the end goal. The first layer is foundation of stones, which encourages sufficient drainage for our little ecosystems. We each chose from smooth white pebbles, river stones of assorted colours and shapes, and smaller grey stones - you could build this layer with one or a combination of these, with each stone type providing a different aesthetic. Of course, there's a bit of finesse required - it isn't just about dumping stones haphazardly into a bowl! The layers have to be of the right thickness and elevation, to ensure that the ecosystem you're building is conducive to healthy plant life, and to ensure that you end up with a visually appealing terrarium. Chris and Mitch made it all easy though, with their detailed instructions and demonstrations. They also gave plenty of one on one advice (and hands-on help) where needed, while still giving us plenty of space to play and explore by ourselves. Third course Next up was a layer of special moss. The moss plays a crucial role in the terrarium, holding any water you put in, to ensure that your little plants can drink up just the way they like to. The moss came in stringy brown fibres, and smelled very earthy, and reminded me of a forest's scent. We made a little mattress with this moss, which was soft and springy, in contrast to the hard rocks just beneath. My 'layer cake' was starting to take shape! Responding to questions, Chris gave some advice on how to water our terrariums, and the best position(s) in our living spaces for them to thrive. We also got to learn a bit about the history of terrariums, on how they came about. Chris was a great conversationalist, and kept us engaged throughout. Learn more about making terrariums here. Fourth course Next, we added a layer of soil, spooning it generously into our vases. Then Mitch brought out the stars of the show - a tray of petite succulents. There was a wide variety to choose from - short, tall, spiky, smooth, dark, light. On this day, there were over 30 plants to choose from. They reminded me of petit fours, due to their size, variety, and cuteness. Some reminded me of a blossoming lotus or camellia, with their intricate and petal-like leaves. We had a hard time choosing from that feast of options, there were just too many pretty choices (and the plants change with every workshop, so no two workshops are exactly the same). Chris gave us some helpful advice as to which plants would best suit each of us. For example, some plants are slightly harder to maintain (I avoided those), while some plants pair particularly well with others. We eventually settled on our choices (I picked out a tall 'jellybean' shrub, as well as a unique succulent with pink-tinged leaves), and gently shook the plants free of their little pot homes. We trimmed their roots down, so that they would fit comfortably into the soil layer that we had just laid down. The plants are quite delicate, and in some cases a few leaves fell off, but not to worry - Chris showed us how you can actually grow new plants from these leaves, using just a moist paper towel as their initial incubator. Then came the planting. Just like normal planting, just in miniature form. We dug out tiny spaces for the roots of our plants, snuggled them in, and back-filled with soil to ensure that they would be nice and secure, and be able to pass the 'wobble test'. Dessert They saved the best for last. It was now time to put our finishing touches on our terrariums. The icing on the cake! Chris showed us a few styling options, and gave us a few ideas. Would we make a little Zen garden, with a clean and symmetric appearance? Or a natural landscape, one you might find by a riverside? With perhaps rolling hills and gentle valleys, to give more depth to our landscapes? We had a wide variety of stones to work with, from large 'feature' stones of various colours, sizes and textures, to the smaller stones that we used for layering before, as well as some mosses. I sprinkled a fine gravel-like mix to cover the soil, and accentuated it with a larger white pebble, as well as a few smaller coloured ones, somewhat randomly scattered, for a natural and contemporary look. I got lost in the moment - it was so much fun designing and playing with my miniature garden. This was the part where you could be really creative and try out different ideas. Just like a chef would dab at a plate with a cloth to clean up its appearance before serving, we too dabbed and finessed to finish off. It was incredible to see everyone else's finished terrariums. From the same set of ingredients, we had each created very different looking enclosed gardens (though all of them looked great). The whole experience was a great chance to just take some time for myself, to get away from technology and closer to nature. If my story sparked your appetite, go ahead and attend one of our future terrarium classes. The team at Merchant and Green also provide lovely workshops on making Kokedama (Japanese-inspired moss balls), as well as flower arranging with Australian natives, and with seasonal blooms. The classes are perfect for individuals, as well as couples, and larger groups. Until next time! Iain for the ClassBento team ...
Re-imagining Learning - Lessons from Sculpture by the Sea
By Classbento CTO
What do you think of when you see the word ‘learning’? I think of a classroom. I think of an older person, lecturing. One-way communication. IWhat do you think of when you see the word ‘learning’? I think of a classroom. I think of an older person, lecturing. One-way communication. I think of rote learning, memorisation, assessments. I think of stress and boredom. Learning as outcome based, and competitive. Learning for advancement in society, without much choice involved. I’ll bet that you thought of some of these too. But can learning have the opposite effects? Can it reinvigorate, inspire, entertain? Can it do this while giving a sense of personal achievement, progress and enlightenment, that many of our modern means of entertainment (which typically have us as passive audiences, like TV) could never hope to achieve? I think so. I think that’s just scratching the surface. It won’t be easy to transform Australian society’s traditional view of learning. But at ClassBento, we’ve made that our mission. We think that Sculpture by the Sea is a great success story of how a team of passionate individuals can quickly put a different lens on something that have been around for millennia. Let’s see what we can learn from them. What would you have thought of ‘sculptures’ 10 years ago? I thought of boring old displays in museums, and high-priced auctions for the ultra rich. Inaccessible and irrelevant. Sculptures were for someone else, not me. Then came Sculpture by the Sea. Sculptures became massively accessible, at least for residents or tourists of Sydney. They were literally placed in the open, 100% free for anyone to see and play with. By being on spread out across the Bondi to Coogee walk, these sculptures inherited characteristics we normally associate with our beaches. Fun, spontaneity, tranquillity, beauty, local, Australian. People discovered that sculptures could be thought provoking, relatable, a social experience. Sculptures could be new, fresh, and relevant, reflecting the times that we live in. Sculptures could stretch our imagination, and give us feelings of awe, sadness, and everything in between. Sculptures could get us to question our place in the world. Sculpture by the Sea transformed how we think and feel about sculptures. There are plenty of other examples. What do you think of when you hear about ‘philosophy’? Abstract concepts preached by aged professors pondering away in ivory towers, like the existence and role of God, metaphysics, debating the definition of ‘knowledge’, ‘art’, ‘morals’; concepts utterly irrelevant to our modern lives? The School of Life is transforming philosophy’s place in our lives, and aims to improve our emotional intelligence. It draws on philosophy (as well as the humanities) to help us approach topics like love, relationships, death, careers, happiness and more. Topics that are often ignored by traditional schooling. Meanwhile, Masterchef has changed our perception of cooking from being a chore, to being cool, inventive, fun. There are lots of other examples, but Shakespeare tells me that ‘brevity is the soul of wit’, and I’d like to be seen as witty. To sum it up, the arts are being re-imagined to fit our modern lives. So what’s the future of recreational learning? We think that learning should still be recognised for its crucial traditional role, in preparing us for the necessary routines, complexities and customs of modern life. But we’d love people to change their perception of learning, from just thinking of learning as both learning for advancement, to also thinking of recreational learning. A few years from now, we’d love Australians to list recreational learning (like the sort offered by ClassBento) as one of their top pastimes, alongside current favourites like sport, etc Granted, it’s not for everyone or for every occasion. Sometimes our brains and bodies just can’t take anymore, and we do want to just veg out in front of a screen and be passively entertained. But there are certainly enough of us, who have enough hours in a week, who would prefer active entertainment, with all of the unique advantages it brings. How role will ClassBento play? Uncover hidden gems: In performance arts, artists don’t need a degree or qualifications to entertain, inspire, to change the world. In fact, going through the dogmas of formal schooling can dampen the creativity and uniqueness that makes art so wonderful. In contrast, we often assume that teachers must have years of formal education, to then be able to educate us. But similar to performers, skilled recreational teachers are everywhere. They just need to see the opportunity, to access a good platform. ClassBento will show them their podium. Make it easy: Education is often administrated by government, and as such it often lags behind in technology adoption, and gets tied up in red tape about what can and can’t be done, by rules and regulations. One result is the 10-page checkouts on community education sites. ClassBento will make it easy. Make offline cool again: Sure, some learning is best done individually, online, by watching demonstration videos, and reading manuals. Boring stuff like programming and statistics are some examples. But this approach isn’t suitable to every subject and every person. Humans are social creatures. Nothing can quite substitute for interacting with others in person, and using all our senses and expressions. And some subjects won’t make the transition to online easily. Imagine how difficult it would be to learn to dance, in your living room, watching a video. Or to learn how to sing, without real-time feedback, inspiration and motivation from a voice coach. ClassBento will bring offline back. Make it known: We’ll spread the word. We’ll celebrate our gifted teachers. We’ll celebrate the pleasure of learning. We’ll let Australians know that they have other options for what they can do on weekends, how they can spend time with loved ones, how they can find like-minded friends in their communities. ClassBento will lead the way. It’s an exciting future, and we can’t wait to get there with you. ...
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