As part of our Take Part Queen’s Park  art project, we’ve launched a brand-new campaign called Make & Share. This is your opportunity to get involved and showcase your talents. We are also exploring the mindfulness benefits that making and creating can have on our well-being.   Expressing your creativity makes you feel good and you can do that through cooking up a storm, sketching a beautiful view or simply stitching a pretty pattern.

Make & Share is a series of tutorials that will teach you how to cook, paint, embroider, create typography or print with natural materials. Each tutorial is designed to take 30 minutes. We hope that these videos will give you an opportunity to explore creative practices from the comfort of your own home.

Everyone can get involved in Make & Share by taking just 30 minutes to express yourself – check out the tutorials below and get creative!

Typography – the art of letters

Why not try your hand at a typography collage? Typography is ‘the art of letters’ while collage using paper and different shapes to form images. The two can be combined with great effect. By simply sticking different materials onto paper or fabric you can create an effective, colourful piece of work.

In this video Katie Allen, an illustrator from Bedford, shows us clever and creative ways to form letters which she develops into a collage.  All you need is plain paper, paper to make the letters from and some glue – simple!

Printing with Natural Materials

Printing with natural materials or household items is a great way to get creative. Each item can produce a unique pattern which you can turn into a beautiful work of art.

In this video Dharmesta Mistry from Mangotank explains how to go about making your first printed piece. All you need is some acrylic paint, some brushes and some paper, then you are ready to create!

Painting with Vegetables

Did you know that you can paint with vegetables? In this video, Caroline Wendling teaches you how to turn your vegetables into paint.

Sew & Share

Embroidering a Jumper

Making something doesn’t mean buying a lot of equipment. An embroidery hoop can open up a new world of stitching. Watch how Rebeckah at Embellished Talk adds a smile and a splash of colour to a plain sweatshirt.

Cook & Share

If you are a lover of good food, we have just the tutorial for you! We have teamed up with Misbah Mehmood from Foodbreak who will teach you how to make Foccacia, Naan Bread and an easy mixed chaat. Check out the tutorials below to make some delicious food!

Making Dough

If you enjoy cooking or even if you are new to it, this easy dough recipe is ideal for you to try. In our video Misbah from Foodbreak walks you through the process step-by-step. It really couldn’t be easier.

Ingredients  

  • 3 cups of self-raising flour  
  • 1 cup warm milk  
  • 1 cup yoghurt  
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil  
  • ½ teaspoon salt  

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven at 250/gas mark 6
  2. In a large bowl, add flour, yoghurt, salt and olive oil
  3. Gradually add warm milk and make a soft dough
  4. Let it rest for about 10 minutes
  5. Divide dough in towo equal portions.

Making Naan Bread

In the previous video, Misbash shows you how to make a simple dough now it’s time to turn half that dough into a delicious naan bread. 

All the instructions are below and if you watch the video Misbah will guide you through the process. 

Ingredients

1/2 of prepared dough (see above dough making recipe)

Instructions
  1. Take the dough and divide into 3 portions, roll into small balls.  
  2. Take one dough ball, using a rolling pin roll it out, remember not to roll it too thin, it should be about 2 cm thick.   
  3. In a baking tray sprinkle some flour (so the Naan doesn’t stick to the tray) and lay the naan flat in the tray.  
  4. Using a fork prick the naan so it doesn’t puff up too much during baking.  
  5. Brush some olive oil using a pastry brush (alternatively you could use melted butter).  
  6. Place baking tray in the middle of the oven and bake for 5/7 minutes or until it is a light golden colour on top.  
  7. The Naan is ready to serve. 

Making Easy Focaccia

In this video, Misbah shows you how to use half the dough to make an easy but delicious focaccia. Check out the dough making video and follow Misbah’s simple instructions to make this lovely Italian flatbread.  

Ingredients
  • 1/2 of prepared dough (see dough making recipe above)
  • Olives (cut into halves)
  • Cherry tomatoes (cut into halves)
  • Few sprigs of rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
Instructions
  1. Take the dough and add ½ teaspoon dried mixed herbs and knead it well. 
  2. Using a rolling pin, roll out bread and place onto a floured baking.  
  3. Add tomatoes, olives and rosemary sprig on top.   
  4. Brush some olive using a pastry brush.  
  5. Bake in the middle of oven for 10 minutes or until it has light golden colour on top.   
  6. The Focaccia is ready to serve.  

Easy Mixed Bean Chaat

Misbah is back with another cooking tutorial! In this video, Misbah shares her family recipe for a mixed bean Chaat.

Ingredients
  • 1 cup red kidney beans
  • 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1 cup of boiled potatos (chopped into cubes)
  • 1 chopped tomato
  • 2 tbs chopped onion
  • 2 tsp chopped green chilli
  • 1/2 a cup of yoghurt
  • the juice of half an orange
  • pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tbs of tamarind sauce
  • 1 tsp chaat masala
  • 2 tbs chopped fresh coriander
  • mint leaves (to taste)
  • salt and pepper (to taste)
  • 1 tortilla wrap
  • oil for frying
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl add cooked chickpeas and Kidney beans, chopped potatoes, tomatoes, chilli and onions, fresh coriander and mint leaves and mix
  2. Now add spice with a tsp of chaat masala, 2 tbs of tamarind sauce, orange juice, salt and pepper and mix well.
  3. Cut a tortilla wrap into triangles and fry them in a little oil until brown on both sides.
  4. To dress, drizzle natural yoghurt, a little more Tamarind sauce, sprinkle the crisp tortilla chips and pomegranate seeds. 

How to get involved

As part of our #MakeNShare campaign, we’d love to see what you have created. Simply take a photo before your dig in and send it to us.

How do I share a photo of my work?  

Upload your photo to social and make sure to tag us and use the hashtag #MakeNShare and #BedfordCreativeArts 

Facebook

Twitter 

Instagram 

You can also send us an email with your photo attached: takepart@bedfordcreativearts.org.uk