Something I love to learn

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A few years ago I started this thing with my girlfriends called “skills night” where we merged a fun girls night with a time to learn something new. So many of my friends have awesome skills and I thought that would be such a fun way to spend time together and learn something new!

My friend Ashley taught a hand lettering class, which ended up being a jumping off point for her to launch her own business, my friend Iana taught us all about gardening, and Rebecca taught us how to make homemade pepper jelly. We have yet to go through the entire group but I’m hoping to resume this during the fall!

In thinking about this idea, it led me to think of something I love to continually learn and improve for myself. And hands down, if I were to be given a choice of taking any kind of class to learn something new, it would be cooking related.

I’ve taken a few cooking classes through the years, with the absolute best one being Pizza School in New York City, and the most recent one being a class at Sur La Table in Wisconsin with my mom, sister, and cousin. I’ve gleaned so much helpful information from each class that I can bring back home and apply to even the most basic recipes and meals.

It’s ironic that cooking, and especially dinnertime, tend to be a high source of stress for me right now (purely because of limited time + the evening being a rambunctious time for all the kids) yet it’s one of my favorite things to do!

If time wasn’t an object I’d love to go to a cooking class more frequently than I’m able to. In the meantime, watching videos on Youtube or Skillshare is one way to learn.

Next up on my list of classes to take, though, is a knife skills class. We just replaced our knives since we had been working with a cheap set for a long time and I’d love to learn how to do some different cutting techniques.

Is there a skill that you continually love to improve upon? And if so, how do you do it? With classes or just diving in and teaching yourself?

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Michele says · 09.25.18

I love the skills night idea!! I’m a teacher, and I’ve been saying for years that we need to start doing a skill sharing thing after school! There are so many people who have other talents and skills in addition to teaching, and it would be such a great opportunity to learn more about our colleagues and further appreciate all that they bring to the table.

I’d love to learn photography and cake decorating, and I know people I work with who would love to share those skills! Sadly, in my district, morale is low, very low. I’m going to make more of a concerted effort to push “skills nights” as a way to help us all get the mental health we need in order to increase our morale and better the education of our neediest kids!

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Kate says · 09.26.18

It’s all about someone just taking the first step and making it happen! Hope it works!

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Ashley says · 09.25.18

I LOOOOVE this idea!!!!!
I am
Constantly wanting to learn new things – gardening, canning,
Watercolour painting, what women do for self care! Thanks for sharing!

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Rena says · 09.25.18

You had a great idea and we never can learn enough and we never should stop to learn something new!
xx from Bavaria/Germany, Rena
http://www.dressedwithsoul.com

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Allison says · 09.25.18

This guy has really awesome tutorials. He recently did one about knives. https://www.bingingwithbabish.com/

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Allie says · 09.25.18

I love to improve my cooking skills too, especially baking. We got new pans and knives recently as gifts and what a game changer! I didn’t realize how much our old stuff was hobbling me. My goal right now is to learn to make pasta – fresh pasta just tastes so delicious! xAllie
http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com

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Andie says · 09.25.18

My husband and a good friend of mine took a knife skills class at Sur la Table and they both loved it! He brought back techniques for me to try as well as I’m not the cook in the family and what he’s taught me from the class was SO HELPFUL as well. I would highly recommend it!

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Kate says · 09.26.18

Great to know!

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Amanda says · 09.25.18

I love sewing, more machine than hand. I have very recently started teaching my 10 yr old daughter basic sewing skills, which she is really taking to. She has already made a full bedding set for her Sylvanian Families. I would love to learn lettering/calligraphy, but it’s proving difficult to find courses and workshops near me.

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Shannon Mahaney says · 09.25.18

What a unique idea for a girls night! I would love to take a knife skills class. Anything to help improve my skills in the kitchen would be beneficial for me since it’s my favorite space to spend time in!

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Sadie says · 09.25.18

Re. Knife Skills – The “Cooksmarts” website has some wonderful videos on knife skills. I still need to work on mine, but it’s a good place to start.
https://www.cooksmarts.com/cooking-lessons/building-blocks/knife-skills/

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Kate says · 09.26.18

Thanks for the tip!

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Elle says · 09.25.18

I would love an evening with just my husband as a stay-in date night to cook an entire meal together! I’d love to try making homemade pasta. (I currently use your pizza dough recipe from years ago to make homemade pizza, it’s a staple in our house and the kids love to make their own mini pizzas. I share the recipe with all my friends!) This year I attempted canning for the first time on my own! Made some pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, and pickles, with the help of my friends’ over-productive gardens 🙂

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Kate says · 09.26.18

Sounds fun!

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 09.25.18

My favourite classes to take are cooking classes too! I always try and take at least one cooking class every time I travel to a new country. I’ve cooked in both Thailand and Vietnam before – amazing experiences! 🙂 You can really get to know a new place through its food and culture. 🙂

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Jamie Glenn says · 09.25.18

Question: Did you have multiple friends share their skills in one night? Or did you have one skill a night? I’m so is! I’vnterested in doing this! I’ve recently moved to a new place and I’ve met some new people and I think this would be such a great way to create deeper friendships.

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Kate says · 09.26.18

Only 1 skill per night! 🙂

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Lindsey says · 09.26.18

I would love to do something like this with my moms group. I’m always brushing up on my “crafty” skills- knitting, crochet, painting pretty little things/ signs to put around my house, etc.. and cooking of course 😊

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Lindsey says · 09.26.18

And, I am notorious for YouTubing to brush up on those skills 😊

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Elizabeth Vincent says · 09.27.18

I love learning how to do new hairstyles and makeup application. All things food for sure and lately it’s been a lot about blogging, there’s so much more to it than just writing!

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Belinda D Green says · 09.30.18

I know you will love it. I’m 64 and have cooked since a child cause my mom worked. I had many great southern Aunts that were great cooks. Sweetie I always told my Grown Girls if you can go to college and have great career and read then you can follow a great receipt. Never stop learning sweetie. Ms B

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Gwen says · 09.30.18

Calligraphy and hand embroidery. I did these two as a young girl and found them to be so relaxing (almost meditative). Would love to start back up again. Life is so busy. 😣

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Karen says · 09.30.18

I would love to learn home decor skills.

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Janice Evans says · 10.26.18

You mentioned a cookbook recently on an instastory and all I can remember is the photo of the AMAZING looking monster cookies. What was it?! THANKS!!!

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Kate says · 10.27.18

Yes! It’s Sally’s Baking Addiction!

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