Conducted by Challenger TAFE Centre for Adult Education, our seventh workshop in the series entitled "Bonsai for Budding Masters" and our first at Heathcote Artist's precinct was held on Saturday 30th of October 2004.  Ample free parking, superb views and a large, airy and sunny room with kitchen facilities allowed us to run a another successful session with 8 enthusiasts in attendance.  Our thanks again to Challenger TAFE and our enthusiastic attendees for yet another fun day...!

This Budding Masters workshop concentrated on shaping, wiring and group discussion about the best way to create a Juniper Bonsai from quite ordinary garden tree stock.

In other Budding Masters workshops we will create forests, make raft Bonsai and do further wiring, pruning and grafting.  We will make deciduous forests and fruit tree Bonsai.  Other types will include vineyards, heritage, Aussie Bush series, Japanese and a Pond series.  We welcome ideas and we all enjoy the fun, at minimal expense...

Much time was spent in discussing each stock tree, its Bonsai potential, style and the inital approach to its training.  Particpants had fabulous ideas and all gained from this fulfilling activity.

Many vistors attended the open Artist's studios and viewed our workshop in progress with keen interest.  We also had sales displays of tools, figurines, trees, accessories and some of our toy and woodcraft products.

The day went quickly and many enthusiasts commenced the training of a second tree to obtain ideas and take away with them to finsh.  We found the time to indulge in the usual coffee, tea, biscuits and lunch and our assistant Gay ensured that all received their extensive workshop and Budding Masters training notes.

Congratulations to all our participants - prepare yourselves for the next Budding Masters workshop in Term 1, 2005..!