Royal Mail Christmas Stamp Launch on The Christmas Steps

The Christmas Steps Art Quarter was treated to carols sung by the Royal Mail Choir from the television series Sing While You Work as The Royal Mail launched the 2012 Christmas Stamps on the Christmas Steps.

Their was no Gareth Malone in attendance, however all the choir were in fine voice and proudly holding aloft the large versions of this year's stamp designed by Gruffalo children's book artist Axel Scheffler.
The new stamps are also a collaboration with children’s author and poet, Tony Mitton, whose well known works include the Amazing Animals series and Crazy Camelot Capers. Tony Mitton created a narrative poem called ‘Starry Story', a Christmas tale including all the characters that appear on the stamps.

The stamps will be available on November 6.

Apple Day Festival!

The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Apple Day took place on The Christmas Steps this Saturday 20th October, and was a great fun day!

From rolling, to bobbing, to baking and apple-ID-ing - all apple based activities were here!

Apple Day has been a national festival since 1990 and celebrates the hope that orchards will be recognised and conserved for their contribution to local distinctiveness, including the rich diversity of wild life they support.

Apple Day events can be large or small, from apple games in a garden to large fairs - we think the CSAQ event was somewhere inbeween!

** Below the pics we have added apple recipes from the baking demo on the day, if you want to make your own apple goodies at home - just scroll down**

Apple-balloons!

Apple-based baking demo in SHOP

The Apple ID Parade - only one person got them all right!

Guess the amount of apple sweets!

The CSAQ Cider Trail

Live baking of Apple Griddle Cakes (they were lush!)

Apple scones, apple rock cakes and erm .. bread!

Not just humans like apples!

The first demo of the Baked Apple pudding exploded!

The only person to ID all the apples - 'Apple Jesus'!

The Apple Rolling course

Apple Rolling Umpire, catching some pesky apples!

Queues for Apple Rolling were long!

RECIPE'S COURESY OF "TASTY MOTHER'S TUCKER"

APPLE CRUMBLE

Grate or slice thinly, 2 large Bramley apples into an ovenproof dish and add a tablespoon of water and a squeeze of lemon.

To make the topping combine 4oz of flour (brown is best!), 2oz of butter, marg, cream cheese or stilton and 2oz of sugar (brown is best!)

Add any of these optional extras:

Toasted almond flakes
Chopped walnuts
Oats
Cinnamon
Ground gonger, or chopped fresh ginger
Grated orange or lemon rinf
Anything else you fancy!

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 250o or gas mark 5.

SCOFF!

EVE'S PUDDING

Grate or slice thinly, 2 large Bramley apples into an ovenproof dish and add a tablespoon of water and a squeeze of lemon.

To make Eve's topping (sponge cake), whisk 2 eggs long with 2 oz of sugar until thick.  Fold 2 oz flour (brown is best!) into the egg and sugar mizture.

Pour the topping onto the apple mizture and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 250o or gas mark 5.

SCOFF!

BAKED APPLES 

Core a Bramley and fill the hole with dired mixed fruit.

Score a circle around the top of the apple

Bake in in the oven for 30 minutes (or more if the apple is very large) at 250o or gas mark 5.

SCOFF!

Autumn Church Yard Clear-Up

For the third time, the CSAQ traders and residents got tooled up and took it upon themselves to tackle the overgrown church yard at the St. Michaels on the Mount (Without) on St. Michael's Hill.

The church has been deconsecrated and in failing to find a new tenant, has fallen into a state of disrepair. Sam Kendon (Treasurer of the Association) decided to take action and so put forward a motion to get together every now and again and clear the grounds around the exterior of the building - anything to prevent the church becoming an eyesore and blot on the area's landscape.

So, to this end, since last year a voluntary group of residents and traders have been coming together on occasional Sundays. The work already put in by everyone means that there's been a marked difference.

Yesterday, was one of those days and here's some pictures...

If you want to get involved in future clear-ups, then please get in touch at: christmasstepsartsquarter@gmail.com

Christmas Artisan Market 2012 is GO!

TO GRAB A STALL FOR JUST £5 (OR £B5) DOWNLOAD YOUR FORM HERE AND RETURN IT WITH PAYMENT TO 'SHOP' AT 18/19 CHRISTMAS STEPS!

On Saturday 1st December, from 11am – 4pm, the beautiful and intriguing Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, in keeping with its reputation for independent artisan traders, is hosting it's annual alternative to high-street Christmas shopping, the  Christmas Artisan Market on the unique and festively name Christmas Steps themselves.


Come along for a lovely afternoon and experience the wonderful teetering charm of the artisans’ stalls cascading down the Steps, showcasing the high standard of beautiful crafts and wares – everything from sweets to frilly knickers, original art works and handmade instruments, providing you with the perfect opportunity to pick up local, handmade and fully unique Christmas presents.

There will be stacks of festive cheer with the famous Steps Christmas lights, as well as carols and mulled cider a-plenty and if that weren’t enough, there are many other artisan traders and businesses in this unique and beautiful site in Bristol’s city centre, as well as great places to eat and drink.

The 2011 Christmas Artisan Market was packed out!

A stallholder drew this gorgeous picture at last year's Christmas Market!
It's the view of the picture above.
(Copyright Michelle Cioccoloni).

A view from the top of the Steps from the 2011 Christmas Artisan Market

Stalls were all over and around the Christmas Steps

When was the last time you took a walk down a different street?  The Christmas Steps Arts Quarter consists of eight unique streets in Bristol's old city, lined with independent shops, art galleries, bars, cafes and more than a few surprises, where artisans and creative traders work side by side to keep this diverse corner of Bristol as unusual as it's been throughout its long and intriguing history.

The Night of The Year: Review!

The second biannual Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, Night of the Year (as part of the Bristol Festival of Photography) took place on Saturday May 12th and was a huge success!

Starting the event at 7:30pm was a slight oversight as the projections weren't visible until 9pm as they were competing with the glorious sunshine!  Not that we're complaining!

When the outdoor cinema finally appeared the assembled crowd were treated to an old cowboy movie, a 1960s Public Information Film on the dangers of drugs and the Carey Grant rarity "Room For One More". Rumour has it the outdoor cinema could become a regular feature on the Steps in the summer months! 

The parade of projections were interspered with a food stall selling the best curry in town and a fun painting with light workshop. Revellers spilled from Jenny Life Gallery and SHOP's arts space topping up their plastic cups at the Bristol Cider Shop as they went.

Thank you to all participating exhibitors, Jenny Life Gallery, Odd and Eden and Lydia Beardmore, Martin Harris and Danny Griffin. And a special thank you to SHOP, Fotohaus and Geneva Stop for organising the whole thing. Also to Lynda and Cathy for the food and Pete and Nick at Bristol Cider Shop for providing the Bar.

A great community event organised by the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter community!

Hoisting the cinema screen into position.

Lydia Beardmore setting up the light painting workshop, with a portrait looking on!

Finally!  A screen!

Beautiful sunshine, we were lucky with weather.

Cider-men, at your service in the Official Bar.

Blacking out the street lamps, so that the projections could shine.

Taking a photo, of someone taking a photo, whoaaa! Jenny Life Gallery in the background having a busy night at her exhibition and projection (in the lovely garden)

The light is fading and the projections are starting to show themselves

Lydia Beardmore's image of the Christmas Steps Arch, at the entrance to The Night of the Year

One of a reel of projections by Fotohaus

More Fotohaus projections (wish there really was a big wheel on the Steps!)

Three generations: portraits by Diane Auckland

Eating chips under the arch!

By around half past nine, the darkness really allowed the projections to show themselves in their glory

SHOP's showreel was back projected onto their window, it was a showreel of images of the Arts Quarter, past and present

The chapel at the top of the Steps, moved down the steps in photo-form!

Photo-lamposts were popular!...

...As was the Bristol Cider Shop bar!

Odd and Eden (photographers) showcased their portfolio.

The cinema!

Food was provided by Lynda and Cathy's pop-up veggie cafe and it was DELISH!

60s PIF about the dangers of drug-taking, you have been warned!

We all sat on the Steps to watch the films - it's the perfect natural amphitheatre.

The projector was retro to match the films.