Historyetc – russians and ottomans with a cup of chai

I really enjoyed this weeks historyetc. Jax and co [minus Big] arrived the night before, always lovely, and we had an added TheBabs and her 3 children. Zoe and Katy and families made up the crew . I like a busy house . I was a bit late to get going, despite having done some pre-prep, because I was hennaing SB’s hair when people arrived. She spent all day with it then wrapped in clingfilm [and i have to say it looks really lovely]

Zoe was in the kitchen making curry and chai [i took no pics!] to represent the east indian company getting a firm toehold in India. both curry and chai was delicious . I started with making St Basils-like cathedral plaques from fimo. Whilst we made this, I discussed the story and life of Peter the Great and his ‘modernising’ of Russia, so the end of the eastern style cathedrals. They were quite tricky to make, but the kids had a great go at it. They enjoyed the overly dramatised fighting with sweden as well .

whilst i was fimo-ing, the babs came round with croissants and told the maybe myth/legend of the viennese bakers hearing the turks burrowing and saving the city, naming a ‘new bread’ . the croissants tasted delish . Jax was moving on with the ottomans to the tulip king, and the younger children made flowers to represent this from a baker ross craft

Having had a good morning we had lunch, cleared away the morning things and got started with the afternoon. Katy had turkish delight on the go, and decorating commemorative paper plate for charles xii victory over peter. I loved BBs plate, where Peter cried so much that he has made a puddle :).

my afternoon craft was painting tulips in watercolour and discussing Ahmet 3 of the ottoman empire. I had a number of different style images, and also discussed tulip viruses and tulip bulbs as a version of stocks and shares. i mistakenly used paper for oil paints without initially noticing, but we decided that actually the texture added ‘old master’ appeal.

think it all went well. TheBabs stayed for tea, and played 7 wonders [which she won] and the kids played smallworld [which sb won] SB and BB went to judo, and we ate tea in front of brian cox. Thanks all for a great day.