Workaway Europe

The gap year abroad is for a rite of passage, that spells adventure and for many, Europe is a favorite destination, by virtue of its rich and varied cultural experiences and landscape. If you are looking for an opportunity to live in Europe, this Facebook group will be a goldmine of useful information. There are numerous posts from persons offering accommodation, usually in exchange for a few hours work per day or per week. The work itself can be across a spectrum of skills and abilities, ranging from pet sitting and childcare to and farm work, light maintenance work or even social media duties. While offers are centered around the European continent, volunteers can come from anywhere in the world. You can post to offer your services or browse for temporary openings. 

Members: 94.4k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join.

Bob Ross Style of Painting for Beginners

 With his TV show, The Joy of Painting, Bob Ross inspired a generation to find peace and relaxation in artistic expression. With his easy-to-follow style and gentle guidance, his programs remain popular to this day. Of course, there was so much more to this iconic personality and if you want to know more about how he worked, the unusual pets he kept and some of his other quirks, there's a great collection of fun facts over here. Fans might be interested to know that his very first TV painting was auctioned off for $10 million last year and that a recent exhibition tour shared some of his lesser known work.  While not all of the works featured in this Facebook group for beginner artists follow a technique directly related to the works of Bob Ross, it is nevertheless a great space for amateur artists to share their work and support others. 

Members: 71.1k, at the time of writing

Trigger warnings: None.

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Photography Icons

 As you may have noticed from some of my other posts, I really, really like looking at pictures. And this facebook group has a wealth of them. Especially black and white photography documenting moments from the past or offering social or societal commentary.  Portraits of everyday folk from the Weimar Republic. Punk bands captured on their home turf. Supermodels, caught in the wild. The devestation of World War Two documented. Stills from a David Lynch movie. A 1950s snapshot of Elvis visiting a record store. A tatooed beauty from the 1930s. A behind the scenes look at a Bombay circus. Street photography in different cities, on different continents. There's even a lens reversal which shows a 1945 photographer with his gear. Posts include details about the photographer, date and any interesting details of the shot that are available. 

Members 54.3k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: The past is a different country.

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Peeling Paint Appreciation Society

Yeah, why not. Let's take a peek at a group about not doing anything. About leaving things as they are. Instead of consciously making art, let's look for accidental art, and leave it where it happens. I found myself pleasantly surprised by this gallery of the incidental, which seems very much to put the rust into rustic. Since many of the images are close-ups, the captions feature a description, and sometimes even a location - which makes it even more interesting. Feast your eyes. Then, with these photos still freshly formed in the back of your opsins, go out, armed with your camera or smartphone and find your own. Anyone can do this. Trust me. 

Members: 46.8k, at the time of writing.

Trigger warnings: None.

Go here to visit or join. 

Dungeon Master Resources

Even the most resourceful Dungeon Master can occasionally be cursed to trudge through the swamplands where all inspirations go to expire. Don't let this happen to your campaign and leave your players hanging. This group offers advice on resources, alignments, tracking tools, ideas, strategies on story design, player engagement and - well, anything else you might need in your quest to become your best possible dungeon master. A really useful feature is the ability to post questions anonymously - so as to avoid tipping off the people you quest with. 

Members: 151.2k, at the time of writing

Trigger warnings: None

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Slow Stitching with Sew Salvaged

 First, let's talk definitions. Along the same lines as slow fashion, slow stitching is a form of craft that creates art by cleverly employing embroidery stitching, often to revive recycled materials for a new function. It strings together the vintage and the whimsical, and often uses space in surprising ways. If you like stitching, this facebook group will fill you with ideas and inspirations. There are tips for how to get unique pieces of fabric, ideas on how to mix media. You will see examples of vintage feed sacks and ways to perk up your denim blues. There are also excellent quilting ideas. Prepare to be wowed by all the wonderful creativity on display.

Members: 99.2k, at the time of writing.

Trigger Warnings: None

Go here to visit or join. 

Acoustic Guitar Players on Facebook

The history of stringed instruments go back as far as 3000 years (if one considers the oldest lyres found in archaeological sites) or perhaps even 5000 years (if one considers depictions of lutes on other artefacts). Today the acoustic guitar can be found in many varieties, brands and styles. As an instrument, it has played a profound role in the development of popular music and, it remains a first choice for many people wanting to learn to play music. Regardless of your skill level, Acoustic Guitar Players on Facebook is a great community for sharing your love of guitars, your recent (guitar-related) purchases, tips on how to increase proficiency, and even your playing - if you feel confident enough. Get inspired. Keep playing.

Members: 112.9k, at the time of writing

Trigger Warnings: Envy?

Go here to visit or join.

Image Credit: Stew22 on Pixabay