Latest reviews

Ellie Sandall reviewed: Pottery wheel throwing taster

"My mum and I spent a very enjoyable couple of hours with Richard, learning how to use a potter's wheel- neither of us had used one for years so we were both complete novices. We both managed to create three pots- not perfect but with their own rustic charm! We're looking forward to glazing our pots in the near future and then they'll take pride of place in our houses. Thank you for a lovely morning!"

Potterydayz responded:

"Many thanks Ellie, I am glad you and your mum enjoyed the throwing session. I look forward to helping you finish your rustic pieces."

Louise reviewed: 2 day jewellery/silversmithing course - all materials provided

"Loved my two days on the jewellery course with Sue. As a complete beginner I learnt so much , and am really keen now to use the skills and carry on creating. Sue is super organised, patient and helpful and obviously extremely proficient in her field. There is a lovely atmosphere in the studio and we were made to feel so welcome. Thanks so much Sue, I will definitely be coming again ! L xx"

Sue O'Mara Art responded:

"Thank you for the kind words Louise, I loved your focus and it was really nice to have you in the Studio. You have made excellent progress on your silversmithing journey! It would be lovely to have you here again so you can work on a more complex piece. Take care, best wishes, Sue"

Penny Roberts reviewed: Mosaic Craft Kit - Roman Style Coaster Kit - Set of 4

"Really enjoyed making these mats. It was the first time I had worked on a mosaic and it was great fun. The kit arrived really quickly and was beautifully packaged. The instructions were easy to follow. Only difficulty was choosing the colour design. Would highly recommend for a complete beginner."

Montet Designs responded:

"Hi Penny I'm so pleased to hear you've enjoyed creating your first mosaics! :) Thanks for your lovely feedback. Audrey"

Sarah Pendred reviewed: Pottery wheel throwing taster

"A really enjoyable morning spent learning a new skill. Richard was very patient and spent plenty of time demonstrating techniques and giving help and advice individually. Enjoyable and absorbing."

Potterydayz responded:

"Many thanks for the review Sarah, a pleasure to see yo here. Glad you enjoyed your visit."

Rhiannon reviewed: Wax Melt Workshop Online

"Really fun and engaging session! It was well-presented and easy to understand, plus Sharon was happy to answer any questions we had. I also appreciated getting so much of the equipment and materials posted for the session, since now I can make more in the future :)"

Nigel Palmer reviewed: Introduction to woodturning: one to one

"I spent a most rewarding and educational day with Bill yesterday. I have been turning bowls for a short while and had reached the limit of my self taught skills. Bill was able to show me how to improve upon my technique and produce stunning results. This he did in a friendly and patient way, taking time to explain but not being pedantic. Bill also spent time showing me how to get the best edge on my gouges and chisels which also boosted my confidence. Bills intelligence and engineering background stand him in good stead and he is a natural teacher. I have absolutely no hesitation in recommending one of Bill's courses for anyone at any level who wants to learn a new skill or develop existing skills. A thoroughly enjoyable day and excellent value for money."

Bruce Cottrill reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"An absolutely brilliant day! Mark is a highly skilled craftsman but he's obviously passionate about passing on his skills, and does so in a friendly, patient way! He has a well equipped workshop, and goes through all aspects of wood turning, including safety, tool selection and maintenance, types of wood and how to handle them. He followed up the day with lots of useful information, and I ended up with a beautiful wood bowl ... with which I'm well pleased! Thanks Mark for a great day and a great learning experience. I can't wait to get turning!"

Mark Hancock responded:

"Thank you Bruce. Hope you get that lathe soon."

Sue Smith reviewed: Delayed course 5 week course: 28th April. Drawing and Painting in the Garden Watercolours Pen/Pencils. There are limited places left.

"Great morning painting with Shirley. She is professional and very knowledgeable, kind and patient. She took time to demonstrate, teach, encourage and praise throughout the morning. Covid aware and secure. Great classmates ensured a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Highly recommended- can’t wait til my next class!"

Shirley Davis Dew. Art 4 All responded:

"Wow! Thanks for the great review Sue. I'm sure you will make friends with the others as you fitted in so well. Shirley"

Angela reviewed: Quilt in a Day, one-to-one course with Amanda Jane Ogden

"What a great day! Very patient teacher with a novice and full of tips and tricks. Everything planned perfectly so I went home with a great mini quilt, having tried the techniques needed to make a full size one. One to one teaching means you have someone making suggestions and sharing expertise all day and so learn quickly. Aftercare great too- follow up email with more tips and a newsletter and advice re suppliers. Feel I’ve taken a leap forward and have the confidence to get started on my own!"

Amanda Jane Textiles responded:

"Dear Angela, Thank you for your review. I am delighted that you are now launched on your quilting journey! Amanda"

Robin Mersh reviewed: Blacksmithing for Beginners - Full Day Forging for One

"I spent a great day today on a Blacksmith experience run by Chris The Smith, at his new forge at Earlswood Garden centre. Chris is a natural teacher, he really knows his stuff, and breaks things down into manageable stages which are easy to follow – all backed up by physical examples of what he means, and what good looks like. I was really impressed about how well thought out everything was, allowing even a complete novice like me to start getting results immediately. Chris is very patient, but doesn’t miss a thing, (eye on the ball at all times). He makes sure that you get the best results you are capable of, and I’m proud of the knife and key-ring I made. It was a full day, and a bit tiring, but very very worth it! Both the course and the end products really exceeded my expectations, and I cannot recommend the experience highly enough. 10/10"

Jo Pappenheim reviewed: 'Clay as a Canvas' glaze decoration workshop in Tenterden, Kent

"Kate’s course was both relaxing and inspiring. She has a great way of teaching you without feeling like you need to remember. Everything feels very experiential and fluid. I always learn so much from Kate because her experience of working with clay is very extensive but also because she really wants to see each person grow as an artist. I can’t wait to see how my glazes have turned out once fired and hope to be able to attend another course very soon"

Kate Schuricht Ceramics responded:

"Thanks for your feedback, Jo. It was so rewarding to see your designs and clay pieces develop over the course of just one day. It was a very productive session all round. I will be glazing the pieces next week and returning them to you soon. It would be great to see you at another workshop!"

Gemma Harrop reviewed: Enamel Jewellery Taster with Rachel

"Myself, my mum and my 5 year old daughter spent the morning doing an enamelling workshop with Rachel. We enjoyed every second of it. Rachel was able to adapt for my daughter and explained the process so well. We were all so pleased with the results and the surroundings were just beautiful. We will definitely be back. X"

Gifted Crafts Company responded:

"Thank you so much Gemma. You are lovely and so kind. You all did so well and it was an absolute pleasure. Look forward to seeing you again. Rach x"

Sheran Van Der Merwe reviewed: Introductory course covering wet felting and Nuno techniques in the beautiful Forest of Dean

"What a wonderful day I had earlier this week at Chris's one day felt making workshop. Made to feel very welcome and just loved her studio and that we could make something that I wanted. I can't wait to make lots more pieces and feel I now have the confidence to carry on. Fantastic hospitality, lovely lunch and a wonderful bed and breakfast recommended by Chris. Would love to come again and bring a friend."

Christine Waygood. Contemporary Textiles. responded:

"Thank you so much Sheran. I really enjoyed it too. I do hope I'll be seeing you again .Come and explore the Forest, and make sure you bring along any pieces that you've make!"

Dawn Hobbs reviewed: Wax Melt Workshop Online

"As a beginner it would have been useful to know where and what products to buy"

Beehive Wellbeing responded:

"Thank you for our 4 stars Dawn, I am glad you enjoyed the workshop. I am unsure if you lost internet connection when we discussed the products we were using and where to buy them. We discussed the weight and percentage of both the wax and the fragrance oil you were using, including the minimum and maximum load of fragrance. We discussed the benefits of different waxes and had demonstrations of the different waxes available and how they react differently. We discussed where you can buy them, including reading the reviews. We also chatted about moulds where I had bought mine including the site and the types of designs available as well as the downside of less solid designs. If you do have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to come back to us. We have a gold rating for our workshops with craft courses and always aim to provide a good service."

Namita reviewed: Fun creative workshop!- Stained Glass Express (Half- Day)

"It has been an amazing experience to create something with my childhood friend. She is an amazing teacher with so much creativity. I made the paw as a gift for a friend who just got a puppy. I am very happy with what I was able to make in just 4 hours. The half day workshop is perfect to get away from the usual routine and be able to complete something that I could take home. I was given all the materials, equipment and training. I was taught different techniques and I could choose which one I was most comfortable with."

GlassSeasons responded:

"thank-you, glad you enjoyed the workshop:)"

Lisa Burton reviewed: Create your dream business from candle making - One to one session

"The day was really well planned, enjoyable and educational All aspects of starting up and running your own business were covered as well as practical candle making for beginners Jane has so much knowledge and is really easy to get on with that everything went smoothly I would recommend without hesitation"

The Candle Coach responded:

"Thank you for your kind words Lisa, looking forward to seeing your business grow."

Carole Pullen reviewed: Sugarcraft Classes 4 week course online via Zoom

"I left a review for watercolour classes by accident but o have the same opinions about the coloured pencil tuition."

Carole Pullen reviewed: Sugarcraft Classes 4 week course online via Zoom

"Fantastic watercolour classes, learnt such a lot. It’s a tricky medium sometimes but Purnima takes you through step by step to enable you to achieve good results and to build up confidence."

Liz reviewed: Leather Scandi style Bauble kit, great for crafters, leather craft

"Not used yet but looks great - will be using for a Christmas activities project"

Liz reviewed: Leather Star kit, great for crafters, leather craft

"Haven't used these yet but they look great. Will be a project for Christmas activities"

Mick Larkin reviewed: Learn to turn in Snowdonia, North Wales - Full day

"I have just attended a full day course with Les and I have to say I throughly enjoyed the day. Les took me from no experience to completing to projects. His manner and how he explained every detail was very good indeed. Good facilities and great equipment to use plus all COVID aspects were covered. I would recommend this course, brilliant."

Pren responded:

"Thank you so much for that, Mick. I thoroughly enjoyed our day at the lathe."

Carol Williams reviewed: Sugarcraft Classes 4 week course online via Zoom

"This was my first experience of using watercolour pencils and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Purnima is a very good teacher who explains things easily and constructively encouragingly a newbie like myself."

Sam reviewed: Full day leather craft workshop

"What a fantastic day and such a wonderful antidote to the horrors of the 'real' world right now. I fully immersed myself in this one day course and came away with 5 gorgeous pieces which, even if I say so myself, look astonishingly professional! I came away on a real high, having re-ignited my creative juices and learnt some new skills. JOY :-) Rosanna is just lovely; a brilliant teacher who is clearly passionate about what she does and happy to share her knowledge in a calm, clear, patient way. The studio is superbly equipped and Rosanna made the space safe and comfortable in these tough times. Highly recommended for anyone with a curiosity for being creative. Thank you so much, Rosanna; I'll be back :-)"

Rosanna Clare responded:

"Arh what a lovely and heart warming review. So glad I could be part of your ‘reigniting’ of creative juices ? see you soon x"

Gill Smith reviewed: Watercolour techniques for all - 4 week online course Tuesday evenings via Zoom

"I joined Purnima’ S class last year. I love the informal style and the relaxed persona of Purnima. We are not pressured into completing the subject that we are performing in any session.We receive constructive criticism so that we can improve our techniques. I enjoy the sessions as the other pupils are friendly and supportive. I hadn’t painted in Watercolours before Purnima classes but I think that with her encouragement I am progressing."

Sue Gill reviewed: Watercolour techniques for all - 4 week online course Tuesday evenings via Zoom

"Purnima is so enthusiastic about watercolour painting that it is impossible not to enjoy her classes. Her teaching style is clear and she chooses interesting projects every week. Individual feedback on our work is positive and encouraging."