Latest reviews

Jennifer Terry reviewed: Mosaic Craft Kit - Unicorn

"The kit arrived promptly and was very well packaged and presented. It's going to my grand-daughter for her birthday so I'm waiting to see what she makes of it.I have high hopes!"

Montet Designs responded:

"I hope your granddaughter has a lovely time creating her very own unicorn! Many thanks for your purchase."

Luisa Newton reviewed: Beginners 2 sterling silver stacking rings jewellery course

"Spent a lovely morning creating two beautiful stacking rings and absolutely loved it. It was a lovely and relaxed environment and Sarah was an excellent teacher explaining each step in detail with easy to follow instructions, helping when necessary but very much allowing me to make my own rings. Would highly recommend the course and will be looking to do further courses with Sarah in the future. Now I just keep looking at these beautiful rings I created and want to do more!"

Catherine Cape reviewed: 10-week online watercolour for beginners course with live tuition via zoom

"I want to share with anyone who was ever told they had no ability with art. Have you ever seen anyone sketching or painting and thought 'that looks relaxing but I couldn't do that'? I can tell you that you are a) right and b) wrong. I've just finished a 10 week zoom class with Raya Brown. Its been really lovely and you'll see some of the things I've done, I've never really drawn before. I was nervous and had no idea where to start, but she is a great teacher and breaks down each part, each week you look at a different element and style and spend a few hours with a lovely group of people, and watch and follow along as she demonstrates. I first started to be interested about 2 years ago when I was at Gil's and saw the watercolour group - and couldn't make the time - now with lockdown its been possible to do via zoom. Raya does all sorts of classes, I chose portraits and am signed up for the next level one starting in a couple of months. Please share to anyone who you think would be interested - with the Zoom option you don't even need to live nearby ! I am looking forward to the next Intermediate level Portrait course via zoom with Raya starting in October."

David Crole reviewed: Glass blowing course - taster

"We thoroughly enjoyed our half day glass blowing for 2 with Chew Valley glass. Steve and Chris were very friendly and accommodating, and did a great job in guiding us through the steps of glass blowing. We were given a choice over what item we made and a lot of freedom in the making process, all under the close guidance of Steve and Chris. It was a fantastic experience and we came away with a selection of very impressive items. Highly recommended."

Chew Valley HandMade Glass responded:

"Thank you David for your kind review, it was a pleasure to meet you both and we are so glad you enjoyed your time with us."

Jules & Tess reviewed: Recycled China Mosaic Workshop Full day /Half Day

"A first for the both of us and and a very enjoyable 3 hours spent with Adela and her talent and enthusiasm. Highly recommended - even with the Covid face visors on, making us all look like space men !! And as Adela promised us, the finished articles, now we have grouted them, look amazing :-) Thanks again Adela, we will be back........."

Mandy Graham reviewed: Silver Clay Jewellery at Cowshed Creative in the Lake District near Windermere and Kendal

"Fantastic day, couldn’t have been better. Food was delicious x"

Cowshed Creative responded:

"Lovely to meet you and Emily. Thanks for such positive comments and hope to see you again."

Jeremy Arden reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"Spent a day with Mark. Should have made it 2 days. Will be returning! I learned sufficiently to give me the confidence to get working on wood from my garden and to achieve acceptably good results. Mark made it look easy and engendered the belief that it would be easy for me too. Mark provided a good balance of skill, safety and enthusiasm. Highly recommended."

Mark Hancock responded:

"Thank you Jeremy. Hope you are making good use of that bowl gouge."

Joyce Usher reviewed: Business candle making workshop - one to one

"Once again a great day with Kerry and as before made me feel very welcome in her home. Kerry is a very good teacher and is very knowledgeable about the world of candles. I took her a couple of candles that I had made and she gave me great advice on a couple of problems I was having. I value her ongoing support as I move forward to hopefully starting up my own candle making business. Thanks Kerry."

Andrew Braund reviewed: Introduction to spooncarving at Hill End

"I've now been a spoon carver for just over 2 years. It all started when I went on one of David's courses. I had no idea what would be involved. I started with log of field maple and by the end of the day I walked away with a very presentable spoon. David is for starters a really nice, approachable guy. He's a great teacher, makes sure that you know what you're doing, and supports you throughout the day. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed and there is a great sense of achievement in turning a log into a spoon! David runs our local group which meets monthly in a local wood where we all sit around a log fire, carving spoons, chatting, drinking tea and sharing experiences. So in 2 years I've become part of the spoon carving community! I'm sure you'll enjoy the course!"

David Knight Woodland Crafts responded:

"Hi Andy, I really appreciate this review and your kind words. You remind me that learning to carve a wooden spoon isn’t just about learning a new craft skill but is a route through to a wider green woodworking community which is so friendly, welcoming and happy to share skills, experience and supplies of green wood!"

Louise reviewed: Beginners Epoxy Resin Workshop

"A fantastic course for those new to using Epoxy Resin. Richard is knowledgeable, calm and patient, giving everyone in the class his time and support to be confident to create their own piece to a high quality. I now feel confident to experiment with my own creations and not make any expensive mistakes!"

The River Shop responded:

"Great having you Louise! Hope to see you on the next one. Good luck in the meantime!"

Paul Griffiths reviewed: 'Thinking of Beekeeping'

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course and learnt a great deal about beekeeping. It was very suitable for an absolute novice like myself. There were plenty of opportunities to get hands on experience in handling the bees. The tutor was very well informed, provided good support and in current times enabled suitable social distancing measures. I would highly recommend this course to anybody considering taking up beekeeping."

Matt Underwood reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I recently had a 1-1 tuition day with Mark through a bursary. Having not had tuition for a few years it was good to recap some basics! Mark was very accomodating and flexible to my needs experimenting with thinly turned green flowers. It is clear how knowledgable Mark is and I went home with lots of notes of tips and tools to try. Mark is also very happy to offer help and support beyond the day - it's a very relaxed environment and I'm sure I'll be back for another day!"

Mark Hancock responded:

"Thank you Matt for your comments. It'll be interesting to see how the flowers have developed."

Rebecca hill reviewed: Furniture upcycling workshop - 1 day

"Having only ever dabbled and unsuccessfully tried to upcycle befofe this was a great course to do. Hannah was patient with all my questions and was so knowledgable and approachable. The studio is a really comfortable place to be and has some interesting things to oggle at! I learned so much on the course and had a really fun time completing my piece (telephone table). She had a great range of colours and tools to use on the day which was great as i had no idea what i was going to do with my table. Hannah helped me decide what would be best and easiest to achieve on the day and sent me home with a shopping list to complete. I would love to take the course again and would highly recommend it."

Tread Softly responded:

"Thanks Rebecca! What a lovely review :) it was an absolute pleasure having you on my course. I'm really pleased you enjoyed it. Your telephone table is going to look amazing, I think you have a good eye for colour and I can't wait to see it with its fluffy cushion and new vinyl! X"

Tristan Mobbs reviewed: Woodworking - Workshop/Taster Day - Wall Clock

"A very enjoyable experience guided by an excellent tutor in Steve. The course was well paced with plenty of time to develop woodworking skills, with a mix of hand tools and machinery, alongside being able to ask Steve a wide range of questions that he was more than happy to answer. I now have a lovely clock on top of my mantelpiece and new skills to go with it."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Hi Tristan, thanks very much for your feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed the day and found it informative. Steve"

Sandy Frost reviewed: Lucy Churchill's Stone Carving Workshops

"We keep coming back to Lucy's courses, it's becoming an annual treat and development of our stone carving skills. This year we were under social distancing restrictions and lucky enough to be able to be working and eating outside in Lucy's gorgeous garden, under a gazebo at times when rain threatened, but it worked brilliantly well using masks when we needed to get our heads together a bit! We were still able to enjoy the social times of eating together outside, which makes the weekends so special. Lucy's passion and enthusiasm as an artist shines through and I find her and her work truly inspirational. She can combine this with really engaging with wherever her students are, however experienced and working alongside them. Thank you again for a great weekend. We will be back next year of course!"

Lucy Churchill's Stone Carving Workshops responded:

"Carving & lunches can take place INDOORS as well! I'm limiting student numbers to just 2 per class (or 3 if from the same social bubble) so there's more than enough space in my workshop and around my dining table for comfortable social distancing (and there's PPE on hand so inside group spaces are safely covered). Lucky students - this means more personal tuition than ever! It's always a pleasure to spend time with you, whatever the circumstances Sandy xxx More anon! :>)"

Rachel reviewed: Needle Felting Workshop - landscape pictures

"A really enjoyable, relaxing and productive session! The 3 hours flew by, and I was so pleased with the outcome - two pictures which looked surprisingly professional for a first attempt! Pip was welcoming, patient and encouraging, thank you so much."

Pippaluk Crafts responded:

"So glad you enjoyed it."

Stephanie Rose reviewed: Needle Felting Workshop - landscape pictures

"I attended the course recently with my sister and we both loved it. Pip is such a welcoming host and an excellent tutor. I enjoyed the tea and pastry plus the relaxed kitchen atmosphere. It's a fascinating craft and I'm so pleased with my two framed pictures - they are now proudly displayed in my living room!"

Pippaluk Crafts responded:

"Thank you so pleased you enjoyed it."

Karen reviewed: One day Mosaic workshop Moon Hare Studio, Devon

"So glad I went on this course. Adela was very helpful and patient. She provided all the tools we needed as well as great tips and inspiration from her own work. Her COVID precautions meant we all felt safe and well cared for too. I would definitely recommend the course."

Chris reviewed: Glass blowing for beginners with Jon Lewis

"We had a great day with Jon trying our hands at working with glass. I was surprised by the number of things that we got to make during the day and the number of techniques that we got to try our hand with. At the start of the day we could just about make some not quite spherical marbles and by the end we were experimenting with different colouring techniques and making vases. Jon is a very good teacher and we also got to find out about the other interesting projects he has been working on and the techniques he has been experimenting with. All in all it was excellent value for money and taught us a lot of new skills. Hoping to try it again sometime and practice all the skills we learnt."

Gail reviewed: Small needle felted animals or pictures

"This course was a gift from my daughters for Mothers Day. We spent a lovely morning making our felt creatures. Barbara is a very good & patient tutor, providing a relaxed atmosphere for us to create something nice to take away with us. Would like to return to make a felt picture."

Feltworld - Creative Arts responded:

"It was a pleasure to teach you and your two daughters. Your cute animals are adorable:-). Hope to teach you and share the very exciting painting with wool techniques. Barbara :-)"

James Titley reviewed: The complete basics of woodturning (2 days)

"Great course. Went through everything a beginner could want, but clearly moved with your needs and skills. Mark was patient and supportive throughout the whole two days. Not just on how to achieve the skills, but had a thorough knowledge of kit, tools, equipment that you may want to set yourself up. Definitely recommend to anyone with an interest in wood turning - whatever your level"

Mark Hancock responded:

"Thank you Jim for your feedback. Enjoy your new hobby."

Bridget Lawrence reviewed: Embroidery kit - Garden Border Flowers

"So thrilled with my purchase, such a lovely kit. I will enjoy creating the picture. Plenty of materials provided for choice, imagination and design. Prompt delivery, beautifully wrapped, was a pleasure to open."

Tigley Textiles responded:

"Thank you Bridget, so sweet of you to write a review. I'm really pleased you enjoyed opening the package and hope you have lots of fun stitching. Julie"

Diane Malerich reviewed: Art Themes - Landscape, Urban, Portraits

"Attended first lesson of the course on Monday. Really enjoyable friendly and safe atmosphere. Looking forward to next week"

The Art and Design Studio responded:

"Many thanks Diane! Looking forward to seeing you next week for coloured pencil work. Cathy & Shelly."

Charlotte reviewed: Half day: 3 Leather Accessories

"The course was absolutely brilliant and it was lovely having time with my dad for his birthday doing something he had never tried before! We are both very crafty people so it was extremely interesting and enjoyable to learn about a new craft. Rosanna is lovely and inviting and explains everything very clearly. My dad and I both had a fantastic time!"

Glyn Williams reviewed: Guitar Strumstick Dulcimer 3 strings instrument

"What a great way to spend a day! Tim is great company and can talk about anything which is really important when you're spending 8 hours together in a small space. He was very knowledgeable about the task in hand and helped me as a novice safely through every step of the process while still leaving me with a sense of achievement. The finished product was also impressive and I happily show it off to anyone who'll listen. Thanks very much Tim, I'd recommend the course to anyone with an interest in getting to know equipment and techniques. All the best"

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks Glyn You have a lot of experience with guitars my friend, we certainly got talking about guitars and the world. I'm sure you can make a bandsaw box with me next time? I hope the Strumstick meets the wife's approval too ? A little bit of practice is all you need Glyn....let me know when you have time and hope to see you very soon and please tell your friends as well. Kind regards Tim"