Latest reviews

Allys reviewed: Paint & Create - Children's Saturday Morning Art Workshop

"Fantastic! My daughter really enjoys Paint and Create and has produced some great artwork with the teacher's tuition. I would highly recommend this course. "

Paint & Create responded:

"Hi Ally's Thank you so much for this lovely review. Im so pleased that your daughter enjoys the sessions . This is very important to me and its great to know that you are also happy with your daughters artistic creations. I try to create a relaxing, friendly atmosphere for the children which helps them to relax and enjoy painting. Thank you again. Best wishes Josie "

Caroline Baldry reviewed: Glass Bauble blowing experience with Chris

"Top marks!! This was a fantastic experience. Chris was brilliant. Explained everything with sinlle clear instructions. Allowed us to be independent enough to feel that the end result was out own, but stepped in just enough to ensure that we went away with perfect examples of glass baubles. Lovely people and a perfect introduction to the art"

Claire reviewed: Lampwork glass making workshop in Nottingham

"It was a gift for my husband and he thoroughly enjoyed it! Perfect present idea!"

bden glass Ltd responded:

"Thanks Claire, Roger was a pleasure to teach. He had genuine enthusiasm and a took to it like a natural! Many Thanks, Rosie"

Curtis reviewed: Introduction to Welding for Artists

"Participated in the beginner welding course and throughly enjoyed it. Learned a lot during the quick introduction, then got right to having fun with the equipment. Would highly recommend "

London Sculpture Workshop CIC responded:

"Hi Curtis, Many thanks for your positive feedback. Great to hear how much you enjoyed & learnt from the workshop. We are proud to have a talented teaching team and always delighted to meet enthusiastic students! Many thanks LSW "

Caroline Gregson reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"Excellent course on a lovely sunny winter’s day. Surprising what we could achieve. We will be booking more! "

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Caroline, thank you for the lovely review. Hope to see you at Manor Wood again! Emma"

Jane reviewed: Potters Wheel & Clay Hand Building, Heskin Chorley

"Thank you so much for a great morning. Really fun having never done this before my daughter and I loved it and would advise anyone thinking about it, just go for it!. We hope to return soon. Thanks again."

The Crafty potter responded:

"Thanks Jane for your lovely Review, It was fab having you both join us in the studio xx"

ms kathryn thomas reviewed: Christmas Wreath Making Kit on Eco-friendly Willow Bases

" We made the wreath as a family activity to do in the run up to Christmas and really enjoyed it. The kit was lovely and the instructions easy to follow. Would recommend to anyone"

Jenni Wren Creative responded:

"Thank you so much for recommending our wreath-making kit to others! We’re delighted to hear that it became a special family activity for you all in the run-up to Christmas. How lovely that everyone had a hand in creating it—what a beautiful way to come together and make something meaningful. With the festive season behind us, perhaps you could all come together again for another seasonal wreath for the Spring! 😅. Wishing you and your family a wonderful start to the year!"

Kevin reviewed: Introduction To Welding & Basic Fabrication

"Bought this for my 12 year old son who absolutely loved it and learnt to Arc, Mig and Tig weld in the day. Would highly recommend as Joe is an excellent teacher with years of experience. "

SCAVENGER DESIGN BRIGHTON responded:

"Thanks very much. I also enjoyed the day. Joe"

Desi reviewed: Forge a Knife- Blacksmithing and Knifemaking Experience Day

"John was a fabulous instructor; very patient and laid back. It starts with the safety instructions , then choosing what kind of knife you'd like to make (for which John has plenty of examples to help). My son and I had a great time, learning occurred and we have a pair of (two totally different) fantastic knives to show for it! Would heartily recommend this course; my advice would be wear long sleeves (to protect from sparks) and thick socks ( we went in winter, and the forge gets a little chilly when the fire isn't lit!)."

June Pickard reviewed: Art classes - Sculpture - 10 weeks

"I have attended these groups for a number of years and have been able to explore and make most forms of sculpture. Ivan is a excellent tutor who has the capabilities to make you think and produce your own ideas, also at the same time learning new skills and the use of the suitable tools one needs to produce your 3D work. From being an outright beginner I can now produce work I am happy with. "

Jacqui reviewed: Lathe turning for beginners with Thompsons Wood

"Had a fantastic day with Jake and came away with a bowl, lid and pen. I'm well and truly hooked and am looking forward to buying my own lathe. Thankyou for sgaring your knowledge and experience, and for making it a thoroughly enjoyable day. "

Emma Lepedus reviewed: Private or private group silver jewellery making / silversmithing workshop half-day at Silver Designed Personally

"We booked a silversmithing workshop with Sara for our teenager who has recently got into jewellery making and wanted to take it further. This workshop was the perfect step forward. Sara and her lovely dog carefully, kindly and patiently guided our daughter through the process of making a silver bangle with excellent results. Our daughter absolutely loved the process and her bangle came out beautifully. We hope to return to do some further workshops. What a lovely birthday present! Thank you so much Sara! "

Silver Designed Personally responded:

"Emma - thank you so much for your totally amazing review. She was a absolute delight to work with and very talented. I will definitely look forward to seeing her again some time to try something else and work on developing her silversmithing skills. Sara & Misty!"

Anna S reviewed: Glass Bauble blowing experience with Chris

"We had a fantastic time making glass baubles with Chris. He made us feel very comfortable around the equipment and gave us the confidence to make great baubles. We would love to do this course again next year."

Karla reviewed: Half day mosaic workshops with Laura Barnes.

"This is my second half day mosaic workshop with Laura and it was great learning even more than last time. I took my mum along and she felt really welcomed. The time went so fast! Thanks Laura for all your encouragement and help. Hope to see you again in the new year!"

Laura Barnes Crafty Fox Studios responded:

"You are always welcome at the studio! Lovely to meet your mum, too. She definitely had more confidence by the end of the day. If you can send a picture of your mosaics in the garden I'd really appreciate it! Laura "

Helena Hart reviewed: Beginners half-day 1-2-1 pottery throwing workshop for 1 person

"I really enjoyed my second course with Louise and thoroughly recommend having this one to one experience. I was able to choose what I wanted to make and concentrated on making thrown pots. My arthritic hands did not interrupt the creativity and Louise was able to find alternative ways of holding the clay which assisted with the making. Cant wait to book an other course."

Blended Monkey - pottery - woodturning - green woodworking - pole lathe - throwing responded:

"It was lovely to have you back in the studio Helena. You achieved a lot in the time we had and it was good to see the progression. I think we can go for a bigger bowl next time! Thank you for the lovely review. Very kind of you. See you later in the year."

Gina & Kirsten reviewed: Metal embossing foil DIY wreath kit

"Excellent kit. We asked all our family members to create a leaf and then we added them to the wreath to make a one off momento of this Christmas. Good instructions and youtube video. Plenty of materials in the pack. "

Karen Whittick reviewed: The Ultimate Botanical Casting Experience

"I thoroughly enjoyed the Botanical Casting Workshop, with Janet. Myself and my cousin were so happy to create a lasting memory from our afternoon, but the journey to create our botanical cast was the greatest pleasure. Janet's unhurried approach, allowing you to enjoy every aspect of the process, was interesting, calming and fun. I loved every minute! "

Step in the Picture responded:

"It is lovely to hear you both enjoyed the workshop experience. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review of your experiences."

Catherine reviewed: Half day mosaic workshops with Laura Barnes.

"We had a great time in the 3 hour half day mosaic workshop. My dad has mobility issues and also had recent surgery on his hand that hadn’t healed as quickly as hoped. Laura was able to support him to achieve a great finished piece with clever suggestions to simplify design and by offering to help intermittently, without making a fuss. The process is easy to grasp, with some fiddly bits that require good hand control but nothing is irreversible as cement takes a lot of time to set. Laura has carefully designed the session with a cuppa on arrival and guidance on what can be achieved in the time and has lots of ready made stencils to jump straight in on making without overwhelm. I’m confident in arty things and made my design more complicated using small pieces and I probably pushed the limit of what could be done in 3 hours but wasn’t made to feel rushed at any point and am really happy with the result. Laura is really friendly and open and there’s lots to look at and inspire in the studio and pictures of her work. Some practical notes are that the studio is upstairs in an old mill though apparently there is a lift somewhere. The toilet however is downstairs and a bit ropey so good tip would be to go before you arrive. "

Laura Barnes Crafty Fox Studios responded:

"Thank you Catherine, that is some review! I'm delighted you mentioned the flexibility here at my workshops and I applaud you for making the journey here under difficult circumstances. It was a lovely afternoon and I am glad to have met you and your family. Happy New Year to you all. Laura. "

Ruari Grant reviewed: Woodworking Machinery Techniques and use.

"A great day at teds workshop, he tailored the machine course to my exact needs. Very informative and friendly "

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Thanks Ruari, That box you made was very cool indeed, You have some good skills and with practice you will be a great woodworker. Hope to see you again soon? kind regards Ted "

Ztoffers reviewed: Creative Vibe - Glassblowing Sessions

"Disabled? Here's my review for you. I have balance and walking problems due to MS, I use a stick or scooter to get around. I was a bit worried after booking because the workshop is in an old stables, so you can't expect a level floor. I was so relieved when we got there because Ricky already had an understanding of how best to make the workshop accessible to me. This is not my expectation because my usual experience is to need to compromise or only do part of something, otherwise I feel like I'm being difficult or making extra work for people. I found out later that Ricky has done the workshop for many people with different needs, from vision impaired to wheelchair users. I was able to fully take part in all the activities with Ricky carrying my hot glass iron between points and me using his arm to balance. I don't need to revisit all the other reviews because so much has been said, but for me 5 stars is not enough to express how special it was that Ricky had considered how to make it work for me. "

Jane Perry reviewed: Beginners half-day 1-2-1 pottery throwing workshop for 1 person

"I bought this experience for my granddaughter's 13th birthday and we both had a wonderful time. Right from the start we were made welcome with drinks and snacks ( Saffron loved the homemade cookies!!) We were both a bit nervous initially about using the potters wheel but after after a clear demonstration ( and with useful written instructions and lots of encouagement) we got stuck in and had a whale of a time . It was a really fun relaxing afternoon , and we didn't want it to end as we were having so much fun , and making so much mess !! Surprisingly we made some rather good pots ( particuarly Saffron who of course is now aspiring to have her own potters wheel !) Cant wait to see the pots fired and glazed in our chosen colours . Thank you Louise , "

Blended Monkey - pottery - woodturning - green woodworking - pole lathe - throwing responded:

"So pleased you both enjoyed your throwing session (and the cookies!) :-) Saffron did seem to take to the wheel quite naturally, but you both achieved a lot during your half-day session. Well done! Thank you for the lovely review too!"

Hannah reviewed: Lampworking Workshop: Full Day Beginners Workshop

"Fantastic day with Suzanne, very professional setup, great teacher and a lovely atmosphere - great way to spend a day"

Suzanne Jewellery responded:

"So pleased you enjoyed your workshop Hannah. Thank you for taking the time to write a lovely review. "

Helena and Matty reviewed: 3 hour Silver jewellery course

"Had an amazing time learning about the intricacies of every part of the process of ring making. Loved making a truly personalised ring, which turned out beautifully under Richard's calm and humourous guidance. Found learning about his experiences really interesting too. "

Richard Whitelegg Jewellery responded:

"Many thanks, it was a pleasure to teach you regards Richard"

Victoria Seth reviewed: Glass Bauble blowing experience with Chris

"So much of this was fantastic. Chris and his partner were lovely and the glass blowing was great fun. My friend and I really felt like we'd achieved something. The baubles look lovely. We are already making plans to return to do some more in the summer. I only mark it as 4 stars rather 5 because they were running really late all day. We had to hang around for 30mins before we could start. Then the next group arrived soon after and stood to watch us, which felt very pressured and rushed. They were were apologic about it, but it did take the edge off the experience."

Martin Edwards reviewed: An Introduction to RAG RUGS - Creative Recycling

"This is a great book, and Jenni sent it really quickly. Comprehensive and easy to follow for beginners, with content on design, materials, tools & technique, with the bonus of a nice section on the history of textiles. We've made a start, and will have fun trying out all the different things..."

Jenni's Rag Rugs responded:

"So glad it arrived quickly and if you have any questions about rag rug making I am happy to help. I would love to see what you make. Raggily, Jenni"