Latest reviews

Liz Thompson reviewed: Half Day Mosaic Workshop - Direct Method Technique

"Bright, warm studio. The session was well organised by the tutor who was friendly and helpful. I was a complete novice and was very happy with what I achieved! It was nice to receive photos of me "at work" as well. Thank you."

Bridget Griffiths reviewed: Silversmithing Jewellery Making Course: Level 1 (7 weeks - Midday - Merseyside)

"I enjoyed this course so much I am now taking the level 2 course. Carol is a very experienced teacher but also very approachable and easy and enjoyable to be with. She gives encouragement and confidence too. You will learn lots of different techniques for working with silver . I love developing these skills and find the sessions enjoyable and fulfilling. It is very gratifying to see yourself improve. Carol is also a mine of information about all things associated with working with silver. Recommended."

La Jade responded:

"Hi Bridget, I am glad to hear you have been enjoying the courses, it has been a leasure to teach you when your so willing to learn. "

Marie reviewed: Lamp glass bead making

"Such a lovely teacher Jade is. Had a wonderful experience , thank you"

Goldwrightsjewelleryschool responded:

"Your so welcome you have made some beautiful beads I had a little peek :) such a wonderful morning:) thank you "

Kathryn R reviewed: Beginner's Spinning in Newcastle

"I really enjoyed the Beginners Spinning workshop at the Red Lion in Newburgh. Cathy was brilliant and explained the basics before demonstrating this beautiful craft and helping each participant to embark on their individual spinning journey. The pace was relaxed and the atmosphere friendly and encouraging. Highly recommended!"

Paul Smithies reviewed: Spoon Carving Taster Session

"£40 very well spent. Mike was an excellent teacher with a strong safety content. Superb setting. Would recommend the taster course to anyone. Mike showed us a rang of techniques to carve the spoon safely. Very friendly manner and welcomed questions. Didnt quite finish the spoon on the day but was given enougb techniques to finish it in the evening."

Sharon Rostron reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"Oh my goodness what an amazing day. I attended the one day workshop on Saturday 14 May with a friend. We had treated ourselves as a joint birthday treat. Travelling from the Midlands we were worried if it was worth it but wow it was. Jo was so welcoming, informative and joyous. I’ve done many a crafting course but this was the best. We loved every minute and left with a hare sculpture to be proud of. Thank you Jo."

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you Sharon - so glad it was worth the journey and thank you for sending a photo of your lovely hare already sitting in your flower bed ?. It was worth doing the medium upgrade so he could see over the gorgeous flowers ?. Jo x"

Diana Barnes reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"Wow what a wonderful day I had! I attended a one day workshop in April with 3 friends and enjoyed every minute. Jo's studio and garden are delightful, the perfect setting to feel inspired. The day was so relaxing, Jo took us through every stage with easy to follow instructions and plenty of time to complete each task. She was there all the time to assist us and kept us going with numerous cups of tea, chocolate biscuits and encouragement. At the end of a creative day we all had a completed hare to take home, each one unique and special to us. Thank you Jo I would love to come back and make a big hare."

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you Diana - it was lovely having your group in the studio; lots of banter and laughter. Everyone made such individual hares ?. It would be lovely to have you back to make a bigger one! Jo x"

Amanda reviewed: Fused glass items at Bonds with Helen from The Butterfly Effect Studio

"Oh my goodness what can I say ! Myself & 3 friends took part in Helen’s glass workshop, it was fabulous the things we made with Helen’s tuition are absolutely amazing ! Helen you are awesome! I hope to see you again for another glass workshop in the future , We all enjoyed every second it was brilliant! Thank you x"

Butterfly Effect Studio responded:

"Hi Amanda, I was so touched by your kind review, we certainly had a giggle didn’t we. I always enjoy spending time with like-minded people and thought that what you all created was phenomenal, such unique pieces that will look great in any setting. I’ll definitely try to do a workshop nearer to where you all live later this year so I’ll keep you posted. "

Sue reviewed: Rainbow mosaic wall plaque (interior) - a mosaic kit in a box

"I really enjoyed doing my rainbow mosiac. Everything that you need is included and the instructions are very clear as well."

Julie Vernon Mosaics responded:

"Well done Sue - so pleased you enjoyed the kit. Hope you find a nice place on the wall to display. All the best Julie"

Sharon-Leah Perry reviewed: Cyanotype prints

"I had a fantastically inspiring time with Ashleigh who shared so many different techniques & ideas with me. He made the workshop very understandable, fun & enjoyable & had so much material prepared for me to choose from to use for my printing. I loved being able to experiment with soaking one of my pieces in a strong tea solution, that I currently have another piece soaking in very strong coffee for comparison. I have since shared my with my family who also appreciated the learning experience & knowledge that Ashleigh shared with me. I would highly recommend doing this workshop with Ashleigh, or even one of the other workshops he does. He is very knowledgeable & has a gift of breaking things down into easy to understand pieces. THANK YOU ASHLEIGH !"

Maya reviewed: Felt Pictures-Painting with fibres - intro to 2D wet felting/felt making

"This class was excellent and surpassed all of my expectations. Neither myself or my mum had ever done any felting before and we aren’t particularly artistically inclined. Heather was an excellent teacher and even made cake for us! She talked us through the process of creating the felt as we went, and provided us with everything we needed and every colour of felt under the sun. We were both able to produce a piece of felt that we were happy with thanks to heathers tuition and now have the building blocks to be able to create more. We may book on to the course again, and we would recommend the course to anyone!"

Chris Roberts reviewed: Mosaic wall hangings using vintage and retro china

"Loved this course. Wendy was very welcoming. She explained the processes clearly and was ready to help and advise throughout the day. Came away feeling that I can carry on with this hobby on my own. I have no hesitation in recommending this course."

Jane reviewed: Stained glass sun-catcher workshop: Hampshire

"We spent a lovely day making birds and turtles. It was lovely chatting to Rachel as we worked in a relaxed atmosphere, with our tea, biccies and glass cutting. I was surprised at how much I learnt and did in a day. And we had something nice to take home. Thank you ?"

Swanwick Studio responded:

"Thank you Jane for your lovely feedback :-) I hope your sister was impressed with your efforts ;-) Your turtle is lovely & so nice to spend the day with you both x"

June Crow reviewed: Introduction to small goods leather crafting

"A very enjoyable day. I learned a great deal in a short time which is testament to a good teacher. After just 6 hours in a comfortable, friendly and beautiful location, I went home. Very pleased with my first attempt and rearing to go with my own projects. Thank you Paul."

Bardster's Crafts responded:

"Thank you for your kind words. Best wishes"

Alison Crosby reviewed: Pottery Wheel Taster Private Session

"We had an extremely fun time learning how to use the potters wheel. Alison was great at explaining what we needed to do and then kept us on track when we had a go ourselves. Nothing was too much trouble and we came away fully enthused to have another go in the future."

Loveheart Workshops responded:

"Thank you for your lovely words. It was a fun session and I'm glad you both enjoyed it so much! ?"

Sally reviewed: Make a silver ring or bangle

"Spent a day with Lucy focusing on soldering and I enjoyed it immensely. Lucy listened carefully to what I needed and what experience I’d had and tailored the day accordingly. The workshop is fantastic and so well equipped. I learnt how to make jump rings, which I’d never done before and I came away feeling much more confident about soldering. I’m now looking forward to finishing my bracelet at home. Information sheets provided before the course were great, and afterwards, Lucy sent me more information and pictures of key areas of the pieces we were soldering so that I can now refer back to them. Lucy was patient and encouraging and I was well looked after all day. Highly recommended, and I’ll be returning ASAP!"

Penny reviewed: Silver jewellery making class for beginners

"Had a great day and made several pieces of jewellery to show off my new skills! Lovely day :)"

Salt Way Silver responded:

"Thank you Penny, Your gift voucher worked out well in the end! I am very pleased that you enjoyed your day at Salt Way Silver, ad well done with your new jewellery making skills! Jonathan "

Rachel reviewed: Beginners/improvers glass fusing workshops in Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire

"Carole is very organised and explains techniques really clearly. She is also friendly and very welcoming, she is a great teacher too. My friend and I had a brilliant day and talked about the course all the way home. We are definitely booking again and aim to bring with us other family members too. Thank you Carole."

Gore Tree Studio responded:

"Many thanks for the review Rachel, so glad you both enjoyed the day :)"

John wood reviewed: Small Leather Goods Workshop

"I would highly recommend having a day with Richard. Very informative and knowledgeable. It was that good I intend to have 2 more days with him."

John wood reviewed: Small Leather Goods Workshop

"I would highly recommend having a day with Richard. Very informative and knowledgeable. It was that good I intend to have 2 more days with him"

Melanie Louise reviewed: Art Spoon Carving with Giles Newman

"This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a Pendant Carving workshop with Giles Newman, he is a master craftsperson in fine art wood carving! I have affectionately named my pendant carving the Grubby Moth! After 6 hours of carving I came away with a lovely oak pendant that I'm very proud of (it's slightly grubby from being handled by my sweaty hands for so long ?). There was a lot of "white knuckle" carving with a super sharp knife going on! This workshop really tested my patience and determination. I usually work in a much freer, faster and more colourful way. It's worth challenging yourself out of your comfort zone sometimes, and this workshop helped me do that. It was an amazing experience to be in Giles' beautiful studio, which is purpose built in his garden. The carving process requires you to work slowly and steadily in a mindful, meditative way to carefully, and calmly carve your creation. There's no scope for rushing this process, I had to rein in my slap dash tendencies, which is a good thing! I carved a small moth, and came away with some useful life, and craft skills as well as my little pendant. I highly recommend Giles' workshops. It's a real privilege to work with an artist who has absolutely mastered, and created new dimensions within his craft form. His wood carving really is out of this world!! He is also a very knowledgeable, humble, wise, sensitive guy with a gentle and encouraging teaching style. Check out his work if you need anymore encouragement to attend one of his courses. It really is amazing, and all carved with one very small, very sharp knife and a massive amounts of love, skill and patience."

Giles Newman responded:

"Wow! I cannot thank you enough for this lovely, very kind and thoughtful review Melanie. It was a real pleasure to meet both you and Miranda and to share my carving techniques with you. I do hope that you will both continue to carve and that it will in some way find a place in your lives along with the other crafts that you do and that you teach. My thanks and best wishes to you both."

Rob Thompson reviewed: Make your own shavehorse with Gedwood

"I attended the shave horse making course in April. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and came home with a lovely piece of kit, which I look forward to start using. Ged is a great teacher, and creates a calm and friendly atmosphere, sharing his knowledge and passion for his work. The course was inspiring and we were given plenty of time to learn and practice using a range of tools and skills. Thanks again Ged! Hope to attend another course in the future!"

Gedwood responded:

"Thanks Rob! Just sent you through links for ordering tools Happy carving!"

Coursejunkie reviewed: Macrame - Feather

"I booked this course for a friend and I. Having done macrame back in the 70s it was a delight to have Wendy teach us the feather. My friend and I had a thoroughly delightful couple of hours. Wendy is patient and really takes time to ensure you are following and understand what you are doing. I would highly recommend her."

Janice Golding reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"This is a great day, very relaxed and you end up with a great piece of work you have created yourself. Jo is an expert host and guide throughout the day."

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you Janice - it was lovely having you and your daughters here ?. Great work all round! Jo x"

PaulC reviewed: Blacksmithing Introduction courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"I was unsure what to expect as first, but the course was brilliant. The greeting was warm and friendly. When everyone arrived we were equipped with safety gear and given a short introduction to safety in the forge. Then we were into making the first item. Adrian gave an introduction to the techniques and steps needed to start and off you go. The staff are always on hand, attentive and willing to gently guide you with the current process. What seemed daunting at the start, faded into easy to replicate steps and I now have a snail key fob and a dragon coat rack. It's a superb course, with friendly people and you make something that initially seems out of reach given your inexperience. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who's thinking about it. Physical strength not needed but it can get a touch warm around the furnaces."