Latest reviews

Mich Thomas reviewed: Introduction to silk painting - workshop at The Mulberry Shed

"A fabulous day in sunny Somerset. My friend and I were slightly scared by the thought of this course, neither of us professing to be at all artistic. Not a problem it turned out, Sheila was only too happy to offer suggestions and inspiration which allowed us both to create something beautiful, personal and completely original. Go to Somerset, admire Sheila’s lovely home and garden, and set your creative self free at The Mulberry Shed, you won’t be disappointed."

Sally reviewed: Candlemaking for Beginners

"Loved the course! Rob was a great teacher and really liked that fact that we got to make lots of different types of candles - my favourite was the beeswax one :) Would recommend to others and come back for any advanced courses!"

The Wax Studio responded:

"Hi Sally, Thank you so much for the kind review, it was a pleasure to have you and Mark on the course and I will keep you informed about future more advanced courses as I develop the content. Best of luck with your candle making endeavours. Rob"

Jen Merryfield reviewed: Needle felt your dog with Crafty Gal

"This was my second course with Denise and loved it just as much as the first! Came home with a wonderful fox brooch which looks lovely! Denise is a fab teacher and very patient! If you've never tried needle felting definitely try one of Denise's courses, but similarly if you are experienced you can improve your skills!"

Crafty Gal responded:

"Ah thank you Jen! It was lovely to see you again, and how you put everything you'd learnt last time into action, your brooch was really beautiful. Denise x"

Martin Wood reviewed: Wood turning courses in the Midlands

"I was bought one of Mark’s day courses for my birthday and what a day! Mark guided me along to produce both a bowl and a honey dibber. I say guided as Mark used his vast experience to allow me to use the lathe whilst he showed me the best way to use the tools. His style is informal but very effective, I learnt a lot about the appreciation required of the wood before you start cutting. I was thoroughly engrossed during the day and along with copious mugs of coffee the time flew by. The lathe work was fun and one day I will get my own. Before that though I will be looking to gain more knowledge from Mark in how to wield the tools properly and better understand the nature of wood. I would highly recommend anyone thinking of wood turning to book onto one of Mark’s courses to sip at his cup of knowledge!"

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

"Such a fantastic afternoon spent with Adela, wonderful ideas given and so supportive of learning a new craft. We will be back!"

Sarah Jones reviewed: Willow Framed Basket Making Day - Complete Beginners

"A fantastic day! Victoria is very entertaining, and also a very good teacher. You always have a substantial piece of work to take home - which actually looks like what it is supposed to!"

Simon Broadbridge reviewed: Photography Days

"What a great day with Sue & Richard,as a novice who has been afraid to move from automatic it was great to start using the functions on the camera it did not matter that some of the pictures were blurred as I learnt from mistakes.The day was very relaxed and informative and suitable for all levels.Highly recommend"

Charlie Hill reviewed: Blacksmithing Beginners day courses in Yorkshire and the North East

"I had loads of fun, there was good guidance on blacksmithing techniques. The lunch was nice because we had burgers made on the forge. Thank you for a fun and creative day."

A W Artist Blacksmiths responded:

"Hi Charlie, Thank you so much for your review. Really do appreciate it. I really enjoyed our 1 to 1 session and really pleased you liked our burgers, its a bit of a Thursday tradition here at the forge. Hope you are inspired enough to further your training in the craft of blacksmithing, you certainly have a natural ability. Good luck."

Samuel Leckie reviewed: Weekend introductory blacksmithing course 'O' at Quinnell School of Blacksmithing

"Peat gave us helpful advice and tips throughout. Although the youngest on this course at 14 - I found it challenging and enjoyable. We had goals of new items to make every day, my family were amazed at the quality of what I had achieved. I did the course because it is educational and something that I would like to learn more about. You get to make friends too."

Lucy Cross reviewed: Clay life modelling weekend with Karin Ort

"This was my third trip to the Phoenix Studios, having done a couple of the animal clay courses. I was quite apprehensive about my ability to create a life model but Karin remained calm and positive throughout, guiding us all to produce some amazing pieces. The atmosphere was most supportive , with Karin looking after both students and model with care and consideration. I would highly recommend the weekend to anyone , you will be delighted by what you achieve!"

Isobel Everett reviewed: Make a silver ring or bangle

"Once again Lucy steered, encouraged and inspired me on my next project. Gentle coaching and endless knowledge combine to make the day memorable and remarkable."

Jess W reviewed: Mosaic and Glass Art 2 day Course

"Such a fun two days! Maggie was so kind, encouraging, creative and positive to all of us there. It's hard not to be inspired in the studio (and house and garden!) with all of Maggie's creations. I don't see myself as artistic at all but I came out with a mosaic piece that I'm really proud of and absolutely love. Give it a go - you'll love it!"

Janet Terry reviewed: Crafts in the Valley - Beginners glass fusing workshops in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire

"My daughter and I had a brilliant time on the glass fusing workshop in May. Melanie taught us lots of new skills at a steady pace which resulted in several completed items at the end of the day. It was so well organised that there was even time for a lovely ,relaxed lunch. Would highly recommend this day . We enjoyed it so much we’re hoping to book on the follow up workshop in Oct!"

Jules reviewed: Machine made lined curtains

"Great sewing course- highly recommend! Thanks Janet ??"

Autumn Moon reviewed: 1-to-1 Organic Skincare Workshop at Maid in the Meadow

"I had a brilliant time. The tutor was friendly and extremely knowledgeable - I could have spent a couple of days with Alison because she was so interesting and there was so much to learn. The information pack you get to take home with you was really informative and packed with recipes for you to try out later. I was delighted with the products I made and it has given me the confidence to try making skincare products at home. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who has an interest in making their own beauty products and the great thing is you don't need any prior experience."

Rachel Watson reviewed: Modern calligraphy (full day workshop) - Hampshire

"I would thoroughly recommend this excellent Gloryletteringstudio workshop as an introduction to calligraphy. Sunita guided us with easy-to-follow steps, and by the end of the session we were able to produce some lovely words in black ink, watercolours and even gold and silver, which were particularly effective. I now have the basic skills to continue practicing my calligraphy skills at home, but would love to attend another workshop in the future to learn and develop more"

Debbie Scarth reviewed: Regular ceramic & glazing tuition and pottery wheel workshops Shetland

"I brought my 12 year old daughter and her friend to the workshop as a school holiday activity. They are both pottery novices but you would never guess that from the pieces they produced, which are really impressive. We could not be more delighted. Sonje carefully explained processes, techniques and finishes to them. She encouraged them to develop their initial ideas and created an environment where they both felt excited to try out,correct mistakes and go again. We did not leave before booking our next workshop. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Sonje's workshops. Huge thank you for a great afternoon - looking forward to seeing you again soon! Debbie, Abi & Becca"

Werxzovart responded:

"Thanks Debbie, I was so impressed that both girls were totally focused on their work and producing some beautiful and colourful pottery pieces! And considering they had never done pottery before either! Look forward to having them back for glazing so thank you for making another booking. See you all soon again."

Simon Aston reviewed: Green Wood Creative Seating - 6 Day Course in South Devon

"This was the second course I have booked with Peter and once again thoroughly enjoyed it. The tuition from Peter is excellent and the location simply stunning. Everybody came with different design ideas and Peter encouraged every one of them. I came away with a garden bench that I'm really proud of. There really is something quite special in making something from scratch with your own hands !"

Jackie Sykes reviewed: Regular ceramic & glazing tuition and pottery wheel workshops Shetland

"I was delighted when I came across Sonje’s course in beautiful Howarth. Had been wanting to learn how to make pottery spoons for some time and Sonje was so knowledgeable, skilled and enthusiastic and totally got what it was I was trying to achieve. In a relaxed calming environment I was able to let my creativity flow and ended up with a handful of spoons that I love. Thank you Sonje-I will be back x"

Werxzovart responded:

"It was great to meet you Jac and help you make your spoons. Wish I had taken a picture of them as they were beautiful! Thanks for the lovely review and I look forward to having you back when your time allows."

Kate Readman reviewed: Fabulous felt picture 2 day masterclass near York

"Very much enjoyed the course, venue was good and there was a very good supply of quality materials. Possibly may be helpful to show all the group the techniques that were discussed individually as some of the tips may not have been relevant to the particular piece we were working on but would be useful in the future."

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

"A lot of fun. Adela was very informative and there was access to a lot of great materials. Her work was very inspirational so am planning lots of mosaics around the home!"

May 2018 Attendee reviewed: Mosaic and Glass Art 2 day Course

"Had a very special time on the beginners mosaic course at Maggie’s beautiful home and workshop in the countryside. A chance to completely switch off in lovely surroundings and allow my hidden creativity to come out! Maggie’s excellent guidance was inspiring and she is great fun to work with, her enthusiasm for her work is infectious. Came away from the course feeling refreshed, with new things to think about and a mosaic I am proud of. Highly recommend this course, which I feel is very reasonably priced for what it provides. Thanks Maggie!"

Rhian Fletcher reviewed: Crochet course "Complete beginners"

"Gaëlle is a fantastic crochet tutor! I’d wanted to learn for years and had tried books and video tutorials to no avail. After the beginner course of 3 sessions I was able to read a simple pattern and started a granny square blanket. Gaëlle is a patient and encouraging tutor and she provided clear and relevant handouts to support the lessons. I would not hesitate to recommend the course."

Derek reviewed: Wood turning courses

"What did I expect? What did I get? My experience of woodturning is from club and show demonstrations and I am otherwise mainly self-taught. I expected to get hands on professional tuition in a good workshop from this course. On arrival I received a fabulous, warm welcome from George, but probably more importantly from “the Boss”, Sue. She looked after us with refreshments and kindness which was matched by George’s professional approach to woodturning. The first day was spent on safety, tool sharpening techniques of tool use and bowl completed. What a lot I learnt! The second day commenced with putting into practise what I had learnt from the first day’s tuition but the bulk of the time involved textures; how they are created and combined with finishes. This included not only proprietary brands but also George’s techniques for colouring and decoration. I came away with two of my creations, but more importantly, to me, a sense of achievement and plenty of inspiration for future projects. We had plenty of “banter” in a totally relaxed atmosphere but this did not detract from the intense learning situation. The course had totally lived up to my expectations. Thanks, George (and Sue) for looking after an “old codger”!"

Sue Fell reviewed: Mosaic class

"We attended the one day mosaic course whilst staying at Dawn's B & B. We loved every minute and I loved learning a new skill. Dawn was a very attentive teacher, encouraging and very knowledgeable on mosaics. The day was very relaxed and Dawn made homemade quiche for lunch and her fantastic homemade scones and cake were offered throughout the day. Dawn has instilled the confidence in me to continue making mosaics. This was a wonderful course in all ways and I highly recommend it"