Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn reviews

NIgel Whittingham reviewed: New - Inspired by Tiles : Two colour lino cutting and printing in Hampshire. Fully Booked

"Excellent all round - good safety brief, plenty of time to work on own pieces, worked for beginners and those with past experience, we all learned something, marvellous venue. I will continue with Lino printing and will keep an eye out for other courses. Thank you!"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Hi Nigel, Lovely to work with you. Thanks for making time to tell us about your day and keep on cutting and printing. Alison & Liz"

Sarah W reviewed: New - Inspired by Tiles : Two colour lino cutting and printing in Hampshire. Fully Booked

"Lino printing, so much fun remembering your school days but in a much easier friendly style. Alison & Liz, our hosts, were attentive and knowledgeable with a constant supply of coffee it tea. This is our second workshop here so enough said, it can’t be that bad, wink wink! Will we return...I know so!"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Hi Sarah, Lovely to have you here again and already looking forward to working with you again. What tempts you for our October event? Keep on cutting and printing. Best wishes Alison & Liz"

Carol Murphy reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"What an amazing escape from the stresses of life this course was. Beautiful surroundings. All appropriate saftey measures in place . Im a complete novice so was apprehensive but keen to learn. I was well supported and encouraged by the lovely instructor. Had plenty of time to try lots of different approaches to this art form. The day just flew by. I will definitely be back to try other art projects here. It was a real tonic. Thank you"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Hi Carol, Thank you for your feedback , I am so pleased you enjoyed the workshop, this is aways a busy productive day and a great chance to experiment with the printing techniques. Hopefully you get the chance to carry on at home ! We hope to see you again. Best wishes Alison"

rachel cable reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"Excellent setting for an excellent course! It’s been years since I I dabbled in the arts and crafts world. My sister and I went along to this course and Alison and Liz immediately put us at ease. The course content and explanation of steps was expertly done and I felt confident I could try and produce something incorporating my ideas. At the end of the day I had delivered three pieces of Batik on paper which are now proudly in frames hanging in our hallway. I have been bitten by the Batik bug! I would recommend this course to anybody wanting to try something new! Absolutely brilliant."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Hi Rachel , Lovely to get your feedback , so pleased you had a great day and really impressed your batiks are already hanging on the wall ! It was really good to meet you both and we look forward to seeing you again . Best wishes Alison and liz"

Joanna reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"A fun and engaging day out! Found out about different techniques with batik and left wanting to do more."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Hi Joanna , Lovely to hear from you , so pleased you had a great day . Happy waxing ! Hope to see you again in the spring. Best wishes Alison and liz"

Rosy, Grania and Charlie reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"Myself and 2 friends had a very happy day block printing with Liz and Alison. It is a brilliant location- gorgeous setting and fabulous barn. We learnt lots and produced lots. Cups of tea too and biscuits. It was extremely well organised and Alison and Liz were good teachers. Thank you."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Rosy, Grania and Charlie, really pleased you had a great day . It was lovely working with you all , great collaborative work ! Hope to see you in March .best wishes Alison and Liz"

Sarah J reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"Really super day with friendly and knowledgable tutors in a gorgeous location. As a complete beginner I was a bit worried about how I would get on but both Alison and Liz were very patient and approachable. Covid guidelines were explained clearly and it was easy to physically distance, even during the demonstrations. I would thoroughly recommend both the course and the tutors. Thanks for a lovely day!"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Hi Sarah , Lovely to hear your thoughts and feedback . It was lovely working with you and pleased that you had a successful day . Good luck with the Christmas designs and hope to see you again . Best wishes Liz and Alison"

Mary Carmichael reviewed: New - More Tea Vicar? Create beautiful paper sculpture in Hampshire

"Stunning location, friendly, clear tuition and satisfying results. Excellent all round."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Mary, Lovely to work with you, pleased you enjoyed your day. Happy creating ! Best wishes Liz and Alison"

Anne Patmore reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"A really excellent day. The barn is in beautiful surroundings so the peaceful day starts from the moment you approach. Easy parking right by the barn. Good COVID precautions taken, e.g. spaced out tables, wear a mask when moving about, one-way system through the barn. All you needed for the day was laid down on the table and ready as you arrived, which gave a little ripple of excitement from the beginning! Alison and Liz were very welcoming. The teaching was clear and easy to follow, even for those completely new to the whole process and Liz and Alison shared their time between people so you never felt at a loss. We all went home with lots of examples from the day and hopefully the confidence to start experimenting ourselves. One tip - I had not thought properly about the venue being a big barn, with stone floors and high ceilings and had not dressed warmly enough for the day. There are heaters high in the ceiling and on the walls, which Alison put on, but if you go during colder months remember to dress warmly in layers! Overall, a really great course in a lovely venue with very friendly tutors."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Anne, Lovely working with you , really appreciate your feedback and hope you carry on with your printing . Hope to see you again next year. Best wishes Liz and Alison"

Jayne Towndrow reviewed: Create with a Gel Printing Plate - Mono Printing Without a Press

"I really can't rate this workshop highly enough. Alison and Liz show you how to make beautiful pictures; everyone can do it. And - it felt like there was no limit on how many I could make. Well, that makes the workshop incredibly good value. I think part of the reason my expectations were exceeded was because sometimes I do a workshop run by someone who knows a couple of things and makes a business out of it - you know hen parties and the like. I think for 'Hampshire' I read 'sticks' and didn't expect much. But this is not what Liz and Alison provide. They are actual artists and they guide you through an artistic experience. I love coming into contact with this kind of professional. There was loads of room - I don't know if that was Coivd related but I wasn't squeezed in with people, we all had space. I came home with a portfolio stuffed with images, at least two of which I will frame for the wall and a head jammed with excitement at the prospect of doing more this weekend. Thank you so much."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Jayne , Feeling slightly overwhelmed! Thank you for taking the time to review your day in such an in-depth way . It is really appreciated and we raise our well earned G and T’s to you !! Hope to see you on March 2021. Best wishes Liz and Alison"

Neil Jones reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"Alison teaches Batik very well, small steps at first and then tailoring the class to the individual needs. My partner created an amazing piece which hangs today in our living room, a reminder of a fun day out! I would definitely recommend this course to anyone wanting an intro to Batik or even to further develop their skills"

Louise Hardy reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"Three of us attended the workshop which felt like it was tailor made to us. We all felt extremely welcomed and really enjoyed the whole experience. Alison was great at guiding us through the whole process and it was great to come away with a final finished piece- we all felt like we had acheived something! Thank you Alison."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Louise, Thank you for your feedback, it was lovely to have you all on the course. I'm so pleased that you enjoyed the day. Best wishes Alison"

Sue White reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"The most enjoyable day with Alison, covering the basics of printing on paper and fabric with our own hand made prints. Alison made it so easy and was very encouraging at all stages. She gave us such a warm welcome and was attentive and informative. I wouldn't hesitate to attend another session at this beautiful venue. Thankyou."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Sue, Thank you for your feedback, I am glad that you enjoyed the day. It was lovely to meet you both, you produced some great designs ! Best wishes Alison"

Nicky Brodie reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"I booked "Beautiful Batik" with my partner as a birthday present for him, and a date for us. We had no prior experience of this type of art. It was an amazing treat. Alison's studio is on a beautiful family farm. We got a very warm welcome and were made to feel really comfortable and welcome for the day. We were surrounded by inspiring examples of Batik that Alison had made over the course of her design career. The colour and variety was amazing. We spent the day learning techniques at our own pace and being encouraged to try new ideas and ways of working with the colours to gain different effects. We left with some beautiful, colourful and fun samples of our own. This was a bespoke and wonderful experience. Thank you Alison."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Nicky, Thank you so much for your feedback, it was really lovely to meet you both and spend the day teaching you. You both produced some amazing work ! Best wishes Alison"

Marion Eley reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"Creating a printed fabric product What a lovely setting to work in. After a cup of coffee we began our journey to produce some printed fabric products. Liz gave us an overview of the processes involved, then guided us first to create a stamp block and then to practise with inks on card and material. Tips were given at each stage as to how best achieve our objective. Liz and Alison were on hand to advise and encourage throughout the day. In the afternoon we then applied what we had learned printing on tea towels, cushion cover and bags. It was totally absorbing and it was a very enjoyable experience."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Marion , Thank you for your feedback I’m glad you enjoyed the course and I look forward to seeing you again , Best wishes Alison Butler"

Kim Archer reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"Another terrific course at Art in the Barn! Beautiful surroundings and great space to work. Alison is very experienced in many specialist design and craft areas. Batik on paper was a whole new process for me. Really enjoyed experimenting and learning how to use this technique and new tools in several different parts of the session. Incredible colours and effects! Thoroughly enjoyed the day and would highly recommend this course and many others run at Art in the Barn."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Kim, Thank you so much for your feedback , it was great to have you on the course, really pleased you enjoyed the day. Best wishes Alison Butler"

Toni Turner reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"Really enjoyable class, with the opportunity to learn something new from scratch, and actually produce some not bad pieces to take home. Excellent teacher, lovely venue - highly recommended."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Toni, Thank you so much for your feedback. Glad you enjoyed the day and came away feeling you had produced with some lovely pieces of work! Best wishes Alison Butler"

Marion Eley reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"This was my first introduction to Batik. I found the initial working with the wax quite taxing. I enjoyed planning the initial designs and then applying the wax. Clear guidance was readily given at every stage. My final design did not turn out as I'd hoped but lots of suggestions and encouragement as to how to proceed was given. I loved the use of colour. It was a very attractive environment to work in. The tutors had a very relaxed but efficient and effective approach to their teaching. It is certainly something I would like to pursue further."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Marion, Thank you for taking the time to review the course and thank you for your kind comments and feedback . Best wishes Alison Butler"

Jacquie Biddlecombe reviewed: Experimental printmaking in Hampshire

"Really good tuition from Liz and Als, they help you get the most from the workshop. Lovely relaxed atmosphere in a beautiful environment which inspires the creative juices. Excellent range of materials supplied to use in the print making and expertise to assist with Lino cutting. Give it a try."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Jackie, Thank you for your kind comments and feedback. Really pleased you enjoyed the day. Best wishes Alison Butler"

Jacquie Biddlecombe reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"This course is a lovely way to learn how to create and then use print stamps onto a variety of fabrics. Cutting lino stamps and then learning to place them on gift tags, wrapping paper, tea towels and items of your choice. Liz and Als are both excellent at helping and guiding you through the different projects so that you get the most from your day. The venue is beautiful and the countryside helps to inspire you along with homemade cake and mugs of tea. Give it a try, you will not be disappointed."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Jackie, Thank you so much for your lovely comments and feedback, we really appreciate you taking the time to review the day . We hope you enjoyed putting your new skill to good use ! Best wishes Alison Butler"

Hanks reviewed: Block printed Lampshades Thursday 15th May 2025

"Professionally run by experienced tutors, warm welcome, fun day, learnt lots, definitely coming for more!"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Hanka, Thank you so much for your feedback, really pleased you enjoyed the day ! Best wishes Alison Butler"

Liz Bullock reviewed: Beautiful Batik

"A lovely day in a fabulous setting; a thatched barn beats a church or village hall hands down. Having some experience with the Batik process was an advantage, but Alison had so much more to teach us. She was patient and supportive, allowing us time to play and think through our ideas, but never far away when a bit more information and advice was needed. Alison also had some fabulous examples of her Batik work to inspire us, from when she was designing for fashion and children’s wear - somehow I don’t think I will ever create work to such a standard, but I spent a really enjoyable day trying too. Thanks again. Liz"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Liz, Thank you for your kind comments and feedback. Best wishes Alison Butler"

Shelly Olson reviewed: Developing Small Wire Sculptures in Hampshire.

"I had a very good day! Alison and Liz are lovely helpful people, the barn and surroundings we worked in were lovely. I didn't expect to do drawing as I never have before, but with encouragement I didn't do too bad. The wire structures were smaller than I expected but I made a duck and a swan, then started on a dog, and I was given the rest of materials to take home to finish. I highly recommend Alison and Liz and this course."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Shelly, Thank you very much for your review, really pleased you enjoyed the day . Best wishes Alison and Liz"

M Biggs reviewed: Experimental printmaking in Hampshire

"The perfect introduction to Lino Cutting which left me wanting more! Thank you Liz, Alison and Andrew for such an enjoyable day. Expert tuition carried out in light and spacious surroundings nestled in the South Downs. Highly recommended and I look forward to sampling more courses in the future."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Really pleased that you had a good day at Art in The Barn. Thank you for your positivity and look forward to working with you again. Just remember that Lino Cutting can be addictive! Best wishes Alison Butler"

Stephanie Quirk reviewed: Experimental printmaking in Hampshire

"What a lovely day, thank you so much to Liz, Alison and Andrew. They all worked tirelessly with good humour and gentle encouragement to ensure we all had a wonderful day! The location is beautiful, an idyllic setting for a relaxing creative day. We all came away from the day very happy with our creations, it is so lovely to have something lasting that you can reprint from and share with others. Thank you, I will definitely be on the look out for more courses and recommending you to friends!"

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Thank you so much for your lovely comments. We really appreciate you taking the time to review your day and happy cutting. Best wishes Alison Butler"