Latest reviews

Jane Howley reviewed: Silver jewellery making class for beginners

"We had a fab day with Jonathan in the new studio. Learnt some new skills that were taught in a friendly atmosphere. Will come back soon!"

Salt Way Silver responded:

"Hi Jane Good to see you again. I'm glad that you enjoyed the day in the new studio. Thanks so much for coming. Cheers! Jonathan"

Sara Lee reviewed: Creative Fused Glass for beginners and improvers

"This class is amazing. I've been a number of times now and it's such a mindful and creative activity. Nadine is a great tutor, there really is no substitute for learning from someone with such passion for their craft and each time, you just get braver with what you create. If you have any doubts, whatever they might be, put them aside and try this course out. You won't be disappointed and you'll make something beautiful."

Nadine Mahoney responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to review the workshop, and for the kind words."

Zoë reviewed: Introduction to candle-making as a business

"Absolutely loved my day with Jo! I’ve had an itch to make my own candles for a while now and was hoping to have a go and make some for myself and to possibly have as an add on to my jewellery business. Jo is super helpful, knowledgeable and happy to share all the tips she has learnt over the years. Highly recommend this course set in a beautiful part of the country."

The White Candle Company responded:

"Thank you so much Zoe. Lovely to meet you and best of luck going forward. x"

Nicola Ellis reviewed: 3 or 4 stone set silver stacking rings

"Great day with a lovely lady! Sarah was very patient and with her excellent tuition I made some beautiful rings. Thanks Sarah!!"

CHARLOTTE BELL reviewed: Creative Fused Glass for beginners and improvers

"Nadine is very knowledgable and generous with her expertise, and lead the group in a relaxed and informal way. She first explained the materials and the different experimental techniques we could use to achieve our designs, then guided us and discussed how different glass elements in the compositions we had made would perform in the kiln. I really enjoyed this approach as it meant that the workshop was very open and everyone came out with very individual pieces. I'd love to go back very soon :)"

Nadine Mahoney responded:

"Thanks for your kind words, so glad you enjoyed the workshop."

Carole reviewed: Recycled China Mosaic Workshop Full day /Half Day

"Adela is a very patient and encouraging tutor with a passion for mosaics that inspires participants to explore their creativity. She has a lovely relaxed manner that makes the session fun and really motivates you to continue with mosaics after the course ends."

Joanna Ward reviewed: Taster pottery throwing lesson (various dates)

"I had a very enjoyable afternoon at the Loam Studio using the pottery wheel for the first time. Jack is a a very good teacher and I was happy I completed 3 pots by the end of the lesson."

Alan McDowell reviewed: One day stained glass classes by Le Breton Traditional

"Excellent day I learned a lot. Mathew knew his stuff, in all areas. health and safety was good, He kept me interested all day, letting me do as much as i was able without interference, but as soon as i started to struggle he was there to help. I will be looking to return to practice what i have learned and moor."

Susie reviewed: Fused Glass workshops at Bere Alston, near Tavistock, Devon

"Had a most enjoyable day with Wendy learning how to fuse glass. As a complete novice Wendy clearly explained all the necessary techniques and we had plenty of time to practice before we designed our own pieces. Lots of beautiful colours to choose from. Can't wait to see my finished item once it has been fired."

Paul Foster reviewed: Bandsaw box making day

"A excellent one-on-one 1-day course, at the end of which (much to my surprise) I created a box of far better quality than I thought myself capable of. Tom is a very knowledgeable and convivial host, for which nothing was too much trouble. I left with a useful insight into some of the tools (bandsaw and sanders) and techniques I am interested in pursuing at home. Highly recommended."

Teds Woodworking/ instrument making Courses responded:

"Well done to a fine craftsman. I think Paul had great hand skills at the outset and his control of the bandsaw was second to none! With very little help from me Paul has created a little box to last him into old age. Please come again on another course Paul, you know your welcome indeed? Kind regards Ted"

ruth moreland reviewed: Weekly pottery/ceramics classes

"It was my first time today and I absolutely loved it . What an amazing teacher Alison is and the studio is charming . I know I am going to learn so much and that Alison and the other potters will help me on my journey. I can’t wait for next week !"

Dana reviewed: Gem cutting - faceting basics - the step cut square facet

"This is such a good course - I did the cabochon class in the morning and then managed to squeeze in the step cut lesson in the afternoon. James is a great teacher who explained everything very clearly, and there was plenty of opportunity throughout the day for me to get hands on with the faceting machine. I was blown away by how my stones turned out - I honestly didn't expect such great results on my very first go, but under James' instruction I was able to come away with some genuinely lovely gems (once they'd been unstuck from the dop!)"

Treasureworks responded:

"Thanks again! I was impressed at how quickly you took to faceting, if I remember correctly I only showed you the final polishing technique on two facets on the pavillion of the topaz, you took every single other facet to mirror finish under your own steam. Great work! ??"

Dana reviewed: Gem cutting - cabochon cutting and an introduction to faceting

"This is such a good course - I did the cabochon class in the morning and then managed to squeeze in the emerald cut lesson in the afternoon. James is a great teacher who explained everything very clearly, and there was plenty of opportunity throughout the day for me to get hands on with the faceting machine. I was blown away by how my stones turned out - I honestly didn't expect such great results on my very first go, but under James' instruction I was able to come away with some genuinely lovely gems."

Treasureworks responded:

"Thank you Dana! It was lovely to meet you and you were a pleasure to instruct.?"

Louise Wardle reviewed: "2 Crafts in 1 Day!" pairs - woodturning & pottery experience

"I attended a two day pottery class with a friend... without doubt the mostly relaxing activity i have ever participated in, I left feeling completely relaxed. Louise pitched the class perfectly, a great mix of activity and pace; leaving us time to really enjoy getting to grips with the clay. I am seriously thinking of attending a class on a frequent basis... i honestly feel the activity helped eliminate stress (you can't play with clay and read emails! :)."

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

"Hi Louise, So glad you enjoyed your 2-day pottery workshop :-). It was great having you and Charlotte in the studio and I'm soooo pleased you found it relaxing. You both made some really beautiful pieces - and your big coil pot has caught the eye of other students too! Anything these days to get us off our mobile phones and get our brains focused on creativity is a good thing :-). Looking forward to you returning to do your glazing."

Dan & Charlie reviewed: Letter Carving in stone - Do you love letters? Learn to carve lettering in stone. A two day creative stone carving course with Zoe Singleton.

"Honestly, a truly wonderfully enjoyable two days in a lovely environment with a superb teacher. We didn't want to leave and would go back in a heartbeat. Zoe really is the perfect teacher - she encourages just enough, but makes you do the work so that you learn. Thank you Zoe so much for being so patient and generous."

Linda reviewed: Advanced level Portrait 10-week interactive online zoom Art course with live tuition

"Raya is an inspiring tutor. Great group dynamics and looking forward to the follow on. I can't wait! Thank you Raya for your enthusiasm and teaching. Linda"

Stewart Campbell reviewed: Woodturning for beginners

"This was a great introduction to woodturning. I'm amazed at how professional my two pieces of turning looked at the end of the day, but a lot of the professional finish came from Stuart's guiding hands. Stuart's tutoring and hospitality set just the right tone for an interesting day. Although I've been interested in turning for years and have had expert friends, its only when you do a day like this that you begin to realise the skills and techniques involved and also how you can begin to master them. I'm a volunteer with a local woodland Friends group so I was also interested in how to manage felled wood and the drying process, and I got great help from Stuart on all of these aspects. I was surprised at the extent to which wood continues to "live" after being felled. It's made me a lot more confident about what we can do with our wood. And I also enjoyed my mini-tutorial on the engineering aspects of swift nest boxes."

The Scottish Woodturner responded:

"Hi Stewart, Good to hear you were happy with the pieces you made. You did all the turning with just a little "assist" from me. You're lucky to have access to timber through the good voluntary work you do. (The swift box adjustments are at the Mark 4 Prototype stage but I understand progress is being made). Stuart."

Phyllis Katon reviewed: 1 Day bag making course - 10 design options

"Excellent class with an excellent bag to take home thanks to Help and patience from Rebecca."

Tobi reviewed: Beginners Soap Making Course

"It was a great day, Paula was a great teacher, I learnt a lot and can’t wait to try out making soap at home"

Old Bexley Soap & Candle Co. responded:

"Hi Tobi, so glad to hear you had a great day. Enjoy your soaps and I hope you make many many more!. Paula"

Victoria Robinson reviewed: Copper Foil Technique Stained Glass

"I had a fantastic day with Mandy, the course was so hands on which I loved. I have long wanted to try copper foil stained glass but never had the chance. This course provided everything I expected and more. I highly recommend this course with Mandy as she is an excellent teacher, thank you for an amazing day."

Angela Robinson reviewed: Resin Art Experience

"Such a great introduction into resin art. Highly recommended"

Eunice J. Friend responded:

"Thank you Angela it was a pleasure to meet you and Hannah Kind regards Eunice"

Susie Harries reviewed: Create with a Gel Printing Plate - Mono Printing Without a Press

"This was an excellent session. It was very clear that our teacher, Liz Wellby has come from a teaching background. Everything was extremely well organised and she stretched everyone to achieve their best, whether they were complete novices or experienced artists. A thoroughly enjoyable day in which I achieved lots of exciting work and I can’t wait to develop the skills I have learnt further. Thanks Liz."

Blooming Designs - Art in the Barn responded:

"Dear Susie, Lovely to see you again and really appreciate you taking the time to do a review. You produced some great work and we hope that you continue to explore this exciting process. Best wishes Alison and Liz"

Peter Booth reviewed: Woodturning for beginners

"Hi Stuart, Sorry about the late review! Thank you for a great 2 days of turning wood. I've thought that I would enjoy it for years and now I know for sure. For anyone who is thinking about it for themselves, or for a friend, you won't be disappointed. The 2 day course is great because you learn a lot on day one. You can then go away and think about it, then practice more the next day or whenever you book day 2. There's a lot to it but Stuart will answer any questions and give advice from his 30 odd years experience. I will definitely be back for more and will be in touch when I start thinking about getting some equipment! Cheers"

The Scottish Woodturner responded:

"Hi Peter, Glad you enjoyed your course and happy to help again whenever you are ready. Stuart."

Julie De-Rozario reviewed: SOLD OUT - Frenchic Furniture Painting

"Very enjoyable course, knowledgable tutor and excellent venue."

Steve Bacon reviewed: One day welding course: an introduction

"Just finished a 1 day welding course with Julian, who is not only very patient and explains and demonstrates things very clearly; he is flexible and happy to modify things to deal with me being left handed and also coping with my varifocal glasses issues. He's also pretty good at making proper tea on a mug too! Thoroughly recommended!"