Latest reviews

Sarah Webster reviewed: Polymer Clay Creations

"I booked this course at the suggestion of my friend who is very 'crafty'. I wanted to treat her to a course and she decided I should join her. I did not expect to enjoy it much, but I was wrong, I had a great time! Caroline was so friendly and gave me confidence that I could create something that looked half decent. In fact, I am really proud of my polymer clay toadstool. I would definitely recommend one of Caroline's courses - both to the experienced enthusiast like my friend and to the nervous novice like me"

Rock n Wool Creations responded:

"Hi Sarah, thank you so much for coming, for being great company and for giving it a go. You did amazing and created a perfect toadstool. See, you never know what you can achieve until you try. Thank you also for your kind words. Very much appreciated! Hope to see you again. Xx Caroline "

Ann reviewed: Beginners half-day 1-2-1 pottery / ceramics workshop for 1 person

"Thank you so much, Louise, for the 1-2-1 pottery workshop. It was so relaxing - learning a new craft from you, with your great playlist playing. I am really looking forward to seeing my finished pots. Hopefully next time I will be more successful on the wheel!"

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

"Ann, you made some beautiful pieces. I think you found the handbuilding to be a creative medium that you connected with, and your slab vases really show that :-). Shame you didn't get as much time on the wheel; but maybe we'll see you again in the future. Thank you for your lovely 5-star review."

Mary S reviewed: Beginner Watercolour Art Retreat Day

"my daughter and I had a really lovely day with Joan at Rudyard Lake. We learned water colour techniques and new skills. I have no hesitation in recommending Joan and the course. I will be going again as soon as I can."

Joan Kennedy Artist responded:

"Mary, it was wonderful having you there. Thank you so much for your lovely review and creating special memories with your daughter . I look forward to seeing you soon again at a future course. Thank you so much. "

Libby Hill reviewed: Beginner Watercolour Art Retreat Day

"We loved this course so much that we have been twice! Joan is an excellent teacher and made the day really fun. The venue is lovely and the lunch was great. I will definitely go again asap."

Joan Kennedy Artist responded:

"Thanks so much Libby. It was wonderful watching your progress and can’t wait to see what you will create again and applying the techniques you learned. Thank you so much for all your support, an absolute pleasure having you there. All the best Joan "

Becca R reviewed: Sculpture in a Day - Stone carving in Oxfordshire

"I signed up for David's Sculpture in a Day course with zero experience of doing sculpture. I really enjoyed it and was totally absorbed in my creation all day. We started at 0930 and didn’t finish until almost 1800. All four of us doing the course came away with sculptures we were really pleased with and in all cases they closely resembled the ideas we had on arrival. David was a patient teacher and helped each of us to realise our own ideas. I’d definitely recommend it and will probably do it again."

Sculpted in Stone responded:

"Thanks Becca, it was great to have you on the course. Hope to see you again! David"

Marese reviewed: Coptic Bookbinding Kits in Fish Paper design

"A lovely bookbinding kit with beautiful printed papers & comprehensive instructions. Everything was very well packed & I am really looking forward to making this book."

Shabdam reviewed: Introduction to Skep Beekeeping - with Bees for Development

"This was such an inspiring day and I learned so much more than I expected. Chris, our tutor was excellent and very knowledgeable. It was a day to remember with a great bunch of people. "

Bees for Development responded:

"Dear Shabdam, thank you so much for your lovely review which I have passed on to Chris. We are so pleased you enjoyed the course and hope to see you again soon. Kind regards, Rachael Bees for Development."

Ellie reviewed: Beginner Watercolour Art Retreat Day

"A lovely day! A perfect location, Joan made me feel at ease even though I was a complete novice and believed I had no painting skills ! A great opportunity to meet new people and share experiences. Totally recommend as a unique gift for someone special or to try something new ! "

Joan Kennedy Artist responded:

"Thank you so much Ellie for your lovely review. It really means the world to me, and delighted you had such a lovely day. Thank you so much Joan "

Donna Prangley reviewed: Get to Know Your Sewing Machine - COURSE FULL

"Great course in a lovely location. Learned how to do various stitching and stitch button holes. Would definitely recommend, Jenny is very patient. "

Dillington House. Somerset County Council responded:

"Dear Donna Thank you for sending your lovely review of the Get to Know Your Sewing Machine Course you attended yesterday at Dillington House, we are so happy you enjoyed your day. I have passed on your kind words to the tutor Jenny. Kind regards Dillington House Events Team"

Diane Whiteoak reviewed: Beginner Watercolour Art Retreat Day

"What a great experience! As someone who could barely draw a stick man I was convinced I would be embarrassed by what I was able to produce, great teaching and high quality paper and paints meant I was quite pleased. Very friendly and relaxing being totally absorbed meant my cares and worries were far far away. I will go again for sure. "

Joan Kennedy Artist responded:

"Diane, we can all be creative, it just takes time to grab back that self belief. Looking forward to seeing you at the next event. Thank you so much for your lovely review and your continued support is very much appreciated. Joan x"

Sarah reviewed: Seaglass jewellery workshop at Sea & Solder, Dorset.

"This course was really excellent. I was very impressed by the quality of Jule's instruction, and the tools and materials available to use. The workshop is well organised, light and airy and there was a lovely atmosphere. I'm really pleased with the item I made and will definitely go back again!"

Sue Higgins reviewed: Spring beginner Watercolour Art Retreat Day

"Joan is a wonderful lady who encourages and guides her students. She pushed me to explore further and try new things. This allowed me to “play” without the fear of needing to create a perfect piece. As someone coming back to watercolours and wanting to explore abstraction this was great."

Joan Kennedy Artist responded:

"Thanks so much Sue, it was an absolute pleasure and thank you so much for having confidence in my ability in my teaching. You’re a wonderful artist, happy painting xx"

Lisa reviewed: Glass blowing for beginners with Jon Lewis

"Had a brilliant time glass blowing. Done this twice before elsewhere, which is what made us book this course. I had a really good day and can't wait to see the pieces we made and would definitely go back :)"

Jon Lewis responded:

"Thank you Lisa Come back anytime :)"

Rosie reviewed: Making a Silver Spinner Ring (Heathhall)

"The guy teaching this course was amazing. We were all at different stages and he managed us all incredibly. I am also over the moon with my ring. Thanks again "

Simply Smallholding responded:

"We are so pleased to read this. Eddie is an experienced teacher used to working with large groups. Great to see he hasn’t lost his touch. You did a great job with your ring - so glad you are proud of it."

Jon reviewed: Wax Carving for Jewellery Making - One Day Workshop - In Person, In London

"Signed up for this course as I really wanted to design and make my own ring - as a complete beginner the course was brilliant - enough time to go through each stage of the process thoroughly and to really craft your carving. Penny was great at offering advice and techniques to achieve YOUR design. The follow up information for casting and polishing was equally as thorough and really pleased with the ring I designed in the session and the other two I have made since!!"

Penny Akester Jewellery responded:

"Hi Jon - so glad you had a good day - your rings have come out great - well done on your hard work!"

Alison reviewed: Natural dyeing - a taster day

"I have recently started growing natural dyes and I was looking for a course that would help me learn how to use them. I cannot recommend this course highly enough. Judy was welcoming and knowledgeable, she knows her stuff! We were a small group which meant we could ask questions and take our time to understand what we were being shown. It was a very enjoyable and useful day."

Judy P. dye - print - weave responded:

"Thanks Alison, I look forward to hear about what you are growing in your dye garden! "

Kathryn Vera-Cruz reviewed: Stained glass mosaic one day experience in the Kent Downs near Canterbury

"My daughter and I had a really good day with Matt who is very knowledgeable in the art of everything glass. Hospitality, lovely setting, welcoming, encouraging, all perfect, everything you could wish for. We both came away with lovely mosaic plaques that we never dreamt we were capable of producing. Highly recommended. "

Creative Retreats and Holidays responded:

"Thanks Kathryn! Your panels were both lovely; I'm glad that you're proud of them. It was a pleasure to welcome you both to the studio. I hope you'll come again! "

Stephen reviewed: Glass Artist's Studio Experience Day - Fusing (Open group)

"Had a great day. Learnt some new ideas. Dawn is very friendly and knowledgeable. Teaches in an easy to understand way. Would recommend."

Dawn Turner Designs responded:

"Aw, thank you so much Stephen, that's very lovely of you to say. As my classes are usually aimed at total beginners with no experience, it's always slightly unnerving when someone comes to the studio who has already done glass fusing to some degree - so I am extra pleased that you still felt that you learned something, and I've got a tip from you too, I'll be getting me some paint-brushes! "

Marcia reviewed: Jewellery design workshop - silver pendant or silver earrings

"Had a lovely time learning how to make our silver pendants. Sheila was so helpful, going with any ideas we had and allowing us to experiment before crafting the final piece. I bought this as a fun thing to do for my friends birthday, we were not disappointed. Lots of people have admired my pendant already. "

Sheila Roussel Jewellery Design responded:

"Hi Marcia, so nice to hear that lots of people have admired your pendant. You made a great job of it! Good to hear that you had a nice time. Kind regards, Sheila"

Sally reviewed: Glass Artist's Studio Experience Day - Fusing (Open group)

"Never done glass fusing before so I didn't know what to expect. Dawn explained everything step by step. Great to create several different glass items using ideas from Dawn's work and from my own imagination. I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone who wants to learn something new."

Dawn Turner Designs responded:

"Thank you Sally, so pleased you enjoyed your day - thank you for embracing the whole process and being willing to give something new a go. I can't wait to see your finished pieces, loved your ideas (I might have to borrow that cat paperweight, lol)"

Sally Hughes reviewed: Wet Felted Landscape Workshop

"A lovely day course with a professional and informative teacher. The workshop is wonderful and has a shop as well. I loved the Wet Felting course, and they do a large number of other courses. Definitely one to visit and learn a new skill."

Felix Tabitha responded:

"Thank you so much Sally! It was a pleasure to see you 😀😀"

Jane Howard reviewed: Nettle Fibre Workshop

"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. It was excellently planned, incredibly informative, and very well executed, with an engaging and eclectic content. Totally recommend. Thank you very much for starting my journey, I hope our nettle paths will cross again. One suggestion …. a welcome (grounding) hot drink on arrival would be nice. "

BeeKayMakes responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to write a review! It is lovely to hear that you enjoyed the workshop :) Thank you also for your your suggestion to offer teas and coffees earlier in the day. We usually offer a cuppa after return from foraging, but mentioning this option on arrival is a fab idea. Thank you! "

Richard reviewed: Whittling Workshop

"Did this course yesterday 1 to 1 with Matt. He gave me many techniques for carving and whittling. Matt is very skilled in his craft and I would highly recommend him. Made me feel welcome and comfortable. "

Manor Wood responded:

"Hi Richard, thank you for your lovely review. We're glad you enjoyed the day and hope to see you again soon! Matt"

Dianne Buckingham reviewed: Daytime glass fusing workshop with Paula Andrews

"We had such a lovely time - Paula was friendly and relatable and willing to share a vast experience of working with glass. We felt the course was excellent value for money and are looking for opportunities to revisit. Definitely recommended. "

Georgina reviewed: Lampworking Workshop: Half Day Beginners Workshop

"I did a full day course with Suzanne and thoroughly enjoyed it. Although I've made some jewellery before this was a completely new technique for me. Suzanne took the time to demonstrate several bead making techniques and guided me through each process helping build confidence as we went along. She has a lovely teaching style as well as a wonderful well equipped workshop and a good supply of tea and biscuits too! Looking forward to seeing my finished beads and to do another course in the future."

Suzanne Jewellery responded:

"Thank you Georgina for leaving such a lovely review. It would be lovely to see you again in the future."