Latest reviews

Claire reviewed: Stained Glass/Mosaics

"I'm a complete beginner in tiffany/stained glass and I found Sam's classes extremely helpful and very friendly. I've been on two of her 10 week courses, making various sun catcher ornaments for Christmas trees and gifts etc. The group is made up of lots of people with different skills, and all of them offer advice and take an interest in each other's pieces. Sam provides all of the equipment you need to start off with: once you know what you want to make, she gives you the information you need to buy your own glass/copper tape/flux etc."

Sam Finning responded:

"Hi Claire, glad you enjoyed the courses, look forward to seeing you again!"

Caroline reviewed: Introduction to candle-making as a business

"What a great course - I learned so much about the art of candlemaking thanks to Jo and had a lot of fun along the way. Who knew wax has a memory?! We came back laden with beautifully scented candles of various sizes as well as melts and much more. Jo's knowledge and enthusiasm is infectious and she's inspired me to have a go at making my own candles. Her workshop is in Lavenham which is a great spot to explore afterward too."

Matt Burton reviewed: Four day intensive beginners woodwork course

"Ciarán is an excellent teacher and this is a great course, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Plus there is plenty of tea and biscuits and lunch is great :)"

Anna Quick reviewed: Sterling silver ring making workshop

"This course was booked as a birthday present for me and my best friend by my husband and we had the most amazing time. The workshop is on top of a hill with gorgeous countryside and in the summer this will be the most glorious setting. Sadly on the day we were there it was pouring down and blowing a gale but the barn was still warm and inviting. We were welcomed, given tea and biscuits and allowed to progress with the course at our own pace. Tuition was clear and helpful without being over bearing or too simple. David was friendly, knowledgeable and a wonderful tutor. It as also great to see other examples of the different types of work he does and has done in the past. All in all I cannot recommend highly enough. I am delighted with the ring I produced and wear it most days! Looking forward to being able to book up for the copper fold forming workshop in the future."

David J Lilly responded:

"Hi Anna, Thank you for the lovely feedback. I am delighted you enjoyed the experience so much and look forward to you booking on the Copper fold-forming workshop in the future. Do remember to contact me directly to get your discount for that. Best Wishes David"

Barbara Gaj reviewed: Needle felting - woodland creature or bird, or other small animal: (beginners+)

"Another great experience with Sally. This was my second experience at needle felting with Sally. I was able to reinforce first skills learnt and progress to new skills. I came away being able to make a cute bird. I was thrilled. Sally was very patient with my partner and supported him well. He was thrilled with his adorable robin. It was his first ever crafting experience. Many thanks Sally."

Barbara Gaj reviewed: Introduction to container candle making half day in Henstridge near Stalbridge Dorset Somerset

"My partner and I attended Sally's brilliant course on candle making using containers. Sally is an excellent tutor. She covered all aspects of candle making from health and safety, materials needed, adding colour and fragrances and the processes. The session was informal giving everyone the opportunity to experiment and ask questions. Sally makes everyone feel relaxed and able to achieve. After the session Sally follows this up with an email providing information on our learning experience as well as links to information for buying resources. A great session. Many thanks Sally."

Yvonne Turner reviewed: Wire sculpture course - birds in East Yorkshire

"Very good, really enjoyed the day , Sue is a very good tutor, very pleasant, have booked to go again ."

Dianne Dyson reviewed: Watercolour painting afternoon workshop - birds, animals & nature - with artist Laura Andrew

"I had a wonderful second visit to Laura's art studio. It's just lovely to be in her company and the art classes are truly inspiring. A relaxing, enjoyable and memorable experience in the company of lovely people. I even managed to take home lovely paintings that I didn't realise I could produce. Highly recommend these courses. Thanks again Laura ❤️"

Cecilia Ashcroft reviewed: Upholster a chair seat or drop in top for a stool

"Had a wonderful day learning and doing upholstery. Great teacher extremely knowledgeable and patient. Thank you Anne."

The Little Vintage House responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to review my course and your positive feedback. It was a pleasure to meet you last week and see the lovely job that you did on the chair, thank you for coming. Best wishes Anne"

Cameron reviewed: Make your own leather belt with Cazzy, a qualified saddler.

"Had a brilliant time on this course making an amazing navy blue belt for my wedding! Highly recommend and looking forward to coming back to learn more!"

Jan Collins reviewed: Introduction to Lino Printing in Cambridgeshire

"My friend and I had an amazing day on Judith's Introduction to Linocut Printing course as a birthday present to each other. We were welcomed into Judith's beautiful home and given tea, biscuits, cake and careful instruction on how to bring our ideas to life. Judith has loads of equipment and reference books and a wonderful, light space to work in. Most of all she's a kind and patient teacher and shared her time among the group well. The point at which you lift the paper to reveal your first print is like magic - we were all super pleased with our work. It was easy to book and the instructions for joining the course were clear. Judith even advised us on good places to walk and eat in Ely to complete our exciting day!! I travelled from Kent to join the course and would happily do so again."

Anne Darlington reviewed: 12 week stained glass course

"I have been going to Sam's stained glass for a few years now. I have learnt to fuse glass, copper foil, solder, and use lead in my pieces. I really enjoy my time there and enjoy the company. Sam is a great teacher. Anne"

Sam Finning responded:

"Thank you so much Anne, the class wouldn’t be the same without you!"

Beth reviewed: Winter Woodland beauty- natural cosmetic making from woodland plants and trees

"What a great day! Brilliant well structured, hands on course. The morning was soap making, starting easy and building up to making soap that feels like you're doing a science experiment. The afternoon involved a variety of products tailored to each of us and what we fancied making. Rachel was a great tutor with lots of knowledge about the materials that we were using and the products we made. We didn't only go away with lots of goodies but also got plenty of very useful hand outs so we can carry on making at home. The location is great, welcoming and warm."

Ann Marie Butchard Thursten reviewed: Upholster a chair seat or drop in top for a stool

"Had a wonderful day on Ann’s course. I have done other courses before, this course had a very personal touch. Ann is very knowledgeable, friendly and patient with both novice and more experienced. Highly recommend this course. Don’t hesitate to sign up and get busy."

The Little Vintage House responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to review my course and your kind words. It was a pleasure to meet you last week and work with you on your chair. Best wishes Anne"

Pamela Wyles reviewed: Watercolour Art & Spa 2 day full board learn to paint @ The Flackley Ash Hotel Rye Sussex

"Fantastic weekend, couldn't have been better. Beth and Vicki gave us 110%! So encouraging, supportive and hands on helpful. They certainly packed a load in, we worked hard and got great results. Thank you so much, I feel like I have started on the most fantastic journey."

Sarah reviewed: Linen weaving Edinburgh

"Fab beginner course!"

Emily reviewed: Linen weaving Edinburgh

"I learnt so much. Jess has an extensive knowledge of weaving history and techniques, fascinating. Going back for another soon."

Robin Harris reviewed: Dala horse carving

"Excellent course, excellent tutor - Really valuable to receive expert guidance on various carving techniques. Fun, enjoyable and useful for myself as a novice woodworker and for the 13 year old girl I was accompanying as well. Great cake too :) Highly recommended for all ages and abilities"

Alex McKenzie reviewed: Woodworking - Make Your Own Workbench

"I recently completed the two-day Work Bench Making Course, with Steve at Dovetail Woodworking in rural Staffordshire. The whole experience was a pleasure from start to finish. The location right next to a bustling Canal Marina just fitted the bill. There is a definite sense of our industrial heritage about the whole area, reflected in the surrounding small workshops and architecture. Dovetail Woodworking have got it just right in terms of size, with a well-equipped traditional workshop that has been thought out in detail to provide the beginner or intermediate craftsperson ,with a comfortable, but not dauntingly overwhelming, space to learn in. Steve is a fantastic teacher with a very relaxed easy-going style, his attention to detail is fantastic and he goes to great lengths not just to tell, “how” to do it, but also “why”. One of the main things I enjoyed, particularly regarding any required machining operations, was that Steve was more than happy to stand back and let me have a go. It’s a long time since I have used a Mortice Machine for instance, but after a few minutes of careful explanation from Steve, I was” plunging away like a pro”!! Every bench is equipped with a full set of quality hand tools, the planes and chisels are “razor” sharp, and a delight to use. We also went into quite a lot of detail regarding setting out and marking out the workpieces. I learned from Steve the importance of face marking the timber and laying it out correctly in order to make the whole construction process easier in the long run. Although we worked to a tight timetable and covered a lot of work over the two days, Steve always found time to “brew up” and look out the biscuit barrel ! Having come from a construction background myself, it was great to swap stories about old jobs and characters with Steve during these breaks. To anyone thinking of doing a short course in Woodworking Skills, or specifically like myself, wanting to build a traditional Joiners Work Bench, I am happy to say ,look no further than Steve and Dovetail Woodworking."

Dovetail Woodworking responded:

"Thanks for the very generous review and I hope you have many enjoyable hours at your new bench. Steve"

Chris Greening reviewed: Bespoke Contemporary Fine Art Encaustic Wax Workshop.

"I have a background in geology, the marine environment and am now a potter. I dabble in acrylic paint and mixed media but I have always been intrigued by the concept of encaustic wax. So when I saw Lyn's work and course details I knew I had to treat myself to one of her whole day courses - and what an excellent experience it has been. Lyn's communication throughout the process has been excellent and her introduction to a subject that could possibly be quite daunting was undertaken in a thorough, unambiguous and yet exciting manner as to options and variations available in the subject matter. We worked on preparation of the surfaces, what surfaces result in different effects, alternatives to the normal materials and the suppliers of those materials. We discussed what techniques may lend itself to the influences for the designs. I am very abstract in my approach (can't draw - won't draw) and this technique suits those "real life artistically challenged" amongst us perfectly. I was very pleasantly surprised by the range of effects that are possible with just small variations in materials and through quite a limited palette one could produce a vast array of finishes - including pigmented wax but also found objects, textured paper, images, scratching away at surfaces and different brush techniques. Saying that, Lyn literally has a workshop full of materials - if you can't find what you need, it probably isn't worth trying! It was a really enjoyable day run by a true professional with a passion for her subject matter; it really comes across and her eagerness to get the best results for you. And of course onto the most important thing - the carrot cake - best ever!! I thoroughly recommend you do this course and stay on the Isle of Portland and explore this intriguing landscape which will inspire you in your creativity! It's given me a lot of food for thought as to how I could move my existing practices onwards. Thanks Lyn!"

Contemporary Encaustic Wax Workshop with Lyn Kirkland responded:

"Chris, that is a most generous review of today. I thoroughly enjoyed it too. So exciting to share encaustic wax with others who are looking to resolve questions, and maybe find new ways and treatments for their existing practice. Keep in touch, I would love to see some finished pots! Oh, and thank you for the pots...I will enjoy working on them. All the best Lyn"

Rachel Atiyah reviewed: Straw skep hive making course - with Bees for Development

"Only reason I didn't put excellent is because I wish we could have had longer! Great bee group, knowledgeable teacher with interesting stories to tell. As for the food.... delicious with the bonus of tasting the Perry (in the pub) made on the farm! Have yet to finish my skep, and feeling quite proud of how well it is forming/looking so far. Thanks Bees for Development ."

Julie Lawton reviewed: Wax Melt & Tea Light Making Workshop

"I loved this workshop. It was great learning how to make your own melts and tealights with lots of fun too! Denice who runs these workshops has a passion for making products that are environmentally friendly, natural and toxic free which is very important to me so I know when I use them at home i'm not breathing in any nasties! Instead I can enjoy the gorgeous aromas worry free!! ❤️ I'm looking forward to future workshops with this lovely lady! ?"

Jo Nicolson reviewed: Drawing from life with Jake Spicer

"First time at Phoenix Studio and first time on one of Jake's classes. Had a great day as Jake is an excellent and inspiring teacher and Katie was a great model. Couldn't believe how much work we produced in the day but learned a lot and looking forward very much to the 2 day portrait course in May. The studio and facilities are perfect too. Thanks to all!"

The Phoenix Studio responded:

"Ahhh thanks for such a lovely review Jo! Much appreciated. We are delighted that you enjoyed your time here. Do come back soon x"

Kim reviewed: Two leather long stitch journals in a day

"Such an informative day, excellent teacher who structured the day to make sure we all achieved two books. Instructions were easy to follow and a nice relaxed atmosphere to work in. Looking forward to signing up for the intermediate course. Thank you Lynne"

Bella reviewed: Giacometti style bronzed animal sculpture one day workshop Suffolk one-to-one or max 4 students

"I thoroughly enjoyed Di's course. Great fun. Highly recommended. Came home with a lovely sculpture of a hare."

Art on the Edge responded:

"Thank you Bella. So gladyou enjoyed it. See you for the chicken making workshop. D :)"