Latest reviews

Tracy J reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"Fabulous course, had such an amazing day, step by step instruction, use of tools and final item was amazing. You'll be stunned at what you can achieve. Jo was such a fabulous host. What a great piece of art to bring away with you. Thanks so much."

Jo Garden Art responded:

"My absolute pleasure Tracy! Lovely day with lots of laughter. Delighted you enjoyed the experience and loved your hare sculpture. Jo xx"

Jane reviewed: Needle felt your Dog or Cat

"This was the second course I have done with Jo and I loved every minute of it. Jo is a great teacher explaining everything clearly, checking we understand and giving us plenty of 121 support when needed. I was delighted with what I made "

Mark Blackburn reviewed: Glass blowing course - taster

"A very enjoyable few hours, excellent tuition, very friendly. I would recommend to anyone to give it a try, you won’t be disappointed. A big thank you to Chris, Alison and Steve."

Chew Valley HandMade Glass responded:

"Thank you for taking the time to leave a review Mark, we are so pleased you enjoyed your time with us. The team at chew valley handmade glass "

Emma reviewed: Crocheting - Beginner - 1 Day - One to One

"This was the second course I have done with Rach, and she was just as lovely, kind and patient as last time. Rach explains everything very clearly, even for beginners, and is flexible with her approaches. I can't wait to do some more crafting with her! "

Gifted Crafts Company responded:

"Thank you so much for your lovely review Emma. So kind of you. It was really lovely to see you again and to meet your Mum. You both picked up the skills so quickly. It would be so lovely to see you again for more crafting! Look forward to it! All the very best. Rach "

D O'Reilly reviewed: Lathe turning for beginners with Thompsons Wood

"I have been interested in woodturning for a while now and could not have wished for a better course. Jake was clearly an expert and delivered the course in a fun and friendly way. At the end of the day I had a beautiful English Oak bowl with an ash lid and bog oak handle. I will definitely be back for another course in the future. I will"

Thompsons Wood responded:

"Thanks Dan, it was a pleasure to have you in the shop mate! "

Shiv Shanker V reviewed: Hare Sculpture workshop with Jo Garden Art in beautiful Norfolk/Suffolk

"One Day Hare Sculpting Jan 6th 2024 This was my maiden experience of sculpting of any kind. Jo and Andy were very welcoming and hospitable. The course was conducted in a relaxed atmosphere and was an excellent learning experience for me. The setting is very conducive to learning and Jo is a patient teacher. I would recommend this course to anyone seeking to explore the world of sculpting. Thank you Jo and Andy for a memorable day! Shiv"

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you so much Shiv. So delighted you enjoyed the new experience and both of you made lovely sitting hares. The stepping stone making of the sculptures takes away having to concentrate just on one process for a long time and I believe this is why everyone achieves such lovely end of day pieces. Jo x"

SImon & Helena Hart reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our 1/2 day instruction and the actual making of our labour's, both our first time at making Pottery. Louise made it simple, instructive and fun (as well as Coffee, Tea and Biscuits). We are both very pleased with the results, we would highly recommend for all."

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

"It was a joy having you guys in the Blended Monkey pottery studio. You both rose to the challenge and created some lovely pieces! Thank you so much for your lovely review too :-). And we're glad you enjoyed staying in our Crafter's Retreat cabin too."

Andy V reviewed: Private Booking - Lino printing landscapes

"A friend found this course online. Along with two others, my girlfriend and I booked as it looked to be interesting and also a lot of fun…..it was and we thoroughly enjoyed it! We learned a lot of new skills and have possible ideas for our own Christmas cards next year! Lee is friendly, easy to approach and leads the sessions well. He can draw an artist out of even the least artful of us…speaking for myself of course! Thank you Lee! My girlfriend and I would certainly recommend it and will very likely be going back for further sessions and events. Thanks Lee for a great day!! Andy and family."

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

"I’ve had the most beautiful and relaxing day today! Jules was so kind, welcoming and super helpful! Always there to answer questions and help in any way she could. I’ve come away from the course looking to book another asap and really wanting to start my jewellery making journey! Thank you Jules for a wonderful day!! xx"

heidi reviewed: Fantasy dip resin flowers workshop

"Visited Jan today for enjoyable resin dip wire flower workshop. She was welcoming and offered drinks straight away, and replenished during the workshop. There were aprons and gloves available. She explained the process and helped us to make a really pretty flower each, with one of us working faster and making a butterfly as well. Great starter workshop for this relaxing craft - we could easily carry on doing this at home now. Thank you!"

Adriana SRM reviewed: Needle felt workshop

"My friend Claire and I had so much fun with Yvonne felting. We did a badger and it was all so therapeutic and relaxed. I went away feeling pleased I had learnt a new craft which I now feel confident to continue in the future. So thank you Yvonne, hope you enjoyed our company too 😆. "

Needle Felt Art responded:

"Adriana, I am so pleased you and Claire had a fun and therapeutic workshop. It is great to hear that you have the confidence to continue on your needle felting journey. You both worked so diligently and had amazing results, it was a pleasure to share this craft with you both. I had a great time too, lovely to relax and felt with good conversation. Happy future felting ladies. "

Paul reviewed: Beginners half-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"A fantastic morning, learning the basics of wood turning. I was bought it as a gift (I had no idea before I arrived). It brought back fond memories of turning at school (that ages me🤣) Simon made the mornings lesson something I will never forget, he is so understanding, knowledgeable and enthusiastic about turning and all things to do with turning! He took me through all the safety of the machines & tools I would be using. He got me turning quite quickly on a pice of wood to practice different techniques needed for each turning tool and after some mistakes I went on to turn a mushroom out of a piece of pine. He also got me to sand it smooth, seal it and polish it. I loved the class so much I have been looking at getting my own wood turning lathe. I would recommend this course to anyone (you don’t need to be big and strong to be able to turn just have comfy foot ware and be able to stand in one place for a while). Overall a fantastic morning (he even provided me with great gluten free biscuits🤗)"

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

"Hi Paul, It was great fun teaching you - you're a very able student and will make a fine turner. Do shout if you need any further advice or help. -- Simon"

Lynn & Paul reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"Excellent course, never laughed so much at my pathetic attempts on the wheel ! I’m clearly not destined to be a potter, my husband on the other hand was heading for a full dinner service set! Great host, clear explanations, knowledgeable tutor. Highly recommend this course."

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

"I'm so pleased you guys enjoyed your pottery session - it was a good laugh too :-). You both made some lovely pieces and I'm looking forward to seeing them glazed and fired. Thank you for your lovely review!"

Michelle & Belinda reviewed: Sea Glass Jewellery Making Course - One day course (Reading)

"I bought this course for my sister as a birthday gift and attended it with her. We both had a fun afternoon learning how to make and bezel set sea glass. We attended the course to get the skills so we could set our own sea glass at home. Carol was really helpful and answered all the questions we had. "

La Jade responded:

"Thank you for your review it was a pleasure to meet you."

Beth reviewed: Stool Making Workshop

"My husband loved the course! Wonderful stool as well. Thanks to the instructors and venue."

Nikki reviewed: Back to basics in oil paints - with Claire Sandars

"Excellent course.. Great for beginners and those with some experience of painting"

Rosemary reviewed: Large human sculpture kit (50cm)

"Just made my sitting man. Very easy to do on my own. I just watched the video and took my time. I am very pleased with the result. "

Jo Garden Art responded:

"Thank you so much for taking the time to review the large human sculpture kit Rosemary. I actually made a lot of that video in the middle of the night when I was having trouble sleeping. A most magical experience as the sun was rising over the garden and rabbits and birds were starting their day before us humans disturbed them! So happy you enjoyed the experience and are pleased with your sculpture. jo x"

Sue broughton reviewed: Children's Craft Classes - Half Term & Holiday Sessions

"Thank you . Grandchildren really enjoyed it"

Ankarika Craft responded:

"I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Jaymee and Leo. They are both talented kids and I hope there will be another opportunity to create something with paper again. Thank you for your kind comment Sue!"

Richard Grimwood reviewed: Router Day Class

"Excellent course really helpful with router setup and usage.The hinge setting and hinge jig were particularly helpful to me and now feel a lot more confident in using the router to hang doors fingers crossed. David was clear and patient and I come away feeling it was a very worthwhile day. Will definitely return for another course Kind regards Richard "

Phil reviewed: Blacksmithing Experience in Grassington (3 hours)

"Had a brilliant day learning. Richard is a great teacher, knew his stuff! I think I did a really great job making a toasting fork. Will definitely do it again!"

Helly reviewed: Small leather crossbody bag workshop (1-day)

"This was a brilliant workshop, which covered all the main skills needed for a variety of leatherwork projects. Natasha is a great teacher with lots of passion and knowledge, I had a lovely day of chatting whilst learning!"

Ten Cloudy responded:

"Helly, it was my pleasure, you are always welcome!"

Moira reviewed: Stained glass weekly classes in Sheffield (South Yorkshire)

"So far I have completed two 10 week courses on a Monday afternoon and I just love it! Martin is an excellent tutor - his expertise and knowledge about glass is superb. He supports and encourages you to believe in your ability, is always near at hand when you need assistance or a little direction and he also has patience in abundance! The facilities are great and I would highly recommend this course. Thanks Martin and Kate for keeping me on track and opening up a new creative world to me. "

Martin McAssey Glass responded:

"Thank you for the lovely review."

Annelize Gray reviewed: Children's Craft Classes - Half Term & Holiday Sessions

"Both my girls have done a few classes over the Christmas holidays. They both had an amazing time and their paper crafts are incredible. We’ll definitely be booking again!"

Ankarika Craft responded:

"What a delightful feedback! It is my absolute pleasure to work with Elena and Alyssa. They are both fantastically creative and such a joy to work with! Thank you so much for recommending me to your friends, I really appreciate it. See you soon! :)"

Susan Broughton reviewed: Children's Craft Classes - Half Term & Holiday Sessions

"Thank you so much for the craft workshop this morning.. The children really enjoyed it "

Ankarika Craft responded:

"Thank you Susan! :) I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to meet them. ;) I would be so grateful if you could let me know what I can do better to get a 5 star rating from you next time. I want my classes to be of a high standard and any suggestion is highly appreciated. Thanks again! :)"

Nick Shackleton reviewed: Kitchen Knife Course

"Had an absolutely brilliant day at the Forge with Dave. He walked us through every step of the way ensuring we ended up leaving with something I definitely didn't think I could have made! I did the course with my step-dad and a friend, and it was a full days experience from 10-4 ish with about 30 minutes lunch break. I can't recommend this experience highly enough. I have already told a few friends who are keen to book on. I have added some pictures to show what we started with and what we finished with. We all chose a different style of knife and a different wood for the handle too. Thanks again Dave (sorry it took me so long to write this review)."

Hand forged Yorkshire responded:

"Thank you so much for your amazing review Nick, it is hugely appreciated. It was a genuine pleasure to meet you all and have you in the forge. So glad everyone enjoyed it, I had a brilliant day with you all and you did an excellent job with your knives. You should all be very proud of what you made, cracking work chaps and I hope your knives serve you well for many years. Kindest regards Dave"