Blended Monkey - pottery - woodturning - green woodworking - pole lathe - throwing reviews

20 May 22'

Sharon Brown reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 pottery / ceramics workshop for 1 person

"I've always wanted to give pottery a try - especially the wheel - and this day course was perfect. Louise was a great teacher and very good company. The morning was spent trying out different techniques - I made a couple of pinch pots, a coil pot plus a slab work vase and wall hanging. It was great to try out pattern rollers as well as pressing different materials into the clay. After a lovely lunch which we were able to eat outside in the beautiful garden, the afternoon was spent trying out the pottery wheel. Personally I wasn't fussed if I made anything or not, as I was enjoying simply trying to make something and as expected it's a lot harder than it looks! I was pleased with how it went although I kept making the same mistake but was improving each time. I ended up with a couple of things that were half decent for a beginner so that was a bonus. It's hard work using the wheel and the backs of my arms were quite stiff the next day!"

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

"So pleased you enjoyed your creative ceramics day Sharon :-). It was a pleasure to have you in the studio and you grasped all the techniques really well. Your pieces are drying nicely and will be biscuit fired soon. It is quite full on doing an afternoon of throwing as we're not used to putting our hands and wrists in all those weird positions. You did really well and ended up with some lovely creations across all the disciplines of pinching, coiling, slab work and throwing. Well done!"

18 May 22'

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

"This was a Christmas gift from my partner which we actually booked for my birthday weekend - double whammy!!! As we chose the 2 crafts in one day package, that was another double whammy!!! Both Simon and Louise are friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable about their respective crafts and they made us feel comfortable and put us at our ease from the word go. Any concerns or preconceived ideas were quickly dispelled and soon enough we were creating amazing items in both wood and clay. I am so proud of my honey dibber and I cannot wait to see our pots after glazing and firing. We both had a thoroughly enjoyable day, learned so much, with the tea and biscuits and delicious lunch in the sunny garden being icing on the cake. We also spent the weekend in the absolutely stunning 'Crafters Retreat' which they run on site as well. A very cosy, peaceful, immaculately presented and fully equipped lodge, with a hot tub under the covered veranda (so weather is not important) and a firepit/Kadai in the garden (a bit more weather dependant). The gardens and the Woodlet also offer secluded spots to relax in or to just breathe in a little calm/zen. We could not have asked for more nor can we recommend Simon and Louise at Blended Monkey enough. You guys have a brilliant business and your passion and love for your crafts shine brightly. Keep sharing. Thank you for everything."

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

"Thank you for the delightful review! We're so pleased that you guys enjoyed your Christmas/birthday "2 Crafts in 1 Day" experience! It was a delight having you in the woodturning workshop and pottery studio and you should be very proud of the lovely pieces you created :-). It's also fab to hear how our Crafter's Retreat cabin is achieving what we set out for it to do and provide a peaceful, tranquil setting where you can just "be". We're delighted that you enjoyed your time with Blended Monkey and at the Crafter's Retreat and we'd love to welcome you again in the future."

12 May 22'

Teresa Brown reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"We can’t praise Louise and Simon enough for what they do! We had a couples pottery experience and it was fabulous. Not only did we learn and make lots, we had fun, got messy and had the freedom to explore our own creativity. Louise is so patient and kind, we had such fun with her and felt like we’d known her years. We will definitely be back and I would highly recommend Blended Monkey to people of all crafting abilities. Another bonus was that the premises is easily accessible and there is a toilet within stepping distance making it disabled friendly too! Thank you Louise - we loved our day!!"

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

"Guys, thank you for your lovely review! It's a pleasure having lovely students like you in the studio :-). I'm so pleased you were happy with the accessibility and that you felt comfortable during your session. You're both very creative people and it was a joy to teach you some clay forming techniques and see what you produced. It's always lovely to see students relax into the studio environment and just enjoy the feel and fun you can have with clay. I'm just as excited as you are to see the finished creations fresh from the kiln - it's always a daunting moment opening the kiln once it's cooled down as you're never quite sure what you'll find :-). But I'm sure you'll be pleased with the outcome. Thanks again for the lovely review!! "

11 May 22'

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

"Had a wonderful experience with Simon learning to turn wood. Although I've sdone plenty of woodworking before, it was my first time on a lathe and he made it simple, clear and accessible and really spent a good amount of time on the tools. Workshop is perfectly set up for teaching and in a lovely setting, really would recommend to anyone thinking about having a go to jump right in. Now looking to find my local turning club and have a few more experiences before purchasing my own machine."

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

"Hi Nirgon, So glad you enjoyed the workshop. You should have my notes by now which give you a link to a map of your local woodturning clubs, so hopefully you can join up and start your woodturning journey :) -- Simon"

5 May 22'

Mike reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs woodturning workshop

"I spent a wonderful afternoon in the workshop with my young son, who has special needs. We were able to attend the workshop in advance of our actual day to make sure he was going to be comfortable with the surroundings, the noise of the lathes, extractors and band saw and what we would be doing - which he was and every day from then on he was so excited about going and how long it would be until we went. On the day Simon was very attentive to his needs and we both had a great time and my son went away with a newly lathed Harry Potter wand which he very proudly took to school on the Monday to show everyone. Very much enjoyed by us both and would definitely recommend."

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

"Hi Mike, Thanks for such a lovely review and soooo glad that your son enjoyed the day - he was really fun to teach and so inquisitive and interested in it all! Also really glad that you enjoyed yourself too :) -- Simon"

5 May 22'

David Cowling reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"Had a very enjoyable experience, found lots of things very useful. Would recommend it to anyone who is interested in woodcraft."

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

"Hi David, Thank you for your review - most kind! It was great to have you visit - do pop by if you fancy another go sometime. given how close you are to us (but do book first ;) ) -- Simon"

4 May 22'

Tamara reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"We had a wonderful time at Louise's pottery studio. She was very welcoming and friendly and we felt very at ease. We were shown three different pottery techniques and enjoyed them all. It felt really relaxed and creative freedom with you pieces was encouraged. Spinning was particularly fun and we had a good laugh. I would highly recommend! Can't wait to see the finished result."

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

"I'm so pleased you had a good time in the pottery studio guys! It was an absolute pleasure to meet you both and you made some really lovely pieces :-). You should feel really proud of your creations and I'm also looking forward to seeing them when they emerge from the kiln. Thank you for the lovely review!"

28 Apr 22'

Col reviewed: Beginners 1-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"My husband Martin and I had a great full day of pottery with Louise. Right from the beginning we felt at ease. The setting is perfect and the activities were pitched just right. Martin particularly liked that Louise joined in the activity, making what we were making. Everything was relaxed, from the pottery, to the lovely lunch and the free flowing tea! Would thoroughly recommend the pairs experience. Even if you are not good at crafts, you will have a a lot if fun and may surprise yourself!"

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

"Colette, It was a pleasure having you and Martin in the studio :-). So pleased you enjoyed the workshop - you both did really well at all aspects (pinching, coiling, slab and throwing). The day always goes so quickly, but you achieved a huge amount in that time! Thank you for your lovely positive review!"

27 Apr 22'

Mick & Lorraine reviewed: "2 Crafts in 1 Day!" 1-2-1 woodturning & pottery experience for 1 person

"What a lovely experience! Having recently retired we challenged ourselves to try something different. Our hosts Simon and Louise were brilliant, giving the right balance of guidance and instruction, and freedom to ‘have a go’ on our own ! Both sessions flew by but we were amazed at just what we managed to achieve in the time . We would recommend them to anyone wanting to have a go at either or both crafts ."

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

"Hi Mick & Lorraine, Thank you for a lovely review. We're glad you enjoyed your day as much as we did teaching you. Any assistance required in the future, please don't hesitate to get in touch. -- Simon & Louise"

27 Apr 22'

Nigel Brewer reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"The perfect course for me, I came away with all the knowledge necessary for me to develop my wood turning skills. A really good understanding of the machinery and tools. Simon explained and demonstrated everything with great clarity which made it easy to understand. Many thanks Simon definitely a 5 star experience. Nigel"

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

"Hi Nigel, Thank you for your frank review and praise - much appreciated! Don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any further help or information. -- Simon"

25 Apr 22'

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

"I received a wood turning work shop for a birthday gift. I have always wanted to have a go at wood turning and this was an ideal way to do it. Simon is friendly and patient and very informative, I learned a lot, I would recommend it to any one and the added bonus I came away with a nice piece."

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

"Hi Dan, Thanks so much for your review and really glad you had an enjoyable day. Any queries or questions please get in touch. -- Simon"

25 Apr 22'

Martin and Colette reviewed: Beginners 1-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"We both had a thoroughly good time. Hosts were very welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. Lots of fun was had and we look forward to seeing our finished creations!"

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

"I'm so pleased you guys enjoyed the day :-). It was lovely having you in the studio and I'm also looking forward to seeing your beautiful creations once they are glazed and fired. Well done for achieving so much across all four disciplines of working with clay!"

25 Apr 22'

Kirsty reviewed: Beginners 1-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"Fantastic day - great fun trying the different pottery techniques and chatting with Louise. Enjoyed every minute. Louise and Simon were lovely hosts and we highly recommend Blended Monkey."

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

"Hi Kirsty, I'm so pleased that you and Terry enjoyed your pairs pottery experience. You both made some fabulous pieces - not to mention the two massive pots that Terry threw! It was lovely to meet you both and I enjoyed chatting with you too. I'll let you know as soon as your pots have been fired :-)."

24 Apr 22'

Barry Holloway reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"Very enjoyable and a lot to try and remember, but good guidance given by Simon throughout. The time went too quickly. Lovely lunch by Louise and pleasant surroundings. Definitely recommend this course."

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

"Hi Barry, Glad you liked the course and you should have received an email with a link to the notes today, so you shouldn't have to remember all of it! -- Simon"

22 Apr 22'

Kevin Keeley reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"Really enjoyed my first woodturning experience at Blended Monkey. Simon made it a very enjoyable experience,explained and demonstrated and answered all my questions,more importantly he was very patient. Thank you Simon and Louise for your hospitality throughout the day."

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

"Hi Kevin, So glad you enjoyed the day. Any questions or if you need any help, please get in touch. -- Simon & Louise"

20 Apr 22'

Vivien reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"The course with Simon was a birthday treat from my husband. The day slipped by quickly as Simon guided me through the course. Simon is a very good humoured and exceptionally knowledgeable teacher who is very patient and encouraging. A thoroughly enjoyable day that has left me pondering whether this craft is something I want to explore further. Many thanks for the lovely lunch Louise provided Throughly recommend the day."

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

"Hi Vivien, So glad you enjoyed the course and, if you decide to take the plunge, don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any help setting up. -- Simon"

19 Apr 22'

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

"An excellent day with Simon, such a brilliant teacher. Would reccommend him to anyone wishing to give woodturning a go. I just need to get my own lathe and tools now. Simon and Louise were so welcoming to ther home, plenty of coffee, and a superb luch as well. Thakn you Simon and Louise for such and enjoyable day. Paul"

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

"Hi Paul, Stop! I'm blushing :) Thank you for such a lovely endorsement and I'm really glad you enjoyed your day. Any queries or advice, please don't hesitate to get in touch. -- Simon"

13 Apr 22'

Trevor Keith Horner reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"First time wood turning since I was at school 50 years ago, really enjoyed my day, great venue one on one tuition, very pleasant people, Simon really knows his stuff. I am seriously looking at woodturning as a hobby for my retirement, highly recommend this training venue."

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

"Hi Trevor, Thanks so much for your honest review and so glad you enjoyed your day. — Simon"

12 Apr 22'

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

"This was a fun packed day, being taught wood turning and pottery in one day. Louise and Simon were very knowledgeable and patient with a sense of fun throughout the day. No hesitation in recommending them."

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

"Simon and I really enjoyed having you guys in the studios and we're pleased you had a good experience - and a few laughs along the way! You both made some really lovely pieces and I'm also eager to see your pots when they emerge from the kiln. Thanks again for the review :-)."

11 Apr 22'

Steve reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs woodturning workshop

"We attended a half day turning course in April 2022. Simon is very patient and takes his time to explain the reason why things should be done in a certain way and doesn't rush you. Very enjoyable afternoon along with the coffee and biscuits. I would recommend a visit to Simon if you're curious about what's involved in wood turning or as we did, just wanted a bit of fun and something different."

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

"Hi Steve, Thanks for your lovely review and so glad you had such a fun and enjoyable experience. -- Simon"

9 Apr 22'

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

"I had such a wonderful morning with Louise learning about the joy of pottery. An experience ive been wanting to do for quite some time. With Louise's guidance i made some 'unique' pieces to collect and treasure. Louise was so warm and welcoming, i felt like we were already firm friends. Thank you so much ?"

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

"Thank you for your lovely review Nikki :-). It was a thorough pleasure having you in the studio and it was nice to have a chat and put the world to rights too! You made some really lovely pieces that you should be very proud of - even your "unique" thrown pieces ;-). Well done x"

31 Mar 22'

Debbie reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"this was something I have always wanted to try and it totally lived up to my expectation. Simon is an excellent teacher and i was amazed at what i managed to achieve in such a short time. Very enjoyable day."

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

"Hi Debbie, So glad you enjoyed your experience. If you need any help in the future, please get in touch. -- Simon"

29 Mar 22'

Joseph Morley reviewed: Beginners 1-day pairs woodturning workshop

"My parents got me this experience day for my birthday and I absolutely loved it would highly recommend it."

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

"Hi Joseph, Thanks for your review and really glad you enjoyed the day. Do get in touch if you need any help. --Simon"

23 Mar 22'

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

"I thoroughly enjoyed my half-day course with Simon, and although I was somewhat apprehensive never having worked with wood or machinery before, Simon quickly put me at ease and gave me lots of encouragement. I was amazed that, with his excellent guidance, I managed to make something useful and decorative by the end of the session!"

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

"Hi Jenny, So glad you enjoyed your experience. Do get in touch if you need further help or assistance. -- Simon"

18 Mar 22'

Edd Curbishley reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"Really great day with Simon, he made the day relaxing, educational, informative and inspirational, great facilities I have total workshop envy now !"

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

"Thanks, Edd! Should motivate you to get in the shed and do a tidy-up :) -- Simon"

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