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

24 Dec 21'

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

"This was my first woodturning experience since my school days 50 years ago and I really enjoyed my day with Simon. His enthusiasm, experience and knowledge was invaluable and I am now looking to purchase my own lathe and tools. As well as detailed instruction on various techniques, Simon also spent time explaining how to select and sharpen the tools, dust extraction and safety equipment. I was delighted with the bowl and decoration that I made, and my family and friends also seemed impressed. My wife attended the pottery course with Louise on the same day and they both made us feel very welcome, including an enjoyable lunch."

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

"Hi Barry, Thanks for a lovely review; you were a pleasure to teach and we're glad you went away feeling that you got the most from the day. Any help required, please don't hesitate to get in touch. -- Simon & Louise"

23 Dec 21'

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

"An excellent introduction to working with clay and the potter's wheel. Louise is relaxing company whilst offering instruction and advice throughout the day. The lunch was tasty and accommodated dietary needs, and tea was plentiful throughout the day ! Thank you Louise."

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

"It was lovely having you in the studio Lynne and I'm so pleased you enjoyed your ceramics experience :-). I'll let you know as soon as your fabulous pieces have been glazed and are ready for collection. Merry Christmas!"

21 Dec 21'

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

"Both Simon and Louise are so patient and incredibly talented. They are clearly very passionate about their crafts and made the day informative, safe, inspiring and fun. They are both such lovely people and very easy to talk to and they genuinely could not have done any more to make our day special. Me and my son had the most wonderful day learning new skills and we are hoping to return for another session next year."

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

"It was a real delight having you guys in our studios :-). We're really pleased that you both enjoyed your woodturning & pottery experience! What a lovely mother and son treat :-). We'll let you know as soon as your fab pots have been fired. We hope you have a great Christmas and we'll see you in the New Year."

20 Dec 21'

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

"I would unreservedly recommend this course. Simon is both friendly and informative and no question is too stupid to ask. His workshop is well equipped and the programme was just right for me as a beginner (well, actually I had already turned one bowl, but that was 45 years ago at school!). There is ample opportunity to both practise and ask questions and I was delighted with the things that Simon helped me to produce. It was a day where I barely noticed the passage of time as I was fully engrossed for the whole workshop. I discovered there is much more to wood turning than I realised, but was also convinced that all of it is possible."

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

"David, Thank you for such a glowing review! We're glad you had a useful experience and delighted that you have got the woodturning 'bug'. Happy turning! -- Simon & Louise"

7 Dec 21'

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

"A day to be enjoyed by novices and those with experience alike. Simon is an excellent tutor. He obviously has lots of experience and knowledge and a very good way of imparting it. The workshop, machinery, tools and hospitality first class."

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

"Hi Paul, Thank you so much for your review and so glad you found the day worthwhile. — Simon & Louise"

3 Dec 21'

Geoff Powell reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"I’ve always loved working with wood but never got around to woodturning. My wife bought me this course as a Birthday present and It has to be one of the best presents she has ever bought me. Simon and Louise are friendly and welcoming hosts. Simon is extremely knowledgeable but also has the knack of passing that knowledge on to beginners like me. His facilities are enviable with a large selection of tools and also health and safety facilities like dust extractions. On top of that, he is just good company. I’m sure I will be back in future for an intermediates’ course if he runs one."

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

"Geoff, thank you for a glowing review! Really enjoyed the day with you too; watch this space, an intermediate course should be available soon… — Simon & Louise"

1 Dec 21'

Tony Young reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"It was a wonderful day at Blended Monkey. I was made to feel very welcome and the tutor, Simon, was excellent and put me at ease immediately. I would whole heartedly recommend this to anyone who may be interested."

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

"Hi Tony, So glad you had a good time. Please get in touch if you need any help with the craft in the future. -- Simon & Louise"

22 Nov 21'

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

"Highly enjoyable day with excellent tuition. I managed to turn a finial to use as a Christmas decoration never having used a lathe before and did a range of pottery activities which were great fun."

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

"We're really pleased you enjoyed your experience and it was lovely to see you hadn't forgotten how to throw on the wheel! Thank you for the lovely review :-)."

16 Nov 21'

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

"Although I had over a few years been 'playing around' with a wood lathe I’d never felt confident in what I was doing. Having looked at many YouTube videos on the subject I decided I needed some one to one tuition and the Blended Monkey site seemed to offer exactly what I was looking for. In fact the day turned out to be that and more. From start to finish it was an experience I won’t forget. Simon explained and demonstrated each step, then used a guiding hand to allow you to experience the correct way of using the gouges. He then allowed you to continue on your own but was always there when you needed any help. I now feel much more confident, knowing the correct way to hold and use the gouges. Having the notes Simon supplied will be very useful and something I’m sure I will use quite frequently. I would say to anyone thinking that wood turning might be for you Simon’s course is an absolute must. Thank you Simon for a really great day."

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

"Hi David, You are most welcome! You were a pleasure to teach and we're glad you had such a great day. -- Simon & Louise"

8 Nov 21'

Alison Hoffman reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"Booked a ‘pairs’ workshop as a gift for my husband (which I could enjoy as well). Whole experience exceeded my expectations from start to finish - gift voucher came with a lovely ceramic heart which added to the present giving experience and the afternoon we spent with Louise was just amazing! Workshop was at just the right pace and we covered much more than we thought possible, making lots of items and having informative tuition in a relaxed environment. Our Sunday afternoons are usually fairly low-key but this weekend we ended it on a total high all thanks to our Blended Monkey experience. We can’t wait to try wood-turning now with Simon (and to pick up our masterpiece creations of course). Totally recommend booking this course - you won’t be disappointed!!"

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

"It was lovely to have you guys in the studio! You both created some fantastic pieces and we're really pleased you enjoyed your ceramics experience - amazing what you can achieve in an afternoon isn't it? :-). You're more than welcome to return to try your hand at woodturning or more pottery."

8 Nov 21'

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

"Booked a ‘pairs’ workshop as a gift for my husband (which I could enjoy as well). Whole experience exceeded my expectations from start to finish - gift voucher came with a lovely ceramic heart which added to the present giving experience and the afternoon we spent with Louise was just amazing! Workshop was at just the right pace and we covered much more than we thought possible, making lots of items and having informative tuition in a relaxed environment. Our Sunday afternoons are usually fairly low-key but this weekend we ended it on a total high all thanks to our Blended Monkey experience. We can’t wait to try wood-turning now with Simon (and to pick up our masterpiece creations of course). Totally recommend booking this course - you won’t be disappointed!!"

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

"It was lovely to have you guys in the studio! You both created some fantastic pieces and we're really pleased you enjoyed your ceramics experience - amazing what you can achieve in an afternoon isn't it? :-). You're more than welcome to return to try your hand at woodturning or more pottery."

8 Nov 21'

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

"I had a great day. The place was easy to find and Louise and Simon are very welcoming. They are also very good instructors. Lunch was excellent too! Would definitely recommend for beginners and more advanced potters/wood-turners."

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

"Hi David, Thanks for giving us a review - most welcome! We're glad you enjoyed the day and hope that you may go on to develop your craft skills. -- Simon & Louise"

8 Nov 21'

Jason C reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"I'm thinking of getting into wood-turning but had no background or experience beyond some basic woodworking, so booked this one-day 1-1 course to give it a go. Simon is an excellent teacher. I felt I learnt a great deal (which I still remember!) and got to try a variety of techniques. The time just flew by, it was 5 pm before I knew it! It's a nice location and the workshop/facilities are great. The lunch was lovely too. Went away with a nice bowl. Highly recommended."

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

"Hi Jason, Thanks for a great review; we're so glad you enjoyed your experience. Do get in touch if you need any further assistance. -- Simon & Louise"

8 Nov 21'

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

"Have wanted to try woodturning for a while and my partner bought me this course as a present. I had an amazing time learning how to turn with Simon, he is an excellent teacher, very knowledgeable & helpful. Had a lovely day there and would recommend it to absolutely everyone that wants to try this craft! 10/10"

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

"Hi George, Thanks for the review -- really appreciate it. Hope we've kindled enough interest for you to take up the craft; don't hesitate to get in touch if you need any further help or information. -- Simon & Louise"

5 Nov 21'

Marco Jackson reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"This was one of the few courses, I have been on a few, I found it to be brilliant. I had a great couple of days, learnt masses, thoroughly enjoying every minute. The instructions were very clear and my development in lathe turning has as a result improved. I am also more confident in my approach to doing something new. Simon and Louise were both very accommodating and provided a lovely lunch. This is a course I would not hesitate in advising any lathe enthusiast to do."

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

"Hi Marco, Thank you so much for a nice review. We're glad you found the course useful and, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch again. -- Simon & Louise"

4 Nov 21'

Thomas and Ottilie Wilson reviewed: Beginners 1-day pairs woodturning workshop

"I attended this course with my daughter who is in her mid twenties. Although i have worked a little with wood neither of us had experience in wood turning. Simon made us most welcome and after learning the safety and the basics we quickly got into the practical side of the course using the wood turning lathe and producing two items each to take home. We enjoyed the informative but relaxed atmosphere in which we were taught and have already recomended this course to a couple of other friends. Overall the experience was valuable and enjoyable. Simon showed me 'you can teach an old dog new tricks'!"

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

"Thanks for a lovely review, Tom. Most welcome! We’re so glad you enjoyed your day and thank you for spreading the word :)"

1 Nov 21'

Malcolm Watson reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"After a 2 hour journey, I received an extremely warm welcome on arrival, followed by a much-needed coffee and an explanation of how the day was planned. Both the morning and afternoon sessions were very constructive and informative. Simon soon has you hands-on on the lathe, resulting in producing a "Christmas Tree" in the morning and a Bowl in the afternoon. Simon's workshop is very well equipped and his explanation of his various pieces of equipment was most thorough. The communication from both Simon and Louise, before the course and after, was informative and timely. I would highly recommend this course to anyone looking to learn woodturning."

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

"Hi Malcolm, Thank you for a very positive review; we're really glad you enjoyed your day and got the most out of it. Please shout if you need any more help. --Simon & Louise"

25 Oct 21'

Toby Hare reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"A great day! Simon was a brilliant instructor - patient, giving me lots of time to practice and try techniques but on hand in case I needed assistance. A really enjoyable day with a lovely lunch and got to take home a cracking couple of pieces that I can be proud of. Would really recommend!"

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

"Hi Toby, Thanks for a lovely review and we're glad you enjoyed your day; you should be proud of what you made -- well done! -- Simon & Louise"

19 Oct 21'

Miss Emma C Garrett-Jones reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"I had a great time on this 1-2-1 woodturning course. Prior to the course Louise was quick to respond to emails and answer any questions. Simon is a great teacher and provides a great balance of guidance and space to try for yourself. Simon and Louise provided a lovely lunch and make you feel very supported and welcome. I highly recommend the course to anyone considering and wanting to learn about woodturning. Thank you both for a lovely day!"

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

"Hi Emma, Thank you so much for a lovely review; we're so glad you enjoyed your day. -- Simon & Louise"

19 Oct 21'

Karl Devlin reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"I attended a 1-2-1 beginners wood turning course, Simon is an excellent teacher giving plenty of good turning working practices. I've come away with new skills and will continue to practice those on the day which were a little poor. I am looking forward to putting my lathe to more use that just turning pens. Simon and Louise made me feel most welcome and I can highly recommend this course to anyone. Many Thanks to you both."

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

"Hi Karl, Great having you here for the day - your efforts weren't that bad! :) Let us know how you get on with any pieces you make. Happy turning! -- Simon & Louise"

18 Oct 21'

Fernando Gris reviewed: Beginners 1-day pairs woodturning workshop

"Simon is a natural-born teacher and coach and he made the course a treat. I had a wonderful lunch in a setting full of beautiful trees and came out with a beautiful bowl!! Louise and Simon have a very good set-up and I would recommend anybody to take the course"

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

"Hi Fernando, Thank you so much for a lovely review. It was great having you here and we're so glad you enjoyed your day :) -- Simon & Louise"

17 Oct 21'

Maureen Pearman reviewed: Beginners half-day pairs pottery / ceramics workshop

"My partner and I had a great afternoon with Louise, in a relaxed, friendly and informative setting. The tuition was fun, through gentle encouragement and exploration. We were introduced to the tools and shown the techniques as we went along and encouraged to have a go. Louise kindly provided timely breaks for refreshment and we were able to chat and ask questions about the art of pottery and ceramic making. We feel that we achieved a great deal in our three hours. The only thing we really wished we could have spent more time on was the pottery wheel which required greater skill and practice than we could muster. Thank you Louise for a really enjoyable creative taster afternoon."

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

"Thank you for your lovely review Maureen. It was a delight having you and John in the studio and I'm really pleased that you came away feeling that you'd achieved a lot within your half-day workshop :-). Yes, the wheel takes some getting used to! Happy to arrange a half-day throwing workshop if you fancy having longer on the wheel."

14 Oct 21'

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

"My husband and I did the 2 Crafts in 1 Day with Louise and Simon & I could not recommend it more, what a brilliant day, no pressure, lovely relaxed atmosphere. If you want to forget your everyday stresses and concentrate on something that is both relaxing and addictive then book this course you won't regret it. We will definitely be back. Thank you both again."

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

"It was a pleasure to meet you guys and we're thrilled you enjoyed the 2 Crafts in 1 Day experience. You both made some fab woodturned and ceramic pieces and it was lovely to have you in the studios. We try to make things as chilled as possible, so we're super happy that you found the day to be relaxing and we look forward to maybe seeing you again in the future."

14 Oct 21'

laura marchant reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"My husband and I did the 2 Crafts in 1 Day with Louise and Simon & I could not recommend it more, what a brilliant day, no pressure, lovely relaxed atmosphere. If you want to forget your everyday stresses and concentrate on something that is both relaxing and addictive then book this course you won't regret it. We will definitely be back. Thank you both again."

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

"It was a pleasure to meet you guys and we're thrilled you enjoyed the 2 Crafts in 1 Day experience. You both made some fab woodturned and ceramic pieces and it was lovely to have you in the studios. We try to make things as chilled as possible, so we're super happy that you found the day to be relaxing and we look forward to maybe seeing you again in the future."

11 Oct 21'

Christopher Biggs reviewed: Beginners 1-day 1-2-1 woodturning workshop for 1 person

"I attended the 1/2 day beginners woodturning workshop with Simon and had a great time brushing up long lost skills on a wood lathe. Simon is clearly a very skilled woodworker and made the afternoon interesting, using a variety of handtools to make the different cuts into our piece. He was patient and explained then demonstrated what was next before you got to try out too. We still had the time to make a Christmas Tree and talk about my own tools and he even made them better on his sharpening belt. I couldn't have asked for anything more and looking forward to the next step of learning how to make bowls. Many, many thanks."

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

"Hi Chris, Thanks for a great review - it was a fun few hours! I look forward to seeing you again soon. -- Simon"

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