@:Toolerstone

This workshop will introduce you to a range of flowers and plants that can be used to make natural fabric dyes. You will be surprised to learn that various well-known flowers and plants can be used to make beautiful colours. Many of these flowers can be easily grown, found and foraged. There will be a walk around the stunning gardens at Toolerstone House with Simon the Head Gardener and Melanie will demonstrate the dyeing process on an open fire in our outdoor teaching space. The hands-on crafting experience will take...

Ease into the festive spirit with this watercolour workshop. We will create seasonally inspired paintings that may be made into lovely watercolour cards. From festive wreaths, winter stags to robin red breasts – there will be something for everyone. The day of course includes lots of guidance, full of interesting techniques, colour mixing and a fun hint of sparkle! A bit more detail Join friendly and experienced Cheshire watercolour artist Allie. She will share her skills and give you guidance throughout your day, in the light and spacious studio space....

In this relaxing and informative workshop our tutor, Allie Pottinger, will demonstrate many creative techniques, including how to capture the finer details of feathers and treasures (pine cones, pebbles, leaves) to loose, textured background washes, creating your own beautiful, nature-inspired masterpiece. A bit more detail Join friendly and experienced Cheshire watercolour artist Allie. She will share her skills and give you guidance throughout your day, in the light and spacious studio space. All dates are suitable for complete beginners to intermediates. Includes art materials, a freshly homemade lunch and refreshments....

Join us for our informative and easy to follow Guide to Wedding Flowers workshop with “The Little Potting Shed”. This class is ideal for someone getting married/planning a wedding/wanting to learn how to do their own wedding flowers. The unique and beautiful style that is reflected in the stunning arrangements are taught in this step by step one day workshop. You will learn the skills to create unique floral displays for your special day. No experience is necessary as ‘The Little Potting Shed’ tutor will be on hand to guide...

Do you love being outdoors in the fresh air? Come and immerse yourself in the surroundings and gardens here @:Toolerstone. You will make your own wooden veg planter and learn the basics of veg planting, composting and sowing seeds of the season. This one day workshop is run by our Head Gardener, Simon. In small groups of no more than 10 you can work at your own pace and enjoy the relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We will provide the home bakes and lunch – there are endless mugs of tea,...

This is a wonderful time of year to sketch trees, observing the delicate branches of trees as they reveal their glorious colours. We will sketch in the grounds if weather permits and paint indoors, including using natural sponges and explore lots of top tips and techniques with watercolours A bit more detail Join friendly and experienced Cheshire watercolour artist Allie. She will share her skills and give you guidance throughout your day, in the light and spacious studio space. All dates are suitable for complete beginners to intermediates. Includes art...

Join us and our tutor, Jane, for a photography workshop with a difference. Essentially visual story telling is communicating a story through one or more images. You look at the image(s) and you can see why the photographer took the photograph(s), what they wanted to say and how they felt. Leo Tolstoy defines storytelling in this wonderful quote: “It should be utterly infectious, where it infects the viewer with feelings he or she has lived through, so that other people are infected in turn by these experiences.” If you want...

In this fun and easy workshop, you will make a beautiful garland to hang over your fireplace at home this Christmas. Simply stitched and individually decorated with buttons, beads and ribbons, these little stuffed hearts are a unique and individual creation. Thread five or six of them onto a satin cord and you have a garland that you will want to bring out every Christmas! You will be invited to choose your own colour scheme from our gorgeous selection of fabulous fabrics; tweed, velvet, needle-cord and liberty prints. We will...