If you’re a beginner bag maker, this Retreat is perfect for you. A whole weekend to immerse yourself in fabrics, stabiliser, professional techniques and tips to boost your confidence and your skills. Hopefully, there’ll be a lot of chat and laughter too! **This retreat is a little different from many others in that making a bag isn’t the point of the weekend, although you will indeed make one. The focus is on learning new transferable techniques and skills that you will be able to use on so many bags you make in the future. We have our own ‘Retreat Suite’ of rooms, including a spacious, light and airy sewing room which is equipped with a display screen so everyone can easily see demonstrations from a working viewpoint. We also have our own bathroom and kitchen facilities. If you wish, you are free to continue work after dinner and until as late (or early!) as you like. You will need to bring your own sewing machine, fabric scissors and any other favourite sewing tools, but everything else is provided. Come and join us in the exclusive Facebook group Bag Makers Retreat at https://www.facebook.com/groups/bagmakersretreat/ for all the latest retreat info, chat, gossip and more, plus a chance to meet other like-minded folks. If you have dietary requirements, please tell me before you book, so I can be sure we can meet your needs. All meal main courses are included in the retreat fee, as are Saturday and Sunday lunches and breakfasts. Starters, desserts and drinks with meals are not included but the meals are so huge you probably won’t want starters and desserts anyway!! Tea and coffee is available whenever you need, but you do have to make it yourself! If you’d like to stay an extra night or two, maybe to arrive on Thursday or leave on Monday if you have a long drive, let me know and I’ll check availability with our host. If you’d prefer to travel by train, we are happy to ferry you to and from the station, just ask. Please aim to arrive no later than 2pm as we have a lot of pattern cutting and fabric choosing to get through on Friday! Friday The fun starts here as you arrive at your weekend home-from-home – a beautifully refurbished, 4-star 18th century coaching inn with all the comforts you would expect. You’ll have time to settle into your own delightfully comfortable en-suite room which has all the anticipated little luxuries, before an introductory get-together with me and your companions in the sewing room at 2pm. You’ll be given your own copy of the bag pattern, which is very beginner- and domestic machine-friendly but which will incorporate a lot of features and techniques that are also in much more complex designs, making this an excellent springboard to any bag you want to make. Then you can wallow in the plentiful stash of fabrics to choose from, including some of my exclusive feature panel prints which aren’t available anywhere else. All the materials, interfacing, stabiliser, threads and bag hardware you need are supplied. As soon as you’re ready, you can start preparing and cutting out your pattern and some of the bag pieces so we can hit the ground running in the morning. After a superbly-cooked and substantial evening meal at around 6pm or so, you are welcome to continue working in the sewing room or to simply relax and chat there before bed. Saturday After an excellent breakfast, we can really start work adding to and adapting your bag pattern. You’ll work at your own pace from around 9am with no pressure – I want your weekend to be fun and not stressful! We will walk through the techniques together and I will be there the whole time to answer questions and troubleshoot any tricky bits. You’ll also have the chance to try sewing with faux leather , if you haven’t already, and we’ll explore ways and techniques to use and apply rivets. Refreshments are freely available all day and you can take a break whenever you wish. A light lunch (with homemade cake!!) is also provided and we’ll have a short break in the middle of the day. The rest of the day will be similar to Friday – sewing, dinner at 6ish and more sewing if you wish to before bed. Do feel free to have a walk or just sit outside for a breather if the weather is kind. Sunday How can it be Sunday already?? Breakfast over, we’ll get back to work. You will need to allow a few minutes to pack and check out of your room, as it has to be made ready for Monday’s guests. Apart from that, it’s uninterrupted sewing (with refreshments and lunch breaks!) until your bag is finished. We’ll be heading off for lunch at 12.30pm or so. We have the sewing room for the rest of the day. If you don’t quite get done, there’s absolutely no need to worry as you’ll easily be able to complete your bag at home. If you finish earlier feel free to head home whenever you’re ready. Amongst loads of other hints and tips, you’ll learn – Interfacings – what to use and not to use Using stabilisers – which is best and why How to create a zipped pocket the pro way Adding a recessed zipper main closure to almost any bag Installing hardware Incorporating a built-in key fob Installing a rectangular base Sewing the bag together and topstitching A sneaky way of getting your bag right-sides-out without ugly seams! An easy way to add a zipper pull without tools Working with different types of rivet machine Faux leather on a domestic machine You’ll have handouts on all the techniques to take home. And I hope you have a lot of fun and make new friends while you learn!! I never abandon my students at the end of the course so if you get stuck on anything at home, you are welcome to give me a shout on Messenger and we’ll sort out your problem together. The not-so-small print Book your place using the simple booking system below – just click on your choice of dates and go from there. The full price is £395.00. The deposit of £60 is non-refundable if you cancel but can, however, be credited towards a future retreat booked within the next 6 months. It is completely refundable if I or the venue cancel. The booking page only shows the Friday, but the course is running until Sunday. The balance of £335.00 is payable by approx 6 weeks before the retreat date and payment instructions will be sent to you in good time. Cancellations 4 weeks or less before the retreat date can only be refunded if someone on the waiting list can come instead. *Don’t worry that your booking confirmation may be headed Unicorn Studios – it’s just the site that I’ve run my booking system from for years… it’s not a scam!! *
Sacred Sounds for the Soul ~ an afternoon and evening of Sacred Drum Circle, songs, chants and Sacred Sound Journey sound bath with Edwin and Harshani https://mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/ @ Mill Farm Retreat Centre, Great Cransley, Kettering, Northamptonshire
Ever ever wished someone would just swoop right on in, sprinkle some magic on your photos or maybe just tell you exactly what to do and how to do it? On this half day, exclusive, in-person workshop, personal brand photographer Susan Heaton Photography will do just that! And it comes complete with an invaluable aftercare support package. Susan has been photographing small businesses in and around Edinburgh for 20 years! I love what I do! I have a wonderful network of business owners and I love sharing my tips and tricks to help them take their own photos - either to tide them over between brand shoots or to help them until they have the budget to get a professional in!” On the Stand Out Shots workshop you’ll learn how to use your phone using very little else (except perhaps a tripod) to take stand-out, professional-looking photos for your business, for social media, blog posts, profile images, website, marketing material and more. Susan will share tips, tricks and secrets she has gathered from 20 years of photographing small businesses in Edinburgh, to help you to take photos that stand out, and you will have invaluable post workshop access to a WhatsApp group for support with implementing what you have learnt. You will: learn how to make the most of the settings on your phone and what they all mean develop skills that will last a lifetime find out how to find the best light available get tips on how to arrange and style your photos practice top posing tips and find the ones that work best for you gain confidence and get rid of the awkward! network and connect with fellow workshoppers If you're self-employed and need some shots of you in action, or run a product-based business, this is the perfect workshop for you and will help you attract customers. But this workshop is not just for business owners, it's for anyone wanting to improve the way they take photos with their phone. What's included: half day workshop fuelled by light refreshments from local suppliers full after-care package so that you can always go back to Susan with questions in-person workshop is only available at The Arienas Collective Earth conscious credentials We are mindful of the effect we have on the environment, and do our best to minimise our impact. Your workshop correspondence and notes are sent to you electronically. Favourite feedback We love to hear what you think about our workshops. Here's a favourite review for Stand Out Shots: If you are wondering whether this course is for you, then it definitely is! I knew I had a great phone but absolutely zero knowledge of its capability or even how to use it! Susan's delivery is friendly, calm, patient and insightful and her experience is invaluable. Just learning the basics of my phone, and more about photo composition, lighting and editing tips has already paid dividends for my marketing posts. More information The Arienas Collective workshops, courses and events are run from a welcoming and supportive environment within a Georgian mews home in Edinburgh’s City Centre New Town. We invite you to join us, leave any day-to-day worries behind and immerse yourself in being creative. Spaces on our workshops and courses are limited so that our creative team of artists and makers can offer you the hands-on help and support you need to make the most of your time with us. Our taster and introductory workshops focus on teaching creative skills and methods you can continue practising at home, using affordable materials and equipment. Where more expensive equipment is required we will mention this in the workshop description. All the equipment and materials you need are included in the price, unless stated otherwise. Light refreshments from local suppliers are provided. On full day workshops you are welcome to bring your own lunch to eat inside or out. There is also a wide range of independent sit-in or takeaway delis, cafés, and restaurants, plus a range of supermarkets all within a 5-10 minute walk. Accessibility The workshop space is on the first-floor of our Georgian mews home and unfortunately we do not have lift access. Blue badge holders can park outside our front door on the single yellow line by arrangement. Allergies The workshop space is in our open plan living space and is not nut free. Please let us know about any skin or food allergies before booking. We offer a dairy-free milk and gluten free snack alternative. Minimum number no refund policy To ensure we can always pay our creatives a fair fee, we require a minimum number of bookings for each workshop and for this reason bookings are non-refundable. Should we have to cancel due to low numbers, we will offer you the option to swap to an alternative date or workshop, or to request a refund. We do our very best to avoid cancellations. Since we often get late bookings, we keep our workshops on sale for as long as possible. We realise that some of you travel from afar, so if you book a space and have not yet received an email confirming your workshop is going ahead and need to make plans for your trip, please get in touch before booking any travel or accommodation so we can update you on booking numbers. Or check in before booking. Private workshop bookings Most of our workshops are also available to book for: private get-togethers with family and friends; themed wedding and birthday celebrations; corporate team building and well-being purposes; and in-store retail events for your customers. If you’d like to know more please Email Lynn. Age restrictions Our workshops are planned with adults in mind. Many are suitable for teenagers, but some may require under 16s to be accompanied for insurance purposes. Please check with us before booking.
Would you like to add a persona touch to your old coat? Change a look of your favourite cardigan? Wearing a customised, handmade brooch could completely change your look so why not to join us for a 2-hour brooch making workshop, where you will learn very basic stitching and working with various upcycled fabrics including felt, tweed and tartan scraps. If you prefer to use your own materials or have some pieces of sentimental value you would like to use, you are more than welcome to bring them along. During this workshop, we will also touch on the theory of colours and how they can affect and change our moods. This workshop is led by Anna Baran, a trauma informed designer, artist, and maker based in the north of Edinburgh. She has always drawn inspiration from the sea, with her walks to local beaches, particularly Wardie Bay during the lockdown, becoming not only a source of new ideas for her artistic practice but also a way to gather materials such as driftwood, pieces of plastic ropes, and seashells. Anna has consistently sought to incorporate upcycled materials into her art, using her work to raise environmental awareness and promote art as an accessible medium for self-expression, regardless of financial circumstances. In addition to participating in various art exhibitions and fashion-related events, she has delivered a wide range of art and craft workshops to diverse communities across Edinburgh. This FREE workshop is for Adults women only and is sponsored by CORRA and HENRY DUNCAN GRANTS By attending this class you release Anna Baran, Giada Gaslini and Art and Spirituality Cic, from any liability arising out of any personal injuries, emotional or physical release, death, physical reaction, expectations of results, theft in the venue or damages that may happen to people and objects while attending. Pictures will be taken during the workshop, if you prefer not to be in them, please inform the teacher.
Phoenix pottery and Art Studio is an Artist owned studio, offering pottery and art/craft classes in Cheshire. We have a range of pottery classes and ceramic art workshops, for beginners to experienced. We are close to the towns of Warrington, Wigan, St Helens and cities of Liverpool and Manchester . With easy motorway access from, M6 , M62 and East Lancs Rd.