Lampshade Making with Katrina de Toney of Lampshade Parade on Thursday 25th May. During this 3-½ hour course you will learn how to make your very own 30cm drum lampshade to take home with you. All the tips and skills that you acquire on the day will enable you to confidently recreate the steps at home to make more lampshades as and when you wish.
Katrina will provide all tools, equipment and materials required to make your drum lampshade.
The course is suitable for complete beginners as all steps will be carefully explained and demonstrated, along with all the short cuts, finer techniques and advice that will take your lampshade from amateur to professional!
This course accommodates 10 people.
On this workshop, gardener, author, broadcaster and Chelsea Flower Show exhibitor, Julia Parker will guide you through how, where and when to plant French climbing beans and Dwarf French beans, Fennel, Beetroot, Broccoli for the winter, Carrots and Salads to grow through to September along with how to keep a seasonal supply of Herbs throughout the year.
All this with a heavy sprinkling of Julia’s vast knowledge, top tips and handy sustainable gardening know hows. This will be an interactive workshop, so please do bring an apron and or thin gardening gloves if you would like.
Please arrive at 9.45am for a 10am start.
This course accommodates 10 people.
Find out more about Julia Parker and the other workshop leaders.
During your workshop, Hayley Farrelly, from Bramley Pottery, will take you through the process of making two beautiful slab-built jugs with a patterned exterior and handle.
Once your jugs have dried she will fire them in her kiln and then glaze them for you in a celadon colour of your choice.
These gorgeous jugs are multi-purpose; the glaze is food safe so can be used for serving milk or cream or use them as vases with a posy of flowers.
The pottery journey takes time, so expect to wait up to a month after the workshop to receive your pieces as this will allow time for them to dry, to be bisque fired, glazed and re-fired.
Once finished they can be collected from her studio in Ballinger, or they can be sent in the post.
Make sure you bring an apron and messy clothing to the workshop, Hayley will provide all the tools you need to make your pottery.
This course accommodates 10 people.
Find out more about Hayley Farrelly and the other workshop leaders.
Perhaps you have an event coming up or just want to learn a new and uncommon skill, this is a fantastic opportunity to create a beautiful hairpiece for yourself using millinery techniques.
Ellie Vandenbrekel of Ellie Vandenbrekel Millinery will take you through the process of designing and creating your very own, beautifully stylish headband, similar to the one pictured but of your own composition. Ellie has been working in millinery for 15 years, opening her own studio in 2016. She recently spent a year developing her craft in the Katherine Elizabeth Millinery Academy.
During this session you will be learning to work with silk abaca and how to create different shapes with this luxury millinery fabric which will adorn a padded velvet headband.
Pre-order your chosen velvet headband and abaca colours from the options provided. Beads, pearls and crystals in a wide array of colours will be available on the day.
Sewing skills are essential, as couture millinery is always sewn by hand. All materials will be provided (including a box to take your finished masterpiece home with you) but you may wish to bring an apron to protect your clothes
This course accommodates 8 people.
Find out more about Ellie Vandenbrekel and the other workshop leaders.
During your workshop, Hayley Farrelly, from Bramley Pottery, will take you through the process of making a matching pair of bowls in two different sizes with a patterned interior and decorative rim.
Once your bowls have dried she will fire them in her kiln and then glaze them for you in a celadon colour of your choice.
The bowls can be enjoyed every day; the glaze is food safe so can be used for serving food.
The pottery journey takes time, so expect to wait up to a month after the workshop to receive your pieces as this will allow time for them to dry, to be bisque fired, glazed and re-fired.
Once finished, your pottery can be collected from her studio in Ballinger, or they can be sent in the post.
Please bring an apron to the workshop and Hayley will provide all the tools you need to make your pottery pieces.
This course accommodates 6 people.
Find out more about Hayley Farrelly and the other workshop leaders.
Whether the place where you live is a mansion or a studio flat it is your ‘castle’, your anchor and your life under one roof. But does it currently feel like a place of welcome and comfort or more a functional collection of furniture?!
This short course, run by Charlotte Reynolds, aims to give a fun and informal introduction to Interior Decoration. Learn the principles of making the most of the space you have.
There will be a practical workshop putting together a sample/colour board for a fictional client.
Bring a photograph (if you would like!) of a room or area of your house that you feel doesn’t ‘work’, for discussion during the morning.
Refreshments, goody bags and all materials will be provided.
This course accommodates 5 people.
Find out more about Charlotte Reynolds and the other workshop leaders.
Perhaps you have an event coming up or just want to learn a new and uncommon skill, this is a fantastic opportunity to create a beautiful hairpiece for yourself.
With over 15 years’ experience in millinery, Ellie Vandenbrekel of Ellie Vandenbrekel Millinery will take you through the process of designing and creating your very own, unique fascinator, similar to the one pictured but of your own composition.
During this session you will be making a teardrop headband fascinator; you will learn how to plan a design, how to work with a staple millinery fabric – sinamay, how to curl feathers and position embellishments and, finally, how to bring it all together.
Pre-order your base and ribbon colour – adornment and embellishments will be available on the day in an array of matching and complementary colours.
Sewing skills are essential, as couture millinery is always sewn by hand. All materials will be provided (including a box to take your finished masterpiece home with you) but you may wish to bring an apron to protect your clothes.
This course accommodates 8 people.
Find out more about Ellie Vandenbrekel and the other workshop leaders.
Floral Workshop on Tuesday 9th May and will be run by Gill Booker a Constance Spry trained florist and City and Guild’s Gold Medal of Excellence Winner, who has taught at Missenden Abbey and runs her own Bespoke Floristry business.
The course will start at 10am and run until 1pm. Starting with coffee and cake, you will make a table centre piece which you can take home at the end of the morning. All participants will also receive a goody bag and there will be a chance to browse the Studio Shop at the end of the morning.
All materials, containers, flowers and greenery will be included in the price along with refreshments throughout the morning. Booking and payment, by bank transfer, must be made ahead of the date.
The studio is based in the heart of the Chilterns, with fabulous views across the Pednor Valley. It is a light and airy venue with easy step free access and plenty of parking.
This course accommodates 10 people.
Learn the importance of the psychology of colour and how it affects our decorating choices.
Charlotte Reynolds, from Studio Portobello, will start the morning with a presentation showing how you can introduce and incorporate colour, pattern and texture to ultimately enhance your interiors and to ensure happy and harmonious living.
This is followed by questions and a general discussion session and ends with a hands on practical workshop where you can explore mood boarding.
Clare Sterland
What a lovely way to spend a few hours! Katrina guided us calmly through the morning and ensured we left proudly brandishing our handmade lampshades. Thank you for arranging a fantastic course Charlotte and for the delicious cakes and tea and coffee to keep us going. I will be back.