Artistically, Bridport is to Dorset what St Ives is to Cornwall minus the Tate Gallery! The Town and local area has lots to offer and a good place to browse the many galleries and shops, and of course the busy Market Days too. Bridport Open Studios event is held on May and August Bank Holiday weekends and features the work of many local artists, potters and makers of furniture and fashion. The Bridport Arts Centre has a varied programme of visual arts as well as  great music, drama and dance performances and the Electric Palace which has been restored and re-opened offers a wide range of films and social events with bar and food facilities, which all add to its unique atmosphere. All in all it is a wonderful place to live and a great place to come for a creative holiday as there is something to inspire everyone with the sea, cliffs, harbours, rivers and wonderful landscapes all around. .

 Creative Country Workshops 2013
Get away from the stresses of everyday life! Art is great for relaxation and meeting new people, book early to reserve a place.
Price includes tea, coffee and home-made cake, maybe some sticky toffee pudding or apple cake! 
10.30am- 4.30pm, unless stated. Gift vouchers available and can include a B&B stay. Would you like to be on my email list?

Sat 2nd Feb Felt-making ~ A Wall Hanging ‘Colmers in Winter’ ~ Dennie Rose 
Wet felting is such fun & for all levels, creating fabric from fleece. Come and make a beautiful wall hanging with inlaid techniques and inspired by Comers Hill, our iconic view. £38 +materials supplied at cost approx £7.50 pay tutor on the day. http://www.dennierose.co.uk

Wed 13th or Sat 16th Feb HATS with Style~ with local milliner Fiona Neylan, as seen at Bridport Hat Fest
With the help and guidance of Fiona create a unique hat that fits! Quality felt hat, blocked & finished the traditional way, and completed by adding feathers, buttons, bows, ribbons, your choice. £50, +approx £15 for materials and basic hat in wool felt or fur felt. 10am – 4pm

Sat 23rd February Traditional Rag Rugs, we love making rag rugs with Tania!
Well, here’s your chance to have a go at rug-making ! Create a small colourful rug or wall hanging learning traditional techniques with updated ideas which will enable to continue at home £35, + £5 towards materials payable to tutor. Option to buy hook.

Sat 9th March Felt-making ~ Fabulous floaty Nuno Scarves ~ Dennie Rose
A felting treat with excellent tutor Dennie, we incorporate fibres into chiffon to create beautiful individual scarves and complete with stitching and beading to create a stunning scarf. £38, +materials supplied at cost approx £7.50 pay tutor on the day.

Thurs 21st& Sat 23rd March. Teepees and Bumble bees ~ Jenny ‘Willow’
For the gardeners……come and learn how to create a willow wigwam for your climbing plants decorated with a bee or butterfly, learning a new technique with willow. £40 (+£5 for materials payable to tutor) 

Sat 20th April Dorset Coppice Group…Open day at Bonsley Woods…www.dorsetcoppicegroup.co.uk

Sat 13th& 14th April Hazelwood Garden Furniture ~ Peter Moors 10am start
This two-day workshop gives you the opportunity to try your hand at furniture-making the old-fashioned way. Inspired and guided by green woodman Peter Moors, it’s a physical course and participants should be reasonably fit but no prior knowledge is required. 
£90, plus approx £15 for wood used.

Sat 4th May Walking sticks, come and make your own ~ Peter Snelson. 
The selection of a suitable ‘shank’, basic preparation and straightening, finishing techniques and instruction on how to make a two-piece stick and you should be able to complete one if not two sticks during the day workshop. £45 materials/tools included.

Sat 18th May Felt-making ~ A Wall Hanging ‘The Bluebells Woods’ ~ Dennie Rose
Wet felting is such fun & for all levels, creating fabric from fleece. Come and make a beautiful wall hanging with inlaid techniques £38 +materials supplied at cost approx £7.50 pay tutor on the day.

1st June Baskets, the traditional way, and Willow Sculpture Day ~ Andy Southwell
Relax and enjoy working with natural willow. Andy Southall is a kind and patient tutor with years of knowledge and we keep asking him back! Everyone is always delighted with the day and you get to take home a beautiful willow basket or sculpture. £45 plus £5 for willow payable to tutor.

Sat 22nd June Felt-making ~ A Wall Hanging “Come into my garden” ~ Dennie Rose
Wet felting is such fun & for all levels, creating fabric from fleece. Come and make a beautiful wall hanging with inlaid techniques £38 +materials supplied at cost approx £7.50 pay tutor on the day

Sat 29th June Creative textiles ~ Introduction to shibori and indigo dyeing ~ Annabel Wilson 
The process of dyeing with indigo is magical! Learn to stitch and manipulate fabric to resist the dye, take home an attractive cushion or bag. Relaxed and friendly. Annabel is an expert guide to the art of shibori and all things creative. £45 incl materials www.townhillstudio.co.uk

13th July HONEY…lots of ideas and things to do with honey~ Tania Cash 
Nature’s gold… antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. A truly indulgent day! Create gorgeous beauty preparations and experiment with honey tasting, remedies, learn about its healing, smoothing properties . £40 materials incl

Sat 20th & 21st July Hazelwood Garden Furniture ~ Peter Moors  10am start
This two-day workshop gives you the opportunity to try your hand at furniture-making the old-fashioned way. Inspired and guided by green woodman Peter Moors, it’s a physical course and participants should be reasonably fit but no prior knowledge is required. £90, plus approx £15 for wood used.

Sat 17th Aug More Walking sticks, come and make your own ~ Peter Snelson. 
The selection of a suitable ‘shank’, basic preparation and straightening, finishing techniques and instruction on how to make a two-piece stick and you should be able to complete one if not two sticks during the day workshop. £45 materials/tools included.

Sat 14th Sept Baskets, the traditional way, and Willow Sculpture Day ~ Andy Southwell. 
Relax and enjoy working with natural willow. Andy Southall is a kind and patient tutor with years of knowledge and we keep asking him back! Everyone is always delighted with the day and you get to take home a beautiful willow basket or sculpture. £45 plus £5 for willow payable to tutor.

Sat 5th Oct Felt-making ~ Fabulous floaty Nuno Scarves ~ Dennie Rose
Another felting treat with excellent tutor Dennie. Learn the ancient techniques of felting and Incorporate fibres into chiffon to create beautifully stunning and individual scarves. £38. +materials supplied at cost approx £7.50 pay tutor on the day.

Sat 26th Oct Something Willowy for Christmas?_____Jenny ‘Willow’
Local lady who creates and sells bumble bees, dragonflies, snails and much more, she has come up with some festive designs and ideas for your home and xmas tree all woven in natural local willow. £35 (+£5 for materials payable to tutor)

Sunday 24th November Eype Christmas Makers MARKET 10-4pm. New Venue Highlands End.
For info or to book a stall phone 01308 424321 or e-mail me  eypemakersmarket@gmail.com

CHARITY WORKSHOP - Christmas Wreaths again! 
Sat 14th Dec Xmas Wreaths £10pp to incl demonstration, lunch, ring and moss. 2 sessions from 10 - 1pm, & 2-5pm
Ring or email me early to book a place, or order a Home-made Charity Wreath £10 each. 01308 424321.
As always a fun time together with mince pies, warm punch and carols. Use the space to make a mess!
The idea is that you make one wreath to take home, and another one for me to sell. Also helpers needed on Sunday 15th Dec?
Last year we raised an amazing £1601 from the xmas wreaths, well done and thanks to everyone for their support.

How about a pottery session with our local potters, try your hand on the potter wheel, coiled pots and more. 
Can easily be arranged for 2-5 people and its fun! Pottery £25 for a morning/ afternoon session or try your hand at Metalcraft….with local female Artist Blacksmith, Colleen. She has a nearby workshop forging with hand, hammer and anvil to create functional items and beautiful sculptures. Join her for a workshop, small group 2-3 people.

Special Workshops arranged just for you. We’ve excellent tutors who are here to help and guide, it’s a super social day out and you’ll get to make something nice to take home. Choose a date to suit, gather a group together of 6-10, and if it's a special occasion I’ll happily cater for lunch.

More ideas:
Fibre Felting, seascapes~nuno scarves~flowers corsages~poppies and seed heads
Needle-felting. Willow tepees for the garden
Gypsy Hedgerow Baskets~ Traditional Willow Basket-making 
Textiles~Rag Rugs ~ silk bowls~ advent calendars, soap & bath bombs, candles
Tribal art & fairy sculptures. Wire Sculptures
Shibori textiles and dying
Stylish Hats! 
Flower Arranging~Wedding Buttonholes/hand-tied posies
Art – watercolours~botanical painting & sketching
Aga Cookery 
Wire/beaded Jewellery. 
Creative Writing.

  Coarse Fishing Lessons

The workshops have brought many lovely people through our doors and I hope you all enjoyed taking time out to be creative!
We can all be creative; you just need excellent tutors and my thanks to the tutors for their inspiration, guidance and patience!
Warm regards Pauline.

Workshop Feedback
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Rag Rugs
10 eager looking ladies arrived for Rag Rugging Workshop and gathered around the large dining table. Led and guided by expert textile tutor Angela Axeby. They were shown wonderfully unique samples woven by Angela  herself and taught techniques to weave old defunct garments into interesting and useable rugs.  Colourful assorted pieces of materials adorned the tables, with bits all over the floor!  There was a real community atmosphere and the opportunity to meet new people and exchanges news and views while rag-rugging.  It was busy and buzzy with the ladies all working extremely hard, they enjoyed a break for a nice home cooked lunch and then all completed their starter rug.  When these were all put together they achieved a super colourful carpet and we hope everyone went home happy and will be inspired to do more.  Pauline

Willow Sculptures

Hi Pauline, Just to let you know I'm the proud owner of a willow dome (started off as a tee pee!) constructed last weekend, all my own work! The kids love it, am hoping it will start to sprout soon, Best wishes  Lisa

 

Floral buttonholes and hand tied posies 

We spent a very wet and windy Saturday making wedding buttonholes around the kitchen table by the warmth of the aga.  Lots of wedding talk and with the helpful guidance from tutor Sylvia we made a wonderful variety corsage to brighten any wedding outfit.  Midday cooked brunch followed with a demonstration of how to make beautiful hand-tied posies which made wonderful Easter gifts. This was a small friendly group and a very productive day was had by all.  So at the next wedding, no excuses, hand-made buttonholes! 

 

Creative felt-making

Just a note to thank you and John for providing lovely food, setting and atmosphere for the day, it was great. Kind regards,  Chris 

 

Willow Sculptures for the garden
Thank you for a lovely day yesterday; we had a super journey home and hey - Dilys and Dennis look great on the lawn!  We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and actually feel chuffed to bits with our achievement.  Pauline & Peter.

 

We had a wonderful day thank you. Attitude the swan now guards my back garden. Jackie

Rustic Hazelwood Furniture
Review - at last!   Pauline - just to let you know what an enjoyable weekend the 'rustic hazelwood furniture has been'. With expert tuition from Peter I have made the most exquisite 2-seater garden bench, which is already the talk of the village - much admired by friends and neighbours. In fact three of them now want to do the same course - so please can you ask Peter to do another one in the autumn. I'd like to do it again too and make something else!
I've done five of your workshops now and each one has been really good; all the tutors have been first class and I've learnt some brilliant new skills.  Highway Farm is such a friendly, welcoming place - I'd recommend it to anyone!   Jill Turner
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Basket-making

Thanks Pauline for arranging the day and for the delicious lunch. I thoroughly enjoyed the day and I think my husband was 'impressed' with the results of my efforts.   Andy is a good tutor and I think the group kept him busy all day - I hope he was not too exhausted.   It must be tiring when seven people are working on  various projects and working at different speeds.  Do thank him as it was an excellent day.

 

I think everyone got something out of the course;  it is all too easy to stay within ones comfort zone, but to step outside that is stimulating and rewarding in so many ways.  Maggie

Felted Nuno scarves
Dear Pauline,  What a great day in a splendid setting!  The best 'one' day I've had for ages!  Jo

 

 

                                                                                                     

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From Jill Innis: "Just a note to say thanks for such a lovely weekend. I thought the idea of an art package with bed and breakfast was wonderful - and would be grateful if you could let me know when you are having another one. I just feel the package would be of interest to any one interested in art as its basically a short stay - you have two nights away - and several sessions of art tuition as well as supper with you, John and Michael which all helped to make it special. I really enjoyed my time with Michael - just thought he was inspiring, just what you need when you are trying to paint. Anywhere I go where I come into contact with other art people I will spread the word and give out your cards where possible."