Hello from Larkswold

Been a while - sorry!

So how have you been? We had our joint 50th Birthday party (Emma was 50 earlier in the year... I am still very young, so not 50 until November). Emma has been on a lovely Ibiza holibobs, and my daughter Jo seems to be sucking up all the holiday options, in Barcelona, next stop Vienna and Budapest; a few days in London finished off before Uni with a week in the Dordogne!

The Larkswold studio is full of wonderful guests today doing either our very popular Fruity jug painting, block printing or candle making. Everyone is happy and enjoying a little Friday me time with breakfast cake (renamed by myself to make sure people feel happy to eat cake from the moment they arrive) combined with our speedy candle maker who has just had their breakfast bubbly!

I would like to talk about the state of the States but I think it is better I keep to safer subjects like how am I going to stop my boy ducks bonking my new ducks Gloria and Guy? Surely they are bored of it all now and need to just chill out?

We have also had Nathan from The Cotswold school with us this week doing his year 10 work experience. He wrote a few words for the blog to share his experience:

For my week of work experience, I signed up to help Larkswold. Judging by Larkswold’s very visual and welcoming website, I expected large amounts of new creative mediums to try and learn about, a perfect learning curve for someone like me interested in Art and Design. Larkswold offered me so much more than just that experience; I learnt the importance of this crafty business is far more than just sitting down and making something, but also understanding your workplace better and creating a better atmosphere for those around you: a crucial thing to have nowadays. Larkswold also taught me the importance of communication and partnerships with other businesses to help create something positive. Larkswold also taught me the work and ambition it takes to run a small business and the incredible impact it can have positively. I have enjoyed every day I have worked in Larkswold and I have been very welcomed by Emma and Melinda. I feel like I have really experienced so much knowledge about small business and the power of it in our community.

So I think he enjoyed it :-)

We start at Birdland next week and will be there every Tuesday for face painting and every Wednesday for crafting if you fancy a day out in Bourton on the Water. Whether you're creating bird-print clay pendants, block-printing bags, or wool-wrapped flamingoes, you and your little people are sure to have fun.

Book online to save money: Birdland

This week has also been all about the willow. Clare from Warwickshire Willow has been helping our guests create willow sculptures and weaving baskets. We have also delivered three giant 1.5m long willow birds to Bicester village as part of their Flights of fancy display.