A day in the life…

Melinda Nicholds-Brown
7 days ago
2 min read

The kettle and the heaters are usually on before anything else happens. I function mostly on a tea drip, intermittently switching it up to a little Espresso with a soupçon of frothy milk (what’s that called?!) Em prefers an Earl Grey tea (not too much milk) or a Flat White - either must come with a lump of sugar. There’s something rather lovely about those few moments before everyone arrives. You are imagining us sat staring out at the beautiful field with our warm mugs of tea in hand - Urgh!! Not so much. We are usually running around switching on fairy lights, closhing up the cakes and making our little loo look and smell delightful. Emma is probably multitasking by answering emails and customer calls, while I figure out why the music isn't playing and how to make sure nobody treads in chicken poop on their way to the studio.

Guests arrive with a mixture of excitement and “I’m not very creative, you know.” (We hear that one a lot) Within minutes, there’s laughter, places taken at the big tables, tea served in pretty tea sets or frothy coffees steaming away as the gentle rhythm of making begins.

Workshops here aren’t about perfection. They’re about slowing down. About trying something new. About discovering that, actually, you can paint a hare, throw a pot, glitter your Doc Martens, make a wreath — especially when someone patient and quietly brilliant is guiding you.

By mid-morning, the studio hums. Brushes swish. Clay turns. Ideas unfold. Someone always says, “Oh I didn’t expect it to look like that!” — and they mean it in the best possible way.

And then, of course, there’s cake. Always cake. Freshly baked, generously sliced, and served with the firm belief that creative effort deserves proper sustenance. Towards the end, there may even be a small celebratory glass of something sparkling.

By the time the aprons come off, something has shifted. People leave lighter. A little prouder. Carrying something they’ve made with their own hands. My favourite thing when guests first arrive is the "Wow - it's sooooo pretty", but I love it even more when they return and say "Oh yes - back in my happy place".

Do you love your job? Even if it takes up all of your waking moments. Does it fill you with a sense of pride and achievement? Mine does and I know it does for Emma too. We might not yet have achieved crafting world domination, but without a doubt, we are building something that brings joy to others and a little bit of a smile to everyone who passes through our doors.

I must get on and set up for Painswick, where we are delivering a session for a group of 14 lovely ladies on a wellbeing walking retreat before hurrying back to be all fancy and go to the ‘Complete works of Shakespeare’ at the Chipping Norton Theatre tonight.

Risotto, fresh green salad and sourdough bread are all on the menu in the studio tomorrow for a day of Mosaic amongst other things, and I think Toffee, Lemon drizzle and Cherry/coconut flapjacks are all on the cake menu.