A Day in the Life of Larkswold: Behind the Scenes

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In the beginning

I thought I would write a little about life at Larkswold this week. We have been in existance for five years now and the time feels like it has both flown by and just like yesterday. I still remeber putting up our first set of bunting in the marquee on the field (it was the brand colour co-ordinated strips of fabric). I genuinely look back on our journey with incredible pride and joy - Emma and I took a few things we liked - cake, craft, having a laugh and a glass of bubbly and made it into a business. The road has definitely been bumpy with covid, cost of living crisis, not really knowing what the poop we are doing; but we are both really proud of what we have created.

Now in 2025

Fast forward to September 2025 and we are both a little older and wiser - Ok that’s Em - I stay eternally young but only have cotton wool between my ears! but still - we thought you might be interested to see what a day at Larkswold looks like now.

So many guests say this would be their dream job and what a great enviroment to work in.

In the most part I 100% agree with that, bar cleaning the toilet and working out how to get water to the studio when the pipes freeze etc.

As you can imagine, every day is different - and if it isn't going to be I will of course find a spanner or a genius new idea and pop it into the days schedule. Mondays tend to either be a day of life laundry because we have worked the weekend or an admin day. I strangely like both as they give you that sense of being on top of things - of achieving stuff. Either way, Em and I will probably jump on a FaceTime call to chat about stuff and go through our never ending to-do lists. Emma did highlight this week that she'd rather I didn’t help too much with scheduling 2026 workshops (mostly because it’s like getting a drunk squirrel to do the job) but that I was very talented at convincing her to do these things - she has finally realised I just need a little pat on the back every now and again to keep motivated.

Tuesdays - well they can be anything but this week its trialling loop stuff. I made a batch of salt dough with a dash of cinnamon so they smell nice and autumnal. We are over at a local school supporting their rural crafts programme and I want make Autumnal bunting. We also found out last week that the children could do with having better sewing skills, so Emma is scurrying around getting a little project together for us to deliver that as well.

Eek we also ran a trial session with Lou from Paper Panda- sooooooooooo and some extra ooooo that was so much fun. She is an absolutely brilliant teacher and all round hilarious character and therefore fits in perfectly at Larkswold. Dates for her paper cutting workshop coming soon. Lou has 5 trillion (or something like that) followers over on Facebook so when those dates go live get ready for a bun fight to get them.

Wednesday was ‘act like a professional day’ as we had interviews for our new post to help host in the studio, as well as with offsite stuff. I think I made the perfect impression at the interview where I had been doing a little decoupage so my hands were sticky when we shook hands! Nice. Emma and I agreed that although we managed to convey our crazy old lady personalities really well so they knew what it would really be like to work with us - we haven't yet had anyone retract their application.

Oooo and then we went to the cinema with friends to see the new Downton Abbey film. Oh to be born in that era with a stately home and great fashion sense - and the family money to go with it!

Thursday - A little block printing and a chance to play with the new Autumnal and Halloween blocks. I did sign off with Emma which new blocks to buy...admitedly she’d vetoed the snakes and the skulls, and I bought them anyway - but in general we do work very well as a team that listens to each other and takes each others opinions into account! Then a few more interviews which we came away feeling quite inferior because people are so talented these days - and capable.

Friday and today is a few more interviews and hopefully enough time to go check out the craft fair at Daylesford. My intention is to go fully branded and look sulky, because they didn't invite us to come and do anything. I am not bitter or disappointed, or jealous or ....I think you get the picture. We are then at Kitebrook for our rural craft fun. I think the decision to not follow a career as a school teacher was the right decision for me. All the looking stern and using the face that says 'don't move towards covering your body in pva glue or I shall have to be very shouty' doesn't come naturally to me! It amazes me how so many of them are so well behaved and mature - as you might have guessed - at that age I was the one experimenting with the pva thing.

Then it’s the weekend. The main event. My favourite time really. When you guys all come to the studio and we serve lovely cake and chat about stuff. There is a March Hare workshop (3 places left which literally never happens) and Resin going on. Yes I will have to clean the toilet but I can also laugh at how Noisy the cockerel will interupt the tutors with his loud cockodoodling and one of the ugly sisters (Mrs Howe or Karen) will try to come and join us in the studio - but we will always have a laugh and hopefully create some great memories for our guests.

Emma will be at the dog day being held at the amazing Red Lion pub in long Compton to do a little block printing. https://redlion-longcompton.co.uk/dog-day/

I hear you - thats enough rambling for one week. Enjoy your weekend and don't forget to do the poll to tell us what things you would like to hear about by email in the future. The Blog lives on as it is… for now!

Bye!

Melinda x