Wild swimming & last minute places?
- Melinda Nicholds-Brown
- Mar 14
- 4 min read
Emma and I aren’t just business partners, we are friends too. And as friends do, we took our dogs for a little walk yesterday around the field near the studio. Unfortunately I own a defective hound who managed to get herself stuck on the wrong side of the river. After much cajoling and support from Emma’s dog Oti who jumped in to show my div head how to get back on the right side I had no choice but to get in the river myself.
Lucky for me Emma always has her phone ready to capture great content for our socials - and she certainly didn't let us down on this occasion!
Always one to find the positive in a situation I can share that it was chuffing cold, but just like wild swimming - once you get out you feel a huge sense of achievement and euphoria (probably driven by a near-death experience of hyperthermia)
Stop press - super last minute places!
We always try to help if you can't make a workshop you've booked, but it's just not always possible, especially if it's last minute. This week we had a call from a guest who had suffered a devastating house fire and (understandably) can't now come away for the weekend to the Cotswolds. This means we are trying to fill 2 places on Saturday 15th March 2-5pm on our Ceramic Hare Workshop so we can reschedule them onto another date.
To sweeten the deal we are offering 10% off those 2 places, so instead of £95pp it will be £85.50. If you'd like to join us and help both us and our guests who've had pretty bad luck then do jump up and book on here
Use the Promo Code: Hare10% at Checkout to receive your discount.
To inspire you here is a 'husk' of hares made by staff at Reed Business School!
We also popped into Stow for a coffee and chat with our lovely accountant Hannah this week. It was Tuesday when someone switched the weather to poop after it had be super lovely over the weekend. I decided that a hot chocolate in a nice warm coffee shop was preferable and probably more cost effective than switching all the heating on in the studio for a 1hr meeting. Well it ended up being longer than an hour because we kept seeing people we knew who stopped to chat and then a quick look round a few shops, the library and the fudge shop!
The good news is that Hannah is a great accountant and got us all fired up about world domination and making a small profit.
Other stuff: We spoke with Lucy from Park Fair earlier in the week about running a programme of workshops at this years event https://parkfair.uk/. If you’re a yummy mummy looking for a family-friendly festival 20th-22nd June then get booking. At £21 for an adult and about £5 for small people it won’t break the bank and heck, Emma met Caleb from Clarkson’s Farm fame there last year!
Did you see Emma's fingerless gloves? She knocked them up over Christmas after being inspired when Mode at Rowan came calling…
The dates have now gone live for our two very special Mode by Rowan wool workshops. As you would expect, I shall probably be joining the beginner's session and Emma, the fancy pants development group. Either way one or both of us will be about to shower you with loveliness, refreshments and a delicious lunch.
The sessions are being promoted on our website first so that Larkswold peeps get the first chance to book before they are launched on the Rowan site later next week.
Sunday 27th April
Join us for a knitting workshop to refresh your knitting skills or learn some of the basics. Come away with an enhanced skill you can use at home for life. Perfect for creating beautiful knits and gifts. Hosted by MODE at Rowan, this is Rowan’s new sub-brand, focussing on essential hand knitwear, that is timeless and crafted with ease. Designed in a sumptuous range of natural fibre yarns, and inspiring, curated colour palette. The yarns are super soft and colours are carefully chosen to give you plenty of choice.
Weds 30th April
Our second day of knitting heaven (for more experienced knitters)
Under the tuition of expert knitters and MODE at Rowan designers Emma and Georgina Brant you will learn some advanced knitting techniques including cable stitching. During the course you will learn how to knit the beautiful Highoak & Isle hat and scarf set by MODE at Rowan, using the pattern, yarns and Rowan knitting needles provided in your kit, all packaged in an exclusive MODE Project bag for crafting on the move.
We are now fully booked for the two Kate from Essoldo Watercolour workshops in April - but do not fear, we are working on two more to go ahead in October.
We had our first Ceramic House workshop last Sunday and quite frankly - the guests were super show-offs with absolutely amazing architectural details. I think I love this workshop as much if not more than the Hares!
But all their hard work paid off and we selected a beautiful shot to use on the new banner going up next week at the end of the drive.
We probably did a lot of other things during that time, but I can’t remember all of them. Oh, yes! We hosted a lovely group of ladies from New York on a trip organised by Visit Britain, focused on showcasing attractions related to Jane Austen. One of the ladies, Brekke, is a journalist from Lonely Planet, so I have high hopes that we will become an undiscovered gem in the next edition of the Cotswolds guidebooks.
Enjoy your weekend, whatever you may be up to.
Melinda
Absolutely brilliantly funny….you mad woman!