Embroidery with Alison Cole in Tuscany, 3rd - 10th May 2025

Airport Transfers

Accommodation (single or double occupancy bedrooms available) 

Meals (delicious meals cooked by Italian chef)

Excursions, including entrance fees and transport to Pisa

Stitching work room with tables, chairs and magnifying lamps

Tuition fees (except kits)

Travel to Hotel Villa La Principessa

Travel Insurance

Meals away from the villa (1 Lunch & 1 Dinner)

Beverages

Kits purchased from tutor

Travel by Airplane
If you want to fly, please take an airplane to Pisa International Airport.

Travel by Train 
If you want to travel by train, please arrive at the Pisa train station in Tuscany.

Travel by Car 
If you would like to travel by car the address of Hotel Villa La Principessa is below:

Via Nuova per Pisa, 1798, 55100 Lucca LU, Italy

Please bring the following:

• Slippers to wear for your comfort
• Sun cream
• Sun glasses
• Hat
• Bathing suit (for swimming pool)
• Camera
• Your class equipment (scissors etc)
• Travel adapters
• Closed shoes for walking
• Light waterproof jacket

To join this holiday, you must be mobile enough to walk stairs at the villa and the pool side. 

If you have any severe medical conditions and certain disabilities, please contact us before you make the booking and we can help you to discuss your needs. 

Alison is presenting a class in Goldwork and Stumpwork with a selection of projects ranging from traditional designs through to more contemporary pieces. She will have some other project kits with her that you will be welcome to start in class.

Project descriptions:

Turquoise Dragon – The Monument Valley Wyven

This piece is a visually exciting leap into an embroidery featuring Stumpwork, Goldwork and mixed media techniques. With some painting and lots of stitching, this piece has lots of techniques and different threads for you to enjoy! Embroidered in gilt and copper metal threads along with turquoise stones, silks and specialty threads.

Tree of Life

A more traditional design with lots of techniques and threads to play with! Worked in shades of purple, green and gold, this triad of colour takes it’s inspiration from paua shell – which is included in the design’s components.

Shades of Blue

Another traditional Jacobean design but this time, a much smaller design which still features a wide range of threads and techniques for you to embroider. It’s a sampler in disguise.

Flight From Tuscany

A smaller design featuring both wired and wireless Stumpwork inspired by my trip to Italy in 2010. The piece is worked in Colourstreams silks and gilt metal threads and is highlighted with French vintage metal sequins, paillettes and garnets.

Roses and Old Lace

Goldwork and Stumpwork techniques highlighted with a beautiful piece of antique French lace, embroidered in French silks and gilt metal threads.

Illuminated Floral

A diminutive 12cm square holds 68 detached elements – embroidered on a hand painted background and featuring Goldwork highlights, this little design is inspired by an illuminated book of hours in the National Gallery of Victoria’s collection.

Cancellation shall take effect only when Creative Experiences receives written notification from the person confirming the booking. All correspondence should be addressed to Creative Experiences, 55 Westfield Avenue, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5AA, UK or by email to info@creative-experiences. In all cases of cancellation, the deposit forfeit. The following cancellation fees expressed, as a percentage of the total holiday cost, will become immediately payable to Creative Experiences.

Cancellation charge:

Cancellation within 8 weeks; 40% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 7 weeks; 60% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 6 weeks; 80% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 4 weeks; 100% of holiday cost payable

Deposits

For any holiday, we require a non-refundable deposit of 20% of holiday cost. If your deposit payment is not received within 7 days, the holiday may be offered to other interested parties.

Payment of holiday cost

The balance of your holiday cost must be settled 8 weeks prior to the commencement date of your holiday. If your holiday booking is made within 8 weeks of commencement, payment must be made in full immediately on booking. If payments are not made in accordance to this schedule, bookings will be treated as cancellations and deposits will not be refunded.

Insurance

Every person for whom a holiday is booked with Creative Experiences must have adequate insurance cover and must be able to show us proof of insurance upon request.

Cancellation by the client

Cancellation shall take effect only when Creative Experiences receives written notification from the person confirming the booking. All correspondence should be addressed to Creative Experiences, 380C Route des Feux, Les Carroz d’Araches, 74300 Cluses or by email to info@creative-experiences. In all cases of cancellation, the deposit forfeit. The following cancellation fees expressed, as a percentage of the total holiday cost, will become immediately payable to Creative Experiences.

Cancellation charge:

Cancellation within 8 weeks; 40% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 7 weeks; 60% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 6 weeks; 80% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 4 weeks; 100% of holiday cost payable

Alteration by Creative Experiences

If in the unlikely event that there have to be any alteration made by Creative Experiences, we will notify you as soon as possible and offer you one of the following options.

1. I) To accept the new arrangements
2. II) To cancel your holiday and receive a full refund.

We will not be liable for refunding any expenses, which have been occurred as a result of the booking.

Our holidays require a minimum amount of guests to be able to to continue with the holiday. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone the holiday in case the minimum number has not been achieved.

Changes

Should you wish to change your booking, Creative Experiences will endeavour to accommodate any changes subject to any differences in price and availability, but cannot guarantee that changes can be made. Creative Experiences will make an administration charge of £50 for any change in booking. Bookings cannot be changed within 2 weeks of the start of your holiday.

Responsibility

Creative Experiences will not be liable for any loss or damages occurred to any client as a result of:

Any event or circumstance which could have been avoided if the client had taken reasonable care.

Any circumstance or event which Creative Experiences or its suppliers could not have foreseen or prevented even with all due care and attention.

Circumstances out of the reasonable control of Creative Experiences such as strikes, wars, civil or political unrest, quarantine restrictions, terrorism, government actions, natural or nuclear disaster adverse weather conditions including injury or illness to staff thus reducing level of service.

Injury, illness or death due to any activity at any time during your holiday, except where such injury or death is caused by the negligence or fraud of Creative Experiences.

Loss of, theft of or damage to any of your belongings at any time of your holiday, whether within the chalet, in the neighbourhood or otherwise.

Injury, illness or death associated with the consumption of any food or drink we may supply except where such illness, injury or death is caused by the wilful negligence or fraud of Creative Experiences or its directors, officers or employees.

Excursion days

We do not accept responsibility if an artisan or person does not show up or cancels private booked excursion such as walking tours, artisan lessons, cooking lessons, wine tastings etc. Should this situation arise, Creative Experiences will try their very best to book another excursion and find an alternative at no cost to the client.

Our suppliers

Creative Experiences is working with third party suppliers such as hotels, villas, transfer companies and others. We are more than happy to discuss any of your requirements such as food allergies with hotels, specific room allocations, pick and drop off times with transfers companies, however we cannot guarantee that your request can be fulfilled. In case of special client requirements not being accepted by the third party, we will be contacting you at our earliest convenience to let you know.

Complaints and Problems

In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems with your holiday, you must immediately inform the Creative Experiences representative and the supplier of the service(s) in question. Any verbal notification must be put in writing and given to our representative and the supplier as soon as possible. Until we know about a problem or complaint, we cannot begin to solve it. Most problems can be dealt with quickly. If you remain dissatisfied however, you must write to us within 28 days of your return to your home country giving your booking reference and full details of your complaint. We regret we do not accept any liability in relation to any complaint or claim which is not notified entirely in accordance with this clause.

Website Accuracy

Please note that the information and prices shown on this website may have changed by the time you come to book your holiday. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the website and prices, regrettably errors occasionally do occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking. The website is the sole responsibility of Creative Experiences. It is not issued on behalf of and does not commit any independent organization/carriers whose services are featured in it.

Emergency

Creative Experience will provide you with assistance in case of emergency during your holiday with us. We can help you bringing you to health services, working with local authorities and international consulate in case you lost your passport or important papers. 

If you have an emergency because of your own negligence, Creative Experiences may ask you for a fee occurred during the process such as extra transfers, missed bookings with third parties and more. 

Conduct

When you enjoy your holiday with Creative Experiences, you are responsible for any damage or loss caused by you. In case of damage in a hotel or villa (third party supplier), the client has to pay the damage charges directly to the supplier. 

We do reserve the rights to cancel your holiday, in case you put others in danger through your actions, verbal abuse and by causing significant distress to other holiday makers who are joining that group. We do not tolerate violence or abuse in any form to our clients or staff members.