'Life in Seasons' embroidery retreat with Nicola Jarvis in the Cotswolds, 1st - 7th June 2025

Accommodation ( single or double occupancy bedrooms available).

Meals (delicious meals cooked by the culinary team at the hotel).

Excursions, including entrance fees and transport on our excursion.

Stitching work room with tables, chairs, trestle frames and magnifying lamps.

Travel to Stratton House Hotel 

Travel Insurance

Beverages

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

Tutors kits

Travel by Airplane
For guests who come from further afield we suggest arriving at London Heathrow airport and take a train to Swindon train station. Alternatively you can fly to Birmingham international airport and then take the train to Cheltenham Spa train station.

Travel by Train
For those guests who prefer not to fly or drive, we will be operating a shuttle service from the 2 nearest main line train stations. (Swindon on the Great Western Line and Cheltenham Spa on the Cross Country Line).

Travel by Car
If you would like to travel by car, the hotel address is below:

Stratton House Hotel & Spa, Stratton, Cirencester, GL72LE

​TEL: 0044 1285 651761

Stratton House Hotel & Spa

This independent, family-owned Country House Hotel is located on the outskirts of the market town of Cirencester, and offers 43 stylish en-suite bedrooms, a function suite "The Stratton", sophisticated Garden Restaurant boasting views over our private walled gardens, traditional Oak Bar plus the opportunity to relax and unwind in our award winning Spa offering a range of Spa experiences and treatments.

With onsite parking (including E-charging points), easy transport links and just a gentle 10 minute stroll into Cirencester, you can escape from it all in our haven of relaxation and quiet whilst being just a short distance from all that the area has to offer.

Please bring the following:

• Slippers to wear for your comfort
• Sun glasses
• Camera
• Your class equipment (scissors etc)
• Travel adapters
• Closed shoes for walking
• Waterproof jacket

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.

Inspired by the changing seasons in the English countryside, Nicola will guide you through a selection of her beautiful embroidered animal projects from her recently published and popular book ‘Life in Seasons’ Volume One.

You will be able to choose from the compelling 'Stoneleigh Badger’, the ornate 'Milverton Mallard', or the stunning ‘Avonlea Moth’. All three projects are printed in full colour on the fabric ground and embellished with a range of crewel work, surface stitches and decorative details. A wide variety of wool, cotton, silk and metallic threads, beads and sequins are worked on linen and cotton satin grounds.

All the stitches and techniques that feature in each project will be covered over the week, so that you will be able to finish your design independently after the retreat activity. Nicola will support you through the learning involved in each project with the patience, knowledge and good humour that she has become known for.

PROJECTS

• Stoneleigh Badger
• Milverton Mallard
• Avonlea Moth

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 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, 55 Westfield Avenue, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5AA, United Kingdom 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.