Happy Guests = Happy Us

The classes were so interesting and Anna's encouragement spurred me on to improve. Although I did not do the planned class project, Anna gave equal attention to me and taught so many new stitches with lots of tips on how to perfect my work. Her approach was kind and the instructions were clear. We were allowed to film her demonstrations of how to work the stitches and this was exceptionally useful at home once our course week was over. Anna looked after her students too, urging a regular break to rest our eyes and backs from the work. When I returned home, I kept trying to work meticulously in the way Anna taught us and when I finished The Mountain Oak three months later, I could honestly say it is the best piece of work I have ever done. Thank you Anna for all the attention and instruction you gave us so that we were each able to achieve our potential. A truly wonderful experience!

A wonderful week of workshops with a wonderful tutor. Heather is a very calm, patient, talented tutor. Her designs are stunning, challenging, but so achievable. She openly helps you to think out of the box both with the piece you are working on and with colour. I am looking forward to next year can't wait. 

I have been to a few of Heather’s classes over the years and she did not fail to live up to my expectations and had clearly put so much thought and effort into the class, the preparation of the “Colours of Love” book being a perfect example of this. I am delighted she will be back next year and yes, please sign me up! 

We both learnt a lot from Jessica during our week with her. It was refreshing to learn not only how to do things but also learn about the history of the embroidery we were interpreting. Jessica is a first rate tutor and her own work is impeccable. I was fascinated by the research that Jessica has undertaken and feel very privileged to be part of her on going studies. To get full benefit from this course I think you need to be beyond beginners level, to have a bit of experience in & knowledge of metal thread embroidery and not be intimidated by the wilful silk floss. It was just up my street & I loved it! 

"Don't really know where to start or what to say. Your hospitality is second to none. You are amazing. From the minute I arrived until the minute I left everything was taken care of.
Before I came I was little apprehensive but having stayed with you I feel so great now.

Lorna is the best tutor I have been to in a workshop. She is so good at demonstrating all the different stitches etc. even I as a novice came away feeling quite happy with my project.
Apart from the fact she is such a lovely person. So patient and kind. It was one to one tuition and we all learned so much.

Thank you also for the outings. That really made it a holiday along with the workshop. Great memories". 

Lorna is such a good teacher and lovely person, she gives of her time so generously with patience and encouragement. Lorna is so creative, love her work, a very talented lady, she inspires me to think beyond what I have done by guiding me in on how to achieve ideas. Cannot think of anyway in which she could do things better. Well done Lorna.

I thoroughly enjoyed my recent two weeks being taught one to one with Lorna. I have taken many various courses in the past and can can honestly say she is one of the best
teachers I have had. She is unfailingly patient and maintains very high standards and has a very polite way of asking one to re-do a piece of work if it does not reach her standards. I found her to be truly inspirational and she has taught me to look at my garden and surroundings with new eyes.

When I first saw Lorna Bateman's embroidery on Pinterest I instantly fell in love with it. So when I found out that she is teaching classes I was very much interested in taking them. But when I found out that she is teaching her classes at a retreat in the French Alps I immediately enrolled. Her 10 day classes were well beyond my expectations. Lorna is a professional teacher that adds very much to her embroidery classes. I learned many stitching techniques from her, completed my project, enjoyed beautiful nature of the Alps, lovely company of my fellow embroiderers, exquisite cuisine and absolutely wonderful chalet staff. Lorna is a talented teacher and artistic person with excellent taste. She is also a very hard working person. Not a minute of the class time had been wasted. I already miss this wonderful time in the Alps and would like to come back next year.

I have known Lorna for quite a few years and she has taught several courses for our local embroidery group. She is one of our favourite tutors. Lorna is one of the best hand embroiderers I know and an excellent tutor. She is very patient and manages to give confidence to even the most diffident students and gives her students a lot of encouragement. Her designs are very attractive and the quality of her kits and threads is very good. I would recommend her classes to anyone interested in embroidery.

Lorna is an amazing teacher, able to clearly express and demonstrate a technique. Her designs are quite beautiful. She is also a truly delightful person who makes everyone welcome and at their ease. She is warm, kind, empathic and approachable; and also great fun. She goes above and beyond for her students.
My week with Alpine-experience was a real holiday. The cuisine was amazing and everyone at the chalet was so warm, friendly and welcoming, even lending me a hot water bottle and a jumper when I was cold. We were very well looked after and didn't have to think, or plan as outings were organised and your every need catered for. The organisation is efficient, the chalet spotless and it's a constructive, creative break I highly recommend.

Lorna is a very nice person and a wonderful teacher, with great attention to detail. She is very very helpful and encouraging to all her students. Her work is absolutely exquisite. Her kits are incredibly beautifully packaged and contain everything needed to complete the project. An absolute delight and thoroughly recommended!!

I only met Carol in August after having Kitty for so many years, and I was a little bit apprehensive, but I needent have worried, Carol was lovely from the moment I met her, she was very patient with me, nothing was to much trouble for her, she was a lovely teacher and person. I hope to have many more lessons with her. Cheers Sheila

I love doing workshops with Heather so , to have a whole week with her and a back drop of the Alps was a real treat.

I was very excited to attend a Creative Experience for the first time and joined Chrissie Juno Mann’s class and stitched the River Swan. A beautiful kit was provided and the tuition was first class along with the beautiful room with a view that we stitched in. Chrissie was a lovely fun tutor with an encouraging style and impressive experience of both teaching and stitch techniques. I quickly booked again with Chrissie for next year!

Carole is a superb teacher. She is able to help people doing several different types of lace all in one class and that is a great skill.

I had the pleasure of being on Chrissie Juno Mann s course in June 2023.Didnt know what to expect as I hadnt done or heard of Chrissie before.I was in for a treat. We had such fun and it was a lovely week.

I was delighted that Carole came as the tutor to the Alps this year. She has a quiet way of keeping everyone working at their own pace & she enjoys the leisure time with us. I look forward to having her as a tutor in the future.

Thank you Nadine for the great time I got with Deborah, Deborah is such à talented person. I love her kit, she is a really good and patient teacher. I hope i will be able to get more lessons with her in the future. Merci. 

Carole is a very experienced and knowledgeable tutor in many styles of lace, and her instructions and guidance are so clear, making the course so enjoyable.

We worked with Carol for the first time last year. She is an excellent tutor, who is fair with her time, knowledge, drawings, support information and advice. The atmosphere in the class was happy, friendly, with a lot of laughter and fantastic lace making. Loved it so much we have booked for next year.

Anna is a very professional teacher who is capable of teaching 4 different projects in the one class. Even though we both come from Australia I was thrilled to do her silk shading and Gold work class. Mark and Nadine were wonderful hosts and their facilities for needlework classes were superb. I would recommend Anna’s class highly.

I love coming to Creative Experiences courses and thoroughly enjoyed Chrissie’s class at Les Carroz. She is an excellent teacher, very patient and encouraging, and a great personality. The working environment was very comfortable and well set up, and Chrissie had a good choice of projects rangng from fun and colourful crewelwork to very pretty raised work.

Anna is an amazing tutor. She is warm and friendly and ensures that everyone gets her attention in class. Her kit instructions are clear, and she includes lots of useful tips in her demonstrations. Photos on the Internet do not do justice to her exquisite work and careful choice of beautiful threads. I had the most fantastic, relaxing week in Les Carroz, in the company of lovely people and enjoying hospitality, second to none, from Mark and Nadine.’

I had never studied with Deborah Wilding before my week with Creative Experiences, but followed her work from afar and was so excited for the opportunity to to spend time in a classroom with her. It was great fun, and I learned so much! I took home so many tips and tricks that have enhanced my embroidery work. Deborah has a way of putting you at an ease immediately, and rather than being intimidated, I felt grateful to work side-by-side with such a great artist. She shares her knowledge and experiences so freely, and also has a delightful sense of humor, which is just icing on the cake.
And there simply are not enough words to express my gratitude to Nadine and Mark at Creative Experiences for one of the best weeks of my life. I have written about chefs, restaurants, and the hospitality business in my work for several years, and I was completely blown away by the level of service they provide. I felt like I was eating at a Michelin Star restaurant every day, but in an environment that was so relaxed and fun that it felt too good to be true. They know how to make people feel welcome and taken care of, and though I had just met them when I arrived for the week, I felt like I was leaving old friends when it was time to go home. Thank you for this experience you curated… I’ll never forget it.

Lacemaking at such a setting is a joy. Anyone wanting to learn Cantu Lacemaking cannot do better than having Betty Manfre as a teacher. She knows everything
that is to know about Cantu Lace. I enjoyed to have had Betty as a teacher, she is very patient and makes sure one understands the process of Cantu Lacemaking.
I am looking forward of making lace at you beautiful Chalet again.

"I thoroughly enjoy attending Judith‘s workshop because Judith is patient and encouraging with here students whatever their experience and shares her knowledge and expertise willingly. When viewing old pieces of Rosaline lace Judith encourages her students to explore the intricasies of the lace. To redesign sections or take a new technique and if appropriate use it in their current piece of lace." Jennifer

"From the first communication with Judith to the end of her class, her calm and charming manner enabled individuals and class to learn at a pace that was conducive to all. The choice of patterns and threads were a team effort between Judith and student. There was a great sharing atmosphere and I learnt a lot. The displays were beautiful and useful. All in all a great week with Judith and one that I would recommend to new Rosaline lacemakers and old. I should very much like to repeat it"

" The Alpine Exprience is amazing on many fronts. Juiths tuition is excellent. She ensures everyone gets as much as they want from the course, taking great care of the beginners at the same time as encouraging the more experienced to branch out into designs of their own. At the end of the week we had all achieved more than we had expected and were well pleased with the results. On top of this the accommodation and care given by the staff at Alpine Experience are second to none. The food is wonderful and the views just breathtaking! What more could you want from a holiday?"

Judith has such knowledge and enthusiasm for the intricacies of Rosaline Lace. All these she passes on to her students patiently,whilst encouraging them to progress and experiment with the techniques. Together with the French Alps and the expertly provided service by The Alpine Experience team, who could ask for more!!

Judith's classes never fail to disappoint, her attentiveness, expertise and patience is next to none. She always prepares for the week, with special Alpine patterns, coloured threads and lots of advice. Coupled with the scenery and luxury of the Alpine Experience and such attentive hosts, who couldn't not enjoy the week.

I 'fell on my feet' with Judith as my teacher in Rosaline Lace. She was so patient with me and built on my few months lace experience to give me confidence in learning how to work the first three Rosaline motifs. Sometimes she had to explain the same point more than once and did this in such a kind manner to keep my new grown confidence intact. I look back on my Rosaline Lace week with great memories from a professional team behind The Alpine Experience; a wonderful group of course delegates together with an absorbing learning experience that made me decide at the end of the week's course to book immediately for Judith's 2019 Rosaline Lace course. I know some of my new found friends will attend the 2019 week with me and look forward to learning more from Judith and having some really great times with the Rosaline Lace group.

Iconic lace, idyllic location & a superb staff! Learning Rosaline lace with Judith Cordell in the Alps was a memorable experience. Fun & knowledgable, she was prepared for every eventuality.With vintage examples available for study, plenty of designs for all skill levels & useful supplies for optional purchase, there were interesting bits for every student. Perched on a cliff, our class was held in a chalet that overlooks a stunning alpine valley where soaring eagles entertained us each day. It was easy to be inspired by both lace & venue! Between classes, we were well & truly pampered by Nadine, Mark & staff. I’m glad I treated myself to the Alpine Experience with Judith Cordell’s Rosaline class.

"Judith starts teaching the Rosaline class with a few basic rules on techniques as borne out by her books. After that she enables you to think about where to place pins and then onto thinkingabout design and layout for your own patterns in what seems record time. It is extremely empowering and informative particularly for someone like me who has only been confident in reproducingpatterns already in existence. You look at your surroundings in a totally different way and always with Rosaline Perle Lace in mind!. A wonderful week thank you!"

"She was excellent as tutor and also in organising us and generally looking after us and advising."

"Judith is an excellent tutor with lots of patience and a positive outlook"

Betty is a very talented lace maker and teacher. Her dedication and patience towards her students helps them to become successful in their attempt to learn a new style of lace. She is a special person I would like to take future Cantu lace classes with.

Kate was a fantastic tutor, sharing her exceptional skill with us in a very friendly and helpful way. Nothing was a problem for her. She made us feel very comfortable and relaxed and we had fun!

I was fortunate enough to attend Betty Manfre's Cantu lacemaking class in September 2017. Having not done Cantu lace before, although with some experience with torchon lace I was worried that I would struggle with this class. I couldn't have been more wrong. Betty is so patient and explains and demonstrates everything in such a way it is easy to understand and grasp what you have to do. Betty is truly a master of Cantu lace and had wonderful samples of her own work on display and beautiful patterns for sale. Even with a large class, we all had our personal hands on experience with Betty. I learned such a lot during the 10 days and left not only with a sense of accomplishment with 2 and a half finished projects, but also with enough learned knowledge to be able to try and tackle the next one on my own. Besides Betty's undisputed thorough knowledge and enthusiasm of all things Cantu lace, she is a wonderful warm, friendly and very entertaining personality with an endless supply of stories over mealtimes and free time. When you combine all of this with the wonderful food, accommodation and breathtaking views it is an absolute must.

Betty Manfre is an expert in her speciality of Cantu lace.. I have taken several of her classes since first meeting her four years ago and enjoyed and learned in every one. Her patient and thorough way of explaining techniques has been so helpful and encouraging. She is able to manage students at various levels in the same class and the beginners in our class this year made impressive progress. I will continue to learn and improve with her tutelage. The beautiful samples of her work speak for themselves. I can’t wait to come back next year! 

I appreciate the time to enjoy extending my lace-making skills in Betty's workshop, she's an excellent tutor, very patient and never seems to mind if she has to explain things several times. Betty has done some lovely work herself and knows exactly how to develop my skills in Cantu in relation to my rather basic ability. It's really rewarding when everything she teaches suddenly falls into place and becomes part of my 'brain's lace library'! Long may it continue.

She is a very good patient teacher. Especially as she had three beginners and she managed us all. I enjoyed her company and sense of humour and managed to learn a lot about Cantu lace. I was exhausted using my brain by the end of the day, but she never did.

Jenny's class as always was outstanding. The food was amazing, the rooms were great as always. I have attended embroidery courses several time at Alpine Experience, with Nadine and the team when Jenny Adin-Christie was the teacher. I have always found the experience extremely good and Jenny as a teacher is excellent. She is patient, talented and gives all attendees her undivided attention. I have learned many new techniques and stiching methods and look forward to being able to attend more classes in years to come.

Thank you so much, I had a lovely time at the chalet. I loved Jenny’s class, and it was great to meet you all.

The service and the food were wonderful as was the accommodation. The class was very good too. Everyone was so friendly and really could not do enough to make sure that everything went smoothly.

You are aware that I know Jenny so my expectations of her class were well met. As always she was a brilliant teacher and shared her time around all the students well.

I can only reiterate what I said on leaving and that is that I had a really magical time. The stitching holiday in such a divine location with your thoughtful care and fabulous food could not be a better fit for me. You go to great lengths to make us all feel at home and looked after - an important factor for the more 'mature' lady travelling alone! You deal with our eccentricities with calm assurance and you have great patience. The food is, as we all must have said on numerous occasions, superb and portion sizes just right. I will live on the memory of that for some time. All this, and our esteemed teacher, what more can anyone want.

The stitching studio had enough room for everyone but there was also plenty of space around generally so you could escape from the crowd if you wanted to. The organisation of the work stations and provision of drinks/cakes etc was great.

A second relaxing holiday in Chalet Erica, stunning scenery, great weather, excellent tutor with a beautiful project to work on. So well looked after by Mark and Nadine with amazing food and the all important afternoon cake.. Can't wait to return.