The modern hen wakes up the morning after with so much more than a sore head, a truckload of phallic paraphernalia and a set of cringe-inducingly awful photos on Facebook – she might emerge with a fledgling passion for a new hobby or a creation made by her very own hands (though we don’t discount the very real possibility that the former may feature somewhere).

As the trend for bringing a DIY twist to your wedding grows, the ‘craft-your-own’ hen party has become the hippest way to spend your pre-wedding downtime with your pals. Workshops are popping up all over the country, specially designed for brides-to-be to hook up with their gaggle and get crafty.

From cakes and cocktails to necklaces and knickers, the workshops allow you to try your hand at something new, to relax and have fun – and, what’s more, you might even take your handiwork home with you. Being such a creative hub, it’s no surprise to see a fabulous array of workshops on offer here in Cornwall. We have picked out our favourites to inspire a very creative day out.

SHORELINE TREASURES AND VINTAGE JEWELS

Talented jewellery designer Sarah Drew runs a series of jewellery workshops for hens. The following workshops may be combined with a spa session (at an extra cost) for the perfect blend of relaxation and making pretty things. 

Beach Finds Recycled Workshop, The Scarlet Hotel

Shortly after arriving at this uber stylish setting, you’ll take a short walk down the cliff path for a beach-combing mission on Mawgan Porth beach. Returning to a private dining room with bucket loads of sea plastic, sea string, driftwood, sea glass, shells and pebbles, Sarah will help you to fashion them into cool contemporary jewellery to wear on the wedding day. Sarah brings along all the necessary materials, from semi-precious stones and vintage beads to tiara bases and combs. 

£52 per person including two-course lunch, coffee and cake

Vintage Jewellery Workshop, Fowey Hall

Enjoy the glamour and sea views of Fowey Hall’s Palm Room as you rummage through vintage jewellery and learn how to turn old unloved pieces into stylish accessories to wear on the wedding day, from vintage headdresses, lace necklaces, bling rings and antique combs. Sarah provides all materials including vintage brooches crystals, pearls and beads, though you may bring your own old jewellery if you’d like to make a personal piece.  £58 per person including two-course lunch, coffee and cake

Sarah can also conduct these sessions in your own home, your accommodation or in her workshop. Alternatively, she can find a suitable setting close to your accommodation. Get in touch for a tailor-made package, a dreamy day – and one unique piece of jewellery to treasure forever.

Sarah Drew

01726 68433 www.sarahdrew.com

GOURMET GETAWAY

A seductive blend of nature, escapism and gastronomy, Fat Hen’s gourmet wild food experiences are an insightful and fabulously indulgent way to celebrate your hen party. Professional forager, ecologist and cook Caroline Davey runs a series of courses against the dramatic backdrop of West Cornwall.

The gourmet wild food weekend offers an extended foodie experience of foraging for wild Cornish produce across seashores, woodland, ancient bridleways and hedgerows. The passionate chefs will teach you how to cook the ingredients in the Fat Hen farmhouse kitchen and, of course, you’ll get to savour the delights during a series of feasts in the atmospheric setting of the candlelit Goat Barn.

The gourmet foraging day offers a private one-day option, which includes two foraging trips, cooking demonstrations by a professional chef, a wild lunch and a five-course wild banquet served with cocktails and wine. Fat Hen can also organise transfers to and from your accommodation.

£150 per person per day

Fat Hen

01736 810156 www.fathen.org

HATS AND CHAT

Hat designer Holly Young’s passion for contemporary and period design and eye for beautiful detail is reminiscent in her elegant range of hats, fascinators and headbands. Holly’s workshops allow groups of hens to try their hand at crafting equally stylish fascinators or hair accessories to wear on a night out or on the wedding day itself. 

Over tea, coffee, biscuits and chat (or cakes and wine should you wish to bring them along) you’ll make a headpiece from scratch, choosing the design of the base and all the decorative trimmings. All materials, from feathers, ribbons, silks, buttons and beads to netting and trimmings, are included. For further personalisation, think about matching a specific shade to your outfit or incorporating broken pieces of jewellery into your handcrafted creation. 

Workshops take place at The Old Bakery Studios in Truro; alternatively, workshops can be held at your home for a reduced rate.

£30 per person for three and a half hours tuition

Holly Young Hats

07968 783320 www.hollyyoungboutique.com

COCKTAIL PARTY

Let’s face it – who doesn’t love a few cocktails with the girls? A new hen package from catering company About Taste means you can enjoy a glamorous evening learning some mixology skills and supping a delicious array of cocktails in the privacy of your own home, accommodation or an alternative venue of your choice.

Using a top quality blend of ingredients, you’ll be assisted by a professional mixologist as you shake and make your own signature cocktail. Tongue-tingling, entertaining and a handy way to pick up a few tips to impress at your next dinner party, it’s a sure-fire way to kick-start a raucous night in – or out.

About Taste

01872 520717 www.abouttaste.co.uk

photo Ben Photography

PAINT BALL

Reconnect with your inner artist by painting your own designs onto blank ceramics at Clay Art, a cute pottery studio located on Plymouth’s Barbican.

Each hen can choose their own piece of pottery to paint, or the whole group might paint individual pieces such as a set of mugs, bowls and plates and give them as a gift. What’s more, each group of hens is given a free piece of pottery, such as a large plate or vase, which is designed by everyone and given to the bride-to-be as a keepsake of her crafty hen do. 

Make the space your own for the evening – bring along food, wine and even balloons and party décor should you wish. Chill out, chat and sup on your chosen tipples as you whip out the paints and create a bespoke vase, plate, cup or whatever takes your fancy. Round off the evening in style with a few drinks at the nearby pubs and bars.

Clay Art 

01752 665565 www.clayart.co.uk

FABRIC FUN

Whatever your fabric fancy, there’s a super chic workshop to suit at St Austell’s new creative hotspot, the Craft Café. A handpicked selection of talented designers will be teaching hens how to make fabulous pieces from a range of textiles in this coolly retro setting.

Get your gaggle together to make tea cosies, egg cosies and bunting from recycled fabrics with Lulubee, felt and rag rugs with Jo McIntosh, handmade flowers and corsages with Anna D’Souza or uber cool knickers with Holly Young. Whether you’re bonding over bunting or nattering over knickers, a dream of a day is guaranteed. 

From £17 per person for three hours or £37 for a full day including lunch, drinks and cake

Craft Café 

01726 68433 www.sarahdrew.com


photo CCSA Association

BESPOKE AND BEAUTIFUL

Escape to the beautiful heart of the Cornish countryside for a one or two-day jewellery-making course at The Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery. Located on a farm, the purpose built workshop is fully equipped for a range of skill levels, from beginners through to experienced.

Under the supervision of an experienced tutor, hens will spend a morning learning basic jewellery skills and then wile away the afternoon designing and making their own pieces, whether it’s sparkly tiaras, statement necklaces or pretty hair slides, bracelets and earrings to go with your wedding outfit. 

 

£50 per person per day for a minimum of six people including tuition, basic practice materials, tea and coffee. A small charge will be made for materials. The average cost is £10 per person, which allows for several pieces using beads, crystals and pearls.

The Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery

01726 817989 www.mcsj.co.uk

HEN HEAVEN

Aside Events is an exciting new company that specialises in crafting truly individual hen and stag dos. Whether you envision something low-key or raucous, the event will be tailored to your interests, personality and budget – and executed with oodles of creativity and originality. Picture this: a Speakeasy-themed evening for vintage devotees where you’ll revel in old school glamour while sipping on Martinis to the soundtrack of a vintage gramophone. How fabulous is that? With a combined background in events, set styling, theatre and journalism, Nicola and Ruth will take care of everything, from creative concepts to decorations, invitations and catering.

07540 439309 / 07949 522409

STYLISH SLEEPOVER

Making a weekend of it? Combine the creativity and bonding with luxe accommodation at one of these dreamy hen hideaways.

The Fish Store

Tucked away in the pretty fishing village of Mousehole, this former pilchard-packing factory is the ultimate seaside sanctuary for spending a blissful few days with the girls. Think light, airy spaces, exposed beamed ceilings, crisp white walls with splashes of nautical blue and snug leather sofas. Wile away the evenings feasting and supping on wine while enjoying sublime views across the rooftops and Mounts Bay beyond.

You might combine your seaside break with learning some new cookery skills thanks to The Fish Store’s culinary course with food writer Lindsey Bareham. The three-day course explores the beauty and variety of Cornish produce, kicking off with a delicious arrival to a homemade fish pie, a visit to Newlyn Fish Market and the chance to watch some expert fish filleting. You’ll learn to make scrumptious delights such as a perfect Cornish pasty, Cornish fish stew, Mousehole seafood paella and succulent crab dishes during a series of workshops. The informal culinary demonstrations come alongside plenty of time for hands-on cooking, relaxation and exploration – not to mention eating.

Unique Home Stays

01637 881942 www.thefishstore.uniquehomestays.com

Belvedere

You want luxury? You got it. Located in an exclusive spot near Carlyon Bay, Belvedere is a spacious, comfortable and utterly sumptuous setting to spend an indulgent break with your hens. There are six bedrooms, five bathrooms, an indoor heated swimming pool with bubble jets and lounge area, a gym and an entertainment room with a bar and roof terrace – the perfect pad for lounging in luxury with your closest pals.

Cornish Cribs’ concierge service will tailor-make a package to give your stay that all-important creative twist. You might decide to spend a day crafting jewellery at a local workshop armed with a luxurious hamper of treats or perhaps opt for a cookery day with fabulous local catering company Miss Tea, who source many of their ingredients from the wild. In-house yoga, spa treatments, wine tasting and all manner of other activities are also available.

Cornish Cribs 

0844 800 2813 www.cornishcribs.com



DIY DELIGHTS
A treasure trove of contemporary crafts, Atelier in Barnstaple has launched a tempting choice of tailor made workshops for hen parties led by a series of talented designer makers.



Have a go at crafting pretty pieces from pearls, lace, crystals and sterling silver at a jewellery workshop, or opt for a hair accessories session and make your own tiaras and combs using your vintage finds. For a statement piece of headwear, opt for a fascinators workshop and make something fabulous to wear on the big day – whether it’s a feathery number or a tiny top hat, you can let your inner milliner run wild!



Fancy a go at ceramics? Then try your hand at making ceramic hearts, brooches or tea lights. Get stuck into some fabric fun at a textiles workshop where you can print and embellish your own canvas shopper, make corsages or work with a textile artist to create a textile picture that can be framed or stitched onto cushion covers. Or channel your inner Nigella and wile away a delicious few hours with your friends decorating cupcakes and making cake pops.



What’s more, if there’s a workshop you fancy that’s not on their list, get in touch with Atelier and the perfect tutor will be sourced for you. All materials are provided and hens will be treated to a complimentary glass of fizz and some nibbles.



From £16 per person (based on the cost of materials and number of participants). Atelier can cater for parties of between six and nine.
Atelier
01271 268244 www.gallery-atelier.co.uk

WOODLAND TREASURES
Going wild on your hen do needn’t be confined to a booze-fuelled night out of debauchery. Instead, opt for a unique experience in a beautiful corner of South Devon and reconnect with your inner earth mother by spending some time downtime with your nearest, dearest – and nature.





Become a ‘bushcraft babe’ courtesy of Babes In The Wood where you get to enjoy some ‘woodland lounging’ whilst acquiring a host of skills as you learn to make your own seasonal item, Ray Mears style. Whether you handcraft a spoon, some woodland jam or a hedgerow massage oil or ointment using wild herbs, the whole weekend is tailored to the season and you for a memorable pre-wedding party.



The ancient bushcraft and survival skills on offer may include making a shelter, creating fire or campfire cooking where you’ll be foraging in the stunning woodland surrounds for an al fresco dining experience like no other.
Weekends start from £195 per person
Babes in the Woods
07850 401759 www.babesinthewoods.co.uk



BEAUTY BASH
Enjoy a bonding session with your gal pals while creating some lovely natural skin care products at an Aromatika hen party. Learn how to make a body cream from scratch, a botanical bath salt and massage oil specially suited to your skin type for a fun and rather sensuous party.

Based in Totnes, Aromatika specialises in handmade pure plant skin products that are SLS and parabens free and have not been tested on animals. Their organic and aromatherapy based products are designed to leave your skin radiant and nourished through pure and natural ingredients – perfect for a little pre-wed pampering.



After enjoying a glass of bubbly, you’ll also get to take home samples of all the products that you create as well as useful notes to help you continue to make your own at home.
£50 each. Aromatika can cater for parties of between four and six.
Aromatika
01803 867701 www.aromatika.co.uk



FOODIE'S ESCAPE
Indulge your inner foodie with a fabulous tailor made course at South Devon cookery school, Manna from Devon.

The choice of gastronomy is yours. The Mediterranean option is a particularly popular choice where you’ll learn how to make bread, pasta and a selection of meat, fish and vegetable dishes from South Devon’s finest local produce. Onto the sweet stuff, you may choose to make an array of tongue-tingling delights such as ice cream and sumptuous dark chocolate cake with fresh berries. To round off the foodie fun, you’ll enjoy a leisurely lunch on the deck dining on the dishes you have created and drinking in views across the river with some chilled bubbly.



The workshops comprise a memorable and deliciously indulgent way to acquire some new culinary skills from catering professionals, catch up with your friends and enjoy a lavish feast for the senses.
From £85 per person
Manna from Devon
01803 752943 www.mannafromdevon.com


PICTURE PERFECT
Ideal for hen and stag parties – or the big day itself – Kodak’s one time use wedding cameras are the perfect accessory to capture those rare and candid moments. Their compact cameras are great for handbags and tabletops as they allow your guests to snap a selection of images that will offer a totally different perspective and view of all antics from your hen party to your wedding ceremony. Available in four colours, each camera contains a built in flash for quality pictures and a creative album of your event.
www.kodak.com



words Rebecca Matthews

Copyright WED Magazine 2011