Mini Workshops

Nathalie Andrews - Dress Re-Designer

Vive la Difference!
As a dressmaker and designer with over 20 years of experience I have found an innovative way of being able to "re-design" and "fine-tune" clothes to any woman's bodyshape. I myself am curvy and have found that too many shop-bought clothes (including expensive ones) just don't fit properly. So many of my clients tell me the same thing so I offer a free wardrobe makeover service (a mix of Gok Wan, Trinny and Susanah, but without the nasty mirrors). This focuses on the dormant (and often expensive) items in your wardrobe which may have been worn once to a special occasion or possibly not at all.

Hands up who still has clothes with the tags on?!
The truth is – all of us! But ladies, don't be despondent. Not only can I "slim" clothes down but where possible I have been able to find ways of helping to make clothes "feel just right" and also look good where before the zip just wouldn't go up! My aim, whatever your height , dress-size or body-shape, is to work with you on an individual basis so that you look good in the mirror and feel really pleased with the end result .

Consultations on the Day
Apart from running two workshops, I will also be helping with the Clothes Swap and am happy to give consultations throughout the day. Please feel free to bring along one or more of those items in your wardrobe that you love, but don't wear.

My Rules

• I need to see you in the garment (if possible)
• I will be totally honest with you, but also suggest different ways of accessorising it
• If I don't like the garment on you and don't think I can do anything to enhance it, I will tell you, and finally
• If I think there is something I can do I will show you and quote for the design work.

Then you decide (don't worry my rates are quite reasonable).

I have a two to three week turnaround on my design work but can usually be flexible if you have a special function to attend and might need it sooner.

The Clothes Swap at the LW4W Event
If you find something in the Clothes Swap that is, say, too big or even too small, bring it to me and I'll see what is possible.

My Beautiful Scarves
Thinking about accessories, scarves easily come top of my list. Possibly this is because I'm half-French (did I mention my French Grandmother had worked for Chanel?). Whenever I go travelling I come back with the most wonderful fabrics – silks, velvets, linens. I create beautiful scarves which will be on sale and as part of my workshop I will show some different scarf-tying ideas to help finish an outfit.

I will need a few models to dress. Would you help me out? Whatever you are wearing I will choose the most appropriate scarf from my collection and style you wearing it and if you love it, you can have it half-price!

I am so looking forward to the day and to meeting you all.

Finding your voice – building confidence

What can you do to feel more confident?

Corrie Spencer, Positively Speaking

My workshop for the Women’s Health & Wellbeing Day will provide opportunities for you to think about the situations where you get nervous and lack confidence, and to explore what can hold you back from being the confident person you would like to be. I will be suggesting some strategies and tips for handling nerves. Please do book in to my session. I am looking forward to meeting you.

I bring to my work the skills and techniques that I learned from my professional background, a detailed knowledge of the complexities of communication, and from my own experiences an understanding of the demands who can be made on speakers in social, working and business situations.

I really enjoy working work with people on a one to one basis and there is a very strong coaching element to my work. People come with a wide range of problems and, depending on their individual needs and goals, we work together to improve clarity of speech, voice quality and power and vocabulary. We often spend time on skills for meetings, interpersonal skills, non-verbal communication and body language. Almost always I need to offer help with strategies to help them to manage nerves and anxiety.

I have run many workshops for different organisations and groups. Especially enjoyable are the one day workshops on public speaking. Participants have told me that despite their initial nerves, they have found the workshops helpful and informative and have taken away many useful tips and strategies which they have been able to use in real life situations.

If you would like any more information about what I can offer please contact me on my mobile on 07867547352 or send an email to webinfo@positively-speaking.co.uk

Christmas Centrepiece - Claire Gilles – The Flower Field

For those of you who came to last year’s LW4W Health and Wellbeing day you might remember I had a stall displaying and selling a variety of bouquets and wreathes with a Christmas theme and some Christmas decorations made from natural products such as oranges, lemons and cinnamon sticks! The organisers have persuaded me to use my creative skills to teach a small group of you how to make a stunning Christmas centrepiece for your festive table. This is going to be fun! I’ll supply everything you’ll need, but would appreciate a £10 donation to cover the cost of the basic materials. For the second workshop in the afternoon, we’ll make a Christmas wreath: you can buy the pine wreath base for £6.00 and then choose from various decorative elements to suit your own taste. More details will be supplied with your registration.

I started the Flower Field nearly two years ago. Having worked in horticulture all my working life and having a lifelong love of flowers it seemed the natural thing to do. I retrained as a florist just prior to the birth of my son 6 years ago and the two differing disciplines are a perfect match.

We grow under glass and outdoors on a small ¾ acre site in Venn Ottery, everything is grown pesticide and artificial fertiliser free and with minimum input. Considering that over 90% of flowers sold in the UK are imported via Holland, the local provenance of my flowers, selling to local markets and sustainability have always been my main concerns. In our small way we are trying to redress that balance.

The Flower Field offers seasonal freshly cut flowers from March-December available to order or please come and meet us at local markets in Ottery, Sidmouth and Colyton or at Country Fairs held throughout the Spring and Summer, you can check the website for details of where I will be each week.

Weddings have become a large and growing part of my business as more and more Brides and Grooms look to locally grown seasonal flowers to cut the carbon footprints of their big day. I provide the full wedding package from Bouquets, Buttonholes, table flowers etc., but I am also happy to work on a supply-only basis to those adventurous and brave enough to do it themselves giving guidance and advice throughout. Workshops for DIY Brides and their teams of helpers are also proving a great success and a great way to take the stress from those final few days.

This year the reaction to the Flower Field has been even more inspiring than last as more people are assessing their lives and looking for ways to live more sustainably and see locally produced flowers as just one small way to achieve this. This in turn has encouraged me to grow a wider and hopefully even more exciting range of flowers in 2010, although I will of course be sticking to the old fashioned country favourites such as Cornflowers, Larkspur and Dahlias, Love-in-a-Mist, herbs etc.

For more information about The Flower Field and how to contact me please visit our website www.theflowerfield.co.uk

Little Black Dress Workshop

I’m looking forward to presenting my “Little Black Dress” workshop for the Women’s Health & Wellbeing Day this year. With the party season nearly upon us the perfect LBD is a wardrobe must have. I’ll be giving away some tips on how to choose a party outfit so you will always look and feel fabulous.

I moved to Devon 15 years ago having met my husband whilst working as a Purser on Cruise Ships. Having had various customer service roles and out of a necessity to pay the bills, I found myself carving out a 13 year career in the Finance Industry. A long way from the creative career I had intended after leaving Art College in the late 80’s.

A couple of years ago I was tired of feeling unfulfilled with my job. I had low self esteem and very little confidence. Recognising that I needed something to uplift me, my husband bought me a Makeover Consultation as a pamper gift. Little did he realise, at the time, just how much it would change our lives.

This was my “light bulb” moment, the confidence and self belief I gained from seeing an Image Consultant inspired me. Not only did I feel so much better about myself, I wanted to inspire others to help them feel good about themselves. I knew combining my creative flair and friendly nature into a new career as an Image Consultant would put me back on track to achieving complete job satisfaction. Having trained with a highly regarded training provider, I can honestly say that nothing gives me more satisfaction than to watch a client grow in confidence and self belief when I give them some simple ideas on how to make positive changes to their outer appearance.

I do private one to one consultations at my studio in Kingsteignton, or at a client’s home. These are on Colour Analysis and Make-up, Style and Bodyline, Capsule Wardrobe and Personal Shopping. I also do small group consultations/pamper sessions and bespoke talks & workshops on various Image and Style topics. For more information please visit my website: www.josmallbonesimageconsultant.co.uk

Body Image is so personal and many people have differing issues. I do not criticise and bring people so far down that the only way is up. I listen and adapt my consultations around a clients individual needs thus ensuring it’s a positive experience. It’s far more uplifting than an afternoon shopping with a friend. A client leaves me knowing what definitely suits and flatters them, thus reducing time spent shopping and eliminating costly mistakes.

I’m a Registered Affiliate member of The Federation of Image Consultants (TFIC) and qualified as an Image Consultant through First Impressions, a leading worldwide training provider accredited by TFIC.