by CCSA Admin | Jul 24, 2023 | Blog
This Halloween, decorate your home with handmade pieces that your family will love forever. With paint-your-own-pottery, you can capture memories with decorations for every holiday and season. Whether it’s ghost lanterns, candy dishes, custom pumpkins, or witch votives, there are so many Halloween-themed items to add to your own unique collection.
One way to add to the ambiance of your Halloween piece is with glitter glazes. These shimmering top coats can be added to any item as the final layer to give the whole thing some extra glitz or just in certain areas to highlight a detail. For example, the sparkle of a cat’s eye would be a cool touch, but the entire inside of a votive would really shine when the candlelight hits the glitter flecks.
Another method to bring your special touch to a PYOP item is using handprints. With your family, you could make everyone’s hand or fingerprints into on-theme designs, keeping a small moment memorialized forever. Kid’s hands can become spiders in webs, fingerprints can become bats, and many families also love to make “Mommy’s Little Bumpink” plates, with bum prints turned into pumpkins.
However you decide to decorate your piece, there is no one style that they have to turn out. The same piece can look completely different depending on the taste of the artist. One person may have a set of matte white and black pumpkins for their windowsill, while another may do a rainbow theme and another with classic orange tones. There is no right or wrong way to paint your piece.
All PYOP stores have rotating inventory and Halloween-themed items, so check out your local studio to see what pieces can light up your home a little extra, especially this spooky season. If you don’t yet have a favorite PYOP studio, try our studio locator for a bit of guidance.
by CCSA Admin | Jun 29, 2023 | Blog
If you’re looking for an engaging activity fit for any age, interest or ability, paint-your-own-pottery is perfect! With tons of options and all sorts of methods, this craft is perfect for family bonding.
From decor to functional, seasonal to themed, the variety of options in a PYOP studio is generous. Kids can choose from all kinds of figurines, picture frames, night light holders, piggy banks, boxes; you name it! There are kitchen items that are fully safe to use with food and wash regularly, which is great for anyone who enjoys cooking. Of course, anyone can make any item, and you can work together on a shared masterpiece.
One way to share the artistic liberties of painting your pottery item is having a child paint all the colors they like over the surface of the piece, let’s say rainbow splotches all over a bowl. Then, the adult can use a thin brush with black glaze to write words or make designs on top of the colorful background. It can be as simple as the child’s name or as intricate as their favorite movie character. With PYOP, the level of detail is truly up to you. Some people may write their name on the bottom of a piece without even adding any glaze, to pick up a shiny white item, while others may make many trips to the studio to put in hours of detailed work. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure.
When taking a trip to your local pottery studio with the whole family, everyone can help guide each other through the painting process. You can also ask the studio employees for technique recommendations, like bubble blowing or using masking tape. We have many other blogs on the site about simple and fool-proof techniques, so take a look through them for inspiration before planning your next PYOP visit. If you’re unsure where to visit next, try out the studio locator!
by CCSA Admin | May 25, 2023 | Blog
Have you ever heard of glass fusing? The name may sound intimidating, but it is a fairly simple technique that can be taught, perhaps even at your local paint-your-own-pottery studio! Glass fusing requires the same type of kiln as pottery, so many studios opt to offer both. Whether learning basic techniques or making specific items, this medium is a joy to learn.
Glass fusing requires beginning on a flat glass base. From there, you build up in layers, using smaller pieces of glass to make designs and patterns. The glass is run through the kiln once to fuse and can run again to add attachments or change the shape. “Draping” means placing the glass over a tall, thin metal post. This metal can withstand the kiln’s heat, and the glass drapes around it while it melts. Once the glass is removed from the post, it has dramatic folds that make dramatic sides of a bowl. (Think bowl as in a ring dish, more so than for cereal). “Slumping” refers to shaping glass with a more shallow mold, similar to draping. Frequently, slumping is done on a curved mold to make a dish whose edges curve upwards. It can also be done to add textures to the glass or melt a bottle down to a flat dish.. Glass comes in many shapes, sizes, and varieties. Some common classes using this medium include sun catchers, pendants, and lanterns.
When taking a glass fusing class, there are many steps to learn and tools to get familiar with. Scrap glass, which will make the fun, colorful pieces you use to create designs, can be cut to the exact shape you want. Marbles can be added for rounded elements, and frit, which is a sand-like glass material, can be used for layering on colors in varying opacities.
If any of this interests you, check out your local studio to see their glass options! Our studio locator can help you find your new favorite place to craft.
by CCSA Admin | May 2, 2023 | Blog
If you’re anything like us, you probably love the idea of transforming your living space into a cozy, stylish, and welcoming haven. However, the thought of home decor can often be overwhelming, especially if you’re working with a limited budget or feel like you lack the skills of an interior designer. The good news is that you don’t need to be a pro to create a beautiful home that reflects your personality and style.
With these simple home decor ideas, you can unleash your inner designer and transform your living space into a comfortable, functional, and aesthetically pleasing retreat. Read the full article here: Unleash Your Inner Designer with These 25 Simple Home Decor Ideas | Redfin
by CCSA Admin | Apr 17, 2023 | Blog
Looking for a way to continue enriching your child’s mind either after school or on a field trip? Try paint-your-own-pottery for a new way to keep things fun and formative. With many decisions to be
made on the piece, color palette, style, technique, and high focus in a low-stress environment, this is the perfect activity to keep your kids entertained and learning.
Many studios have hours that extend past school time; stopping by after the school day to paint and relax gives the kids something to do while you get other things done or allows space for you to
connect together. Either way, your kid will be content, and the activity will run itself. If this becomes a favorite of your child’s or a weekly treat, there are always tons of items rotating through the shelves, so
they’ll never be bored of their pottery options. Many studios even offer other activities, like canvas painting or glass fusing, so be sure to ask the studio associate about those activities, too.
For home-schooling groups, a PYOP studio can offer all the benefits of a full art classroom without having to deal with any preparation or messy aftermath! Studios are equipped with all the glazes, pottery, kilns, and tools needed to have a seamless experience and take care of doing all the dishes when you’re done. Even better, take a break from teaching and let the studio associates explain how everything works. This gives you a break while keeping your students happy and engaged. If you plan the studio trip in advance, you could even have pieces put aside to fit a certain theme or curriculum unit and have all
students paint the same sort of item. This is great for larger groups, who can be harder to wrangle around the pottery shelves.
Whether you’re looking for activities within or after the school day, a PYOP studio is a great way interesting and worthwhile. Check out our studio locator to find out what your local studio
has to offer to keep thing
