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
by CCSA Admin | Mar 21, 2023 | Blog
Looking for something meaningful to give Mom this Mother’s Day? It’s hard to come up with new ideas – something tailored to her taste, while still feeling personal, and usable in her daily life. Paint-your-own-pottery is the perfect solution! With hundreds of items both functional and decor-based, there are many ways to give your Mom a hand-painted gift that is perfect just for her.
PYOP is great for all ages. Younger kids can request palettes that won’t turn brown when all mushed together, while older kids can pick out more specific colors for base coats and details. If you want many ages working together, consider dividing up the painting tasks. Have the youngest kid paint the base coat (this can be messy!), then have older members of the group paint details on top. You can also enlist the help of stencils, dotters, squeeze tubes, extra fine brushes, sponges, and more! Ask the studio associate for tips and tricks on creating designs and patterns. Don’t forget, once out of the kiln everything will be brighter and shinier!
Want to experience pottery painting with Mom instead? Grab a gift card from your local studio to promise a painting date. We suggest making a coupon that says “Good for one painting date.” Decorate the coupon and wrap it around the gift card. Then, stick it in an envelope, and get ready to see a big smile on Mom’s face! If you want to really up the ante, you could throw in other gift cards as well; maybe grabbing coffee at a local cafe first or dinner afterwards is just what Mom’s been craving.
If you’re looking for ideas of how to get started, your local studio will have samples out with plenty of design ideas. Try our studio locator to find the studio closest to you and start planning the best presents to date!
by CCSA Admin | Feb 21, 2023 | Blog
Looking for something new and fun for your kids to do this summer? Try a pottery painting camp! By exercising their fine motor skills, keeping them occupied with creativity-based projects, and inviting them to make new friends, pottery camps are a great way to pass the summer months. Many studios also offer half-day camps, in case you need some time to do your own thing in the morning, but want to spend some quality time with your kids in the afternoon. You could even stay and paint something together!
Creating art is a great way to keep kid’s minds stimulated while they’re out of school. It practices planning, focusing, problem solving, and processing. Plus, it’s really fun! There are many ways for camps to have both individual and group projects, so making friends can be encouraged without pushing anyone too far out of their comfort zone. In areas with very hot summers, it’s also nice to have some time in the AC.
After making art works all week, campers will be able to bring home mementos of their time, and cherish them for years to come. Often, campers make useful items like bowls or dishes which can be integrated into their daily routine year round. Perhaps your kid would be more keen on eating their veggies if they were on a beach-themed dish or in a galaxy bowl. And, these projects can be useful, rather than just taking up space in your house.
Many studios have many camp sessions, often with different themes; this way, if your kid loves it and wants to keep signing up, they won’t get bored. There are always new techniques to learn and projects to explore. Try our studio locator to find your new favorite spot, and see what camps they have to offer
by CCSA Admin | Jan 23, 2023 | Blog
This Valentine’s Day, add a new kind of date to the roster: paint-your-own pottery. There is so much romance in creating something together, even if you don’t self identify as artists. Find pieces that remind you of each other, create something you can use together, paint a picture frame to hold memories, paint something to trade with the other; there are a million ways to make the experience extra special while showing each other how much you love them.
Most pottery studios get in tons of Valentine’s themed items. There are specially designed mugs, boxes, trinket dishes, statues, plates and more. Oftentimes, there are mugs or boxes which connect to make halves of a heart. If your local studio doesn’t have the perfect seasonal decor for you, you can still stay on theme by choosing a color palette that speaks to the holiday.
Not looking to get romantic this Valentine’s Day? You can celebrate any kind of love with PYOP. Make best friends interlocking mugs, or a gift to show someone how much you appreciate them. One of our favorite little details to add to a piece is a note on the bottom, either painted on or written with glaze pencil. This way, you can tell someone exactly how much they mean to you, and make the gift extra personalized.
If you have little kids and want to make a surprise Valentine’s gift for your spouse, we have the perfect project for you. Bring in the kids and pick out your pieces. Choose colors that will smush well together and not create brown, perhaps pink, purple, red and white. Then, let your kids paint (or fingerpaint) to their hearts’ desires all over the piece! Once they are done creating their artwork, ask the studio associate to help you design writing to go on top of the piece, something like “I love you,” or “Best Valentine Ever,” which the custom artist can write for you. This way, when you pick up the piece, the words you chose with your preferred font will make everything look very polished while keeping the original brushstrokes of your kids.
Try our studio locator to find a studio near you!
by CCSA Admin | Nov 15, 2022 | Blog
While cooking can be a drag, paint-your-own pottery can make your kitchen a colorful and inviting space filled with tools you actually want to use and maybe even display! With complete control over the colors and design of your pieces, adding ceramics into your kitchen may make it a bit more of an
enticing place.
Beyond the standard dishware that is always available in PYOP studios, many also offer things like measuring cups, utensil holders, teapots, sponge holders, lemon juicers, spoon rests, honey pots, berry colanders, butter dishes, trivets, sugar pots… anything you may need, the world of PYOP makes it! You can create a set of kitchen tools that all match, either through designs or colors, or keep everything different – it’s totally up to you.
For items that function more as décor than tools, there are vases, pitchers, napkin holders, cake trays, salt keepers, coasters, canisters, platters, creamers, gravy boats, salt and pepper shakers, and more! Each item type has many variations to fit your home’s unique style. Do you prefer salt and pepper shakers that look like mushrooms or are straight from an old-school diner? Well, you’re in luck because you can get both!
If your studio does not have an item you are looking for in-stock, inquire about ordering something special. Try checking out your local studio for all sorts of kitchen goodies, and use our studio locator to find your new favorite place to create!
by CCSA Admin | Oct 19, 2022 | Blog
Are you as excited about the holidays as we are? It’s never too early to start creating hand-made gifts for your loved ones, and paint-your-own pottery is the perfect way to do just that.
Pre-made pottery can be painted in a paint-your-own-pottery studio, classes are offered (perhaps on wheel throwing, canvas painting, glass fusing, wood sign making, special techniques, and more), and there is always ample opportunity for memories to be made! Purchasing a gift card from a studio to be used towards any creation or event is a great way to gift someone in your life a wonderful day
and a special present to hold on to.
If giving physical gifts is more your thing, don’t worry! Hand-painted or handmade pieces can touch the hearts of your loved ones. Children’s handprints, romantic designs, annual traditions, reindeer on an ornament, whatever your goal is, can be achieved on various pieces, all designed by you.
Pottery has a longer turn-around time than many traditional gifts because it has to dry, receive a glaze top coat, and be fired, so it’s always beneficial to start thinking ahead about when you may want to start creating your gifts.
Your studio will have a large selection of inventory to choose from, as well as samples and displays to keep you inspired. If you’re stuck, ask a studio associate for advice! Many holiday designs have passed through their kilns, so they are sure to have some tricks up their sleeves.
One incredible aspect of this gift idea is how it supports a local business, allowing it to do well during a season when many people flock to massive corporations and online sellers. So this holiday season, give a little thought to where your presents come from and consider giving the gift of an
experience.
