Painting Ceramics

This sure turned out to be a lot more enjoyable than I thought it
would be. I planned us two hours to paint, expecting the kids to
get bored or me to get impatient after one hour, but it turned
out two hours wasn't nearly enough. The shelves are filled with
everything, from tableware, plaques, vases, seasonal items,
piggy banks, cookie jars, limouge boxes, statues and such. My
first project was a teapot that took me about 6 hours to do. It
was exciting to get it back all shiny and ready to use! When
you arrive they cover your table with butcher paper and set out
bowls of water to rinse your brushes between colors. Then you
pick out your item to paint, paint colors and brushes and start
painting. The cost is usually $7 per person for paint and the
firing, plus the cost of the item you pick out, they may even
have daily "specials", one day might be 2 paint for the price of
1, or better yet, Sundays is "Family Day" where a family of four
or more paint for a flat $12. Call ahead for the month's
schedule. After you've finished your masterpiece they glaze
and fire it which seals it so it is dishwasher safe and safe to eat
off of. Then they fire it for free and five days later you can pick it
up! I wish I would have known about places like these before I
ever bought my dishes, it would have been cool to make them
all myself, just the way I like them. But now it is fun to think
ahead on making gifts for my friends and family. They will also
host birthday parties here so if your interested give them a call.
This is a great way to spend quiet time, or to do something
different with your kids. My husband and I went here one night
by ourselves, painted for a couple hours and then went to
dinner, it was a neat date! You can find these ceramic stores
all over the place. Look in your local phone book under
"Ceramic Instruction".

Some locations are listed below: