The 2017 holiday season has arrived, and millions of people are already racing online and flocking to stores to find great gifts for family members, friends and colleagues. However, this year the Contemporary Ceramic Studios Association (CCSA) is inviting gift givers to experience the many rewards of personally creating gifts for the grateful recipients on their list by heading to a local Paint Your Own Pottery (PYOP) studio. “Shopping online and browsing page after page of catalogs can be draining and boring,” commented CCSA executive director Dena Pearlman. “But creating amazing gifts at a PYOP studio is fun, energizing, creative, and a delightful experience from beginning to end.” According to the CCSA, the five reasons why gift givers should head to a PYOP studio this holiday season are: 1. Personally- made gifts are not just items, but deeply meaningful gestures. According to a study published in the journal Society for Personality and Social Psychology: “Gift exchanges

We are mega stamping enthusiasts here, but don't expect to see just chunky foam wall stamps in our collections. Here is a favorite photopolymer stamp set that we break out often, especially during the holidays. Watch how to get a perfect impression on a flat object. So much more satisfying than a flimsy old stencil.

With the help of two clay angels, Clayground was able to create its own pumpkin mold this year. Sadly, it is a little too late to make custom carved jack o'lanterns for this Halloween. However, we are aiming for August of 2018 to begin this offering. In the meantime, our "greenware" practice pumpkin is on display in the studio. Start thinking about what you want carved for next year! :D

Combining specialty glazes can yield some unexpected results...in a good way! Here is an application method that seems to suit my tastes very well and motivates me to make a bunch more. Here is a matte glaze called Cast Iron, which I applied to the bottom area of this coin bank.  A shiny new specialty glaze called Denim Daze was applied above. There was no overlap or layering of the two paints. What do you think?

...the tangle named Dingbatz, that is. This is a very tiny Bijou tile being used here instead of the standard 3.5" square Zentangle tile. Head on over to the next Intro to Zentangle® class with CZT Aimée at Clayground of Worcester on October 5. You may get your hands on a few free Bijou tiles to test drive. Register online at goclayground.com/zentangle. No drawing experience necessary, all materials included.

This is the latest customer creation to break into our top five. Everything about this plate is awesome. When a signature takes up a third of the project, you know the person who made it must be cool. Make sure you share this with everyone who gets uptight about making something with their own two hands. I get the feeling that this is going to be a proudly displayed centerpiece at many parties. Even the Patriots logo looks better than the original. Awesome.

We are kicking off another season of clay building events with Kristin from the Twisted Potter on October 1 at 1:30. Join us as we help you to make these handprint turkey sculptures with your young ones. This event is very popular and space is expected to fill up fast. Create a holiday keepsake in the morning and be home in time for the game! A $30 prepayment is required to book your spot. Call 508-755-7776 to register or register online at goclayground.com/clay-sculpting

A little paint goes a long way! Even almost dry paint!

Here is a quick little idea to try the next time you find yourself looking down at your plate and saying, "Why doesn't it look right." It also gives you a peek at one of the many patterns we have available for tracing and filling in! It's okay to pick a pattern! Don't be shy about asking! See you soon!

Taking a break from pottery painting to demonstrate a pocket page layout for you. I am using Stampin' Up!'s Memories & More collection of items along with the Number of Years stamp set. I had never been a scrapbooker before because it seemed like developing a layout took forever. Now that there are pocket pages and themed card collections, it is very easy and fun to do. See for yourself! Are you a scrapbooker or want to learn more about pocket page memory keeping? Stay tuned for upcoming classes and scrap-a-thons at Clayground of Worcester!

Clayground has Zentangle events for new and experienced tanglers! Aimee is practicing with Tombow #monodrawingpens today

Can you complete a Zentangle practice in fifteen minutes? See for yourself and hear a few tips along the way. Next Intro to Zentangle event is August 3! Register for Zentangle events at https://www.goclayground.com/zentangle

Learn how to draw Aimee's new tangle, Mister Gerbik.