Handbuilt Jewelry Trays for Mothers’ Day
Create a beautiful gift to give for Mothers’ Day, or make lasting memories with friends and family on Mothers’ Day itself!
No prior clay experience necessary!
Create a beautiful gift to give for Mothers’ Day, or make lasting memories with friends and family on Mothers’ Day itself! Using classic, simple Hand Building techniques, you will make and personalize a heart-shaped tray for storing jewelry, coins, or paperclips!
Example heart-shaped jewelry trays
Choose your color, and we will glaze and fire your creation for later pick-up
Choose from one of three workshop times:
Tuesday morning, April 29, 10:00 am - 12:00 noon
Thursday evening, May 1, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Sunday (Mothers’ Day), May 11, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
No experience necessary. Open to ages 10+
Max. number of students per session: 8
Instructor: Abby Kiracofe
Jewelry Making And Creature Crafting: Two Exciting New Workshops Coming In April! Plus Collaborations With Staunton Parks & Recreation!
We are so excited to announce that in April we will be offering two workshops we have never offered before, Jewelry Making and Creature Crafting! Plus, in March we are kicking off springtime with two family-friendly co-workshops hosted by Staunton Parks & Recreation. Read the blog post to learn more!
Hello, dear Friends of the Staunton Clayground!
We are so excited to announce that in April we will be offering two workshops we have never offered before! Plus, we are kicking off springtime with two family-friendly co-workshops hosted by Staunton Parks & Rec! Read on to learn more!
Where to start? Come join Mary Tuttle for a fun and magical journey through jewelry land! No prior clay experience necessary!
What better way to find that perfect piece of jewelry than to make it yourself?
In Jewelry Making With Handmade Stoneware Beads! Tuesday evenings: April 22 & 29 from 6:00–7:30 pm and May 6 from 6:00–8:00 pm (5 hours total), you’ll learn to make your own stoneware beads out of clay, as well as how to glaze them. You will also learn basic wire wrapping to put them together, in order to make at least one pair of earrings and one necklace (just in time for Mother’s Day). We will provide all tools and materials. You just bring your creativity and any photographs after which you would like to style your jewelry.
Jewelry making will not be limited to women’s jewelry!
Next up, come join creature-creator extraordinaire, Abby Kiracofe, for a one-day adventure in handbuilding!
Who doesn’t need a friendly clay companion or two?
In Creature Crafting – A One-Day Handbuilding Workshop In April 2025, over the course of three very fun hours, you will learn how to make two different types of clay creatures, using the pinch-pot method and by sculpting. Choose a glaze color from several options and pick up your glazed and fired creatures 1-2 weeks later. Absolute beginners welcome are welcome, and you can choose from 1 of 3 workshop times: Sunday afternoon, April 13, 3:00–6:00 pm, Wednesday morning, April 16, 9:30 am–12:30 pm. Thursday evening, April 17, 5:30–8:30 pm.
We are also very happy to be kicking off a series of collaborations with Staunton Parks & Recreation! These will be taking place at the Gypsy Hill Park Garden Center and are family-friendly! Come with a friend or bring your kids along! These workshops are for people age 12+, but ages 6+ are welcome if working side-by-side with an adult participant.
The first, taking place on March 18 from 4:30–6:30, is Paint Your Own Plant Pot! What better way to welcome spring than by painting a brand new plant pot, handmade for you by us here at Staunton Clayground? Click the link above to visit the Parks & Rec website and register by March 12 to claim your spot!
Next up, on April 15 from 4:30–6:00, is Spring Window Accents! Come paint three colorful seasonal window accents, handmade for you at Staunton Clayground. Choose from a variety of shapes including flowers, bunnies and Easter eggs. We will provide all materials, including ribbons, so that you can take your handmade window accent home to hang the same day. Register by April 8 on the Parks & Rec website by April 8 by clicking the link above! Plus, don’t forget to check out all of the other wonderful activities they offer!
There will be even more fun coming in May and June, so keep watching this space for news 😃
Wishing you much happy claytime!
Two New Kids' Workshops in March and April to Celebrate Spring and Mother's Day! Plus, Our Foundational Pottery Wheel Class For Adults Starts Tuesday, and It Still Has Spots Open!
Springtime is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get little hands busy celebrating by creating! We’ve got two different kids’ workshops planned to do just that. Join instructor Brooke Fawley to celebrate the return of brighter days and the first flowers popping up by making a blossom-shaped tea-light candle holder out of clay in the one-day workshop Terrific Tea Lights in March! Then, in April, kids can join us for a 2-part Mother’s Day workshop, Teacups for Mom!
Hello, Friends of the Staunton Clayground!
The season of new growth and renewal is just around the corner, which means it’s time to get little hands busycelebrating springtime by creating! We’ve got two different kids’ workshops planned to do just that.
Join instructor Brooke Fawley to celebrate the return of brighter days and the first flowers popping up by making a blossom-shaped tea-light holder out of clay! Terrific Tea Lights is A One-Day Kids’ Workshop for ages 7 to 12, taking place on a Saturday morning from 10:00–11:30 a.m., on March 29, 2025.
Pick-up in time for Easter, not to mention Mother’s Day!
Making this flower-like vessel will teach attendees the basics of handbuilding using clay, plus they are a lot of fun! Brooke will help students to pick a glaze color that compliments their pieces, and they will come back on Saturday, April 12, to pick up their finished, fired tea-light holders, well in time for Easter and for Mother’s Day! Make Mom a gift that will brighten not only her day, but her every evening!
Then, in April, kids can join us for another Kids’ Workshop! A Teacup for Mom: A Three-Hour Mother’s Day Workshop In Two Parts (Ages 8–12) – Saturday afternoons, 1:00–2:30 pm, April 12 & 26, 2025.
Tea? Coffee? Whatever Mom wants to put in it, it will be sure to be flavored with love!
Kids will have a chance to make a handmade gift from the heart, as well as a great chance to learn and build on foundational skills for crafting functional handbuilt pottery. In the first session, instructor Brooke Fawley will teach attendees how to build a teacup by hand out of clay. During the second session, kids will get to paint their teacups with underglazes, adding designs of their choosing. Pickup at 1:00 pm on Saturday, May 3… in time for Mother’s Day! What better way to tell Mom you appreciate her than by “treating” her to a nice cup of tea?
What’s going on for grown-ups, you ask? Well, we have quite a few wheel throwing and handbuilding classes and workshops starting over the next several weeks. In fact, you could still join us for our very next class, starting this coming week: Foundational Pottery Wheel For All Levels – Beginner and Up: Mastering And Building On Basic Skills: Tuesday evenings, 5:00–7:15, March 11–April 29, 2025.
Grown-ups need playtime, too!
Come join instructor Valya Boutenko to learn the foundational skills you need to throw functional pottery on the wheel! Students will gain confidence while centering clay and throwing basic forms such as cylinders, cups andbowls. The class will focus on mastering the simple throwing and trimming techniques you need to begin creating your own work on your own, and will cover pulling handles for mugs as well as glazing techniques.
First-time beginners are welcome!
Not the right time/day for you? Check out the comprehensive list of our upcoming classes and workshops to see them all and find your perfect fit!
We have so many great things in the works. Look out for a new newsletter with even more fun to be had, coming very soon!
We can’t wait for you to come clay with us! 😃
Handbuild A Teapot, A Set of Mugs & A Kitchen Suite! Choose between 1-day and 4-week workshops and a variety of days and times!
March 20 will be the first day of spring! 😍 Are you ready? Staunton Clayground sure is, and we are ready to celebrate its arrival with a host of new, fun offerings!
Handbuild A Teapot, A Set of Mugs & A Kitchen Suite!
Starting on March 19 we are launching two new one-day handbuilding workshops and another one in April that lasts four-weeks! Read the blog post to learn more!
Hello, dear Friends of the Staunton Clayground!
March 20 will be the first day of spring! 😍 Are you ready? We sure are, and we are ready to celebrate its arrival with a host of new, fun offerings!
Starting on March 19 we are launching two new one-day handbuilding workshops and another one in April that lasts four-weeks!
No prior clay experience required to build this lovely teapot!
The first is Handbuild a Teapot – A One-Day Workshop in March 2025! Creating a teapot using a pottery wheel is reserved for the seasoned potter with lots of experience. Using hand building techniques, however, even a beginner can create a teapot to be proud of! You will choose a glaze color from several options and pick up your glazed and fired teapot 1-2 weeks later.
Choose from three different day/time options: Wednesday morning, March 19, 9:00–12:00 noon; Thursday evening, March 20, 5:30–8:30; and Sunday afternoon, March 23, 2:30–5:30.
Yes, you can build these in one day, even if you’ve never played with clay before!
The second is Handbuild A Set Of Mugs – A One-Day Workshop In March 2025. As with a teapot, creating mugs using a pottery wheel takes practice and experience. Using hand building techniques, however, even a beginner can create a mug that is destined to be a favorite! Choose from two different designs, then choose a glaze color from several options and pick up your glazed and fired mugs 1-2 weeks later.
Choose from three different day/time options: Wednesday morning, March 26, 9:00–12:00 noon; Thursday evening, March 27, 5:30–8:30; and Sunday afternoon, March 30, 2:30–5:30.
Looking to dive a little deeper than a one-day workshop will allow? Then look no further than the third offering, a longer workshop coming in early April…
Absolute beginners are absolutely welcome!
Have you ever wished your kitchen ceramics pieces matched each other? Or even better, that they were customized to your kitchen’s colors? Now’s your chance!
In Handbuild A Kitchen Suite – A Four-Part Workshop: Thursday evenings, 5:30–8:30 pm, April 3–24, 2025, over the course of four 3-hour sessions we will create several unique functional pieces using wet and dry slab building techniques. Projects include a butter dish, utensil caddy/wine chiller, sponge holder and napkin holder, (all food, microwave and dishwasher safe). Design templates revolve around nature themes, such as flowers, mountains and clouds, but students are encouraged to personalize their pieces to fit their own kitchen aesthetics.
There is so much more already posted on our Classes, Courses and Workshops page for the month of April! We have new kids’ workshops starting in late March (think Mother’s Day!) and a jewelry and bead-making class, but more about those in our next newsletter!
We’ll be also scheduling more one-day handbuilding workshops for April and May soon, too, so keep watching this space!
Meanwhile, enjoy the sunshine and come to see us soon at the Staunton Clayground! Let’s clay!
Our First 2025 Classes Are Posted! Pottery Wheel, Handbuilding, One-Day Workshops, Weekdays And Weekends... Take Your Pick!
The holidays are fast approaching now, and as we work hard to make those as special as we can, we are looking forward to kicking off 2025 with a plethora of fantastic new clay classes to fit every schedule!
And we’re not wasting any time! Our first classes of the year, both wheel and handbuilding, start the very first week in January, so read on!
The holidays are fast approaching now, and as we work hard to make those as special as we can (we still have one 1-day ornament-making workshop left, a polymer clay workshop for adults and families, on Thursday, December 19, from 1:00–4:00 pm, so don’t miss out!), we are looking forward to kicking off 2025 with a plethora of fantastic new clay classes to fit every schedule!
And we’re not wasting any time! Our first classes of the year, both wheel and handbuilding, start the very first week in January, so read on!
Wheel classes starting in January:
The pieces in this photo are made on our pottery wheels and fresh from the kiln!
Whether you’ve never sat down at a wheel before or if you’ve already had plenty of experience but still need help with things like centering, pulling up walls, trimming or putting on handles, these pottery wheel classes designed for all levels of beginner are the ones for you!
Looking for something fun and different to do on Friday evenings? Then join Valya Boutenko for our first class of the year. This Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners course runs weekly from 5:00–7:15 pm, from January 3–February 28(with a week off for Valentine’s Day, which happens to fall on a Friday this year!).
Looking to shake the January doldrums with a weekend class instead? Then join Mary Tuttle on the first weekend of the new year. She’ll be teaching a Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners class on Saturday afternoons from 3:00–5:00 pm, from January 4–February 12. There will be plenty of fun to be had!
Would you prefer to save that fun to give you a little pick-me-up midweek as we roll into 2025? Mary will be teaching the same Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners class on Wednesday evenings from 6:00–8:00 pm, January 8–February 12. No better way to get past hump day!
Are you already comfortable with working on the wheel?
Next level fun!
Then join Valya Boutenko for Intermediate Wheel Throwing, Tuesday evenings from 5:00–7:15, January 7–February 25. This class is a good fit for students who can throw and trim complete vessels, with handles, unassisted. In this class you will practice throwing plates as well as elegant, rounded vases. As Valya writes, “Together, we will be tackling the more challenging forms and incorporating design elements that add interest and make our work shine.”
Handbuilding classes and workshops starting in January:
Shake off that post-holiday torpor with an intensive workshop starting the first full week in January!
Join our very own Cary Dahl for Handbuilding A Kitchen Suite – A Four-Day Intensive Workshop, from 9:00–12:00 noon, Tuesday through Thursday, January 7, 8 & 9, with glazing on Thursday, January 23. No prior clay experience required!
Have you ever wished your kitchen ceramics pieces matched each other? Or even better, that they were customized to your kitchen’s colors? Now’s your chance!
Over the course of four 3-hour sessions we will create several unique functional pieces using slab building techniques. Possible projects include a butter dish, spoon rest, pitcher, sponge holder and napkin holder (all food, microwave and dishwasher safe).
Would you rather spread out the fun? Then maybe a weekly course is more your style.
Absolute beginners are welcome!
Cary also will be teaching Handbuilding Basics: A Four-Week Workshop, running on Thursday evenings from 5:30–8:30 pm, January 30–February 20.
Students will explore some of the essential techniques of handbuilding, making several unique functional pieces to take home. You will build confidence working with both soft and leather-hard clay, and explore a variety of surface texturing and glazing techniques. Possible projects will include a serving dish, an angular vase, and a utensil caddy(all food, oven, microwave and dishwasher safe).
Whether you’re new to clay or have already done some handbuilding in the past, this class promises to be fun and to give you plenty of lovely pieces to take home!
Short on time? Well, this year we are also introducing our first one-day pottery workshops! And we couldn’t be more excited, because the first is a collaboration between Staunton Clayground and local specialty cut flower grower, Quince & Burdock.
Make a vase specially designed to showcase tulips in all their glory!
You may know Erin Wright from the Staunton Farmers’ Market, and now she is coming into our studio to partner with us for A Tulip Vase With A Hydroponic Tulip Bouquet: A One-Day Handbuilding Workshop. Choose from three possible workshop times, Sunday afternoon, January 26, 2:30–5:30 pm, Tuesday evening, January 28, 5:30–8:30 pm, and Wednesday morning, January 29, 9:00 am–12:00 noon.
Over the course of 3 hours, through a combination of slab and sculpture, you will build and decorate your creation with handmade flower motifs. You will choose a glaze color from several options, and pick up your glazed and fired vase, complete with tulips, in time for Valentine’s Day! Erin Wright of Quince & Burdock will be on hand at vase pick-up to provide you with your bouquet, talk about tulip care and answer questions about hydroponic gardening. Pick-up for all three sessions will be on will be on Wednesday, February 12, at 5:30 pm.
What a way to wrap up the month. And those are just our January offerings! If you’re busy the first month of the year, well, our offerings scheduled to start in February are already posted on our Classes, Courses and Workshops page.
While all of these are open to people ages 14+ (and the handbuilding classes welcome young people age 12+, as long as they are working alongside an accompanying adult), we have not forgotten about our smaller potters!
Our kids’ workshops for early 2025 are currently in development and will be coming soon, too!
So keep watching this space and, meanwhile, find a handmade ceramic mug, fill it with your favorite warm beverage (I’m opting for some spiced black tea!), and stay cozy! 🧡
There’s nothing quite like taking a sip out of a mug made with love 🥰
(Our members might recognize these glazes! A quick-dipped combo of Dappled light and Mediterranean Mist for the win!)
Flash Sale! 10% Off Our Holiday Workshops for Kids and Families, Now Through Midnight on Monday! Come clay for the holidays!
Today is Small Business Saturday! 😃 To celebrate, we have created a FLASH SALE! Today through Cyber Monday, December 2 at 11:59 pm, you can enter the discount code “SMALLBIZ10” (that’s the number ten at the end, there) when purchasing any of our upcoming holiday workshops for kids and families to get 10% off the ticket price!
Good morning, dear friends of the Staunton Clayground!
We hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families and friends and are enjoying a great post-holiday weekend!
Today is Small Business Saturday! 😃 To celebrate, we have created a FLASH SALE! Today through Cyber Monday, December 2 at 11:59 pm, you can enter the discount code “SMALLBIZ10” (that’s the number ten at the end, there) when purchasing any of our upcoming holiday workshops for kids and families to get 10% off the ticket price!
For more info on all of these, you can visit the “Holiday Workshops” section of our online shop by clicking this link!
These workshops are great fun and are a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit. They make great gifts, too!
Have a wonderful weekend, stay cozy, and we hope to see you soon at the Staunton Clayground!
Our First Polymer Clay Workshop, Coming Saturday! Plus, Three New Pottery Wheel Classes Before The End Of October!
A One-Day Polymer Clay Workshop, Three Pottery Wheel Classes (Beginner and Intermediate) and Kids' Holiday Workshops. So much is going on at Staunton Clayground. Come clay with us!
November is less than two weeks away, but we have three new pottery wheel classes starting up before the end of October, plus our first-ever one-day polymer clay workshop! Read on to learn more! Plus, don’t forget about our upcoming kids’ holiday workshops! So much is going on at Staunton Clayground. Come clay with us!
A polymer clay “Desk Friend” made by Lainie Mabbitt of Second Stories Art, our newest instructor at Staunton Clayground!
November is less than two weeks away, but we have three new pottery wheel classes starting up before the end of October, plus our first-ever one-day polymer clay workshop! Read on to learn more!
The leaves are really starting to turn now. With this beautiful weather and fall colors, our town is really at its best! It is getting chilly though, so if you want to take a break for some indoor activities, our cozy studio has plenty of fun activities and gift-making opportunities for you!
Whether you have always wanted to try your hand at throwing pottery on the wheel and never had a chance or have you spent some time on the wheel but want an opportunity to gain confidence and hone your skills, our wheel classes for all levels of beginner potters are going to be a good fit for you! And two, both taught by the marvelous Mary Tuttle, are starting before Halloween!
Looking for a weekend class? As of today, we still have a few spots left in our Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners, taking place Saturday afternoons, October 26–December 7, 3:00–5:00 pm (with Sat., Nov. 30 off for Thanksgiving weekend).
Prefer a weeknight class to wind down after a long day? There is still limited space available in our Pottery Wheel For All-Level Beginners: Wednesday evenings, October 30–December 11, 6:00–8:00 pm (with Wed., Nov. 27 off for Thanksgiving week).
Everything you make in these classes will be ready in time for Christmas and the December holidays!
And the same is true of our next wheel class for intermediate wheel throwers, which is also starting before the end of the month: Beyond Basics On The Pottery Wheel with the fantastic Valya Boutenko, running Tuesday evenings from 5:00–7:15 p.m., October 29–December 17, 2024.
The class is a good fit for students who are somewhat familiar with working on the wheel, who can throw a basic cylinder and a simple bowl form.
Are you too busy right now to commit to a longer-form class? Looking for a one-day workshop? We’ve got that, too!
This will be the Staunton Clayground teaching debut of the incredibly original and versatile local artist Lainie Mabbitt of Second Stories Art. Join her for an Introduction to Polymer Clay – Make an Inspirational Desk Friend: Saturday, October 26, 9 a.m.–12 noon. Come and enjoy tea and cookies and a chance to make a one-of-a-kind gift, a “Desk Buddy” to brighten your desk or the desk of someone you love!
Last but not least, don’t forget about our new kids’ programming! There are still spaces in both of our upcoming kids’ workshops!
Build a Pinch-Pot Turkey! Saturday mornings, 10:00–12:00 noon, November 2 and November 16 (Ages 7–12) and The Penguins Are Coming! Saturday afternoons, 2:00–3:30, November 23 and December 7 (Ages 6–12).
So much fun to be had! And stay tuned, because we’ve got some special one-day holiday workshops lined up for November and December, perfect for family fun and gift-making! More news coming soon. Meanwhile, enjoy those leaves and some mulled cider! I think I’m going to go warm some up right now 🥰
See you soon at the Staunton Clayground!
A One-Day Polymer Clay Workshop, Plus An Additional Handbuilding Class, Back By Popular Demand!
We are adding more handbuilding and branching out into polymer clay! Our first-ever one-day workshop, An Introduction to Polymer Clay – Make an Inspirational Desk Friend, is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon. Come join local artist Lainie Mabbitt of Second Stories Art, our newest instructor, for tea and cookies and a chance to make a one-of-a-kind gift. we have decided to add one more session of our super-popular five-week Introduction to Handbuilding. This one is scheduled to run on Monday evenings, October 14–Nov. 18, 6:00–8:30 pm (with a break the week of Nov. 11, Veterans' Day). Join our very own founder, Cary Dahl, to explore some of the essential techniques of handbuilding, making several unique functional pieces to take home (or give as gifts this holiday season).
Staunton is gearing up for a magical weekend, and we are kicking off a fabulous fall! We are adding more handbuilding and branching out into polymer clay, so hold on to your hats and keep on reading!
A welcoming polymer clay “Desk Buddy!” by local artist and our newest instructor, Lainie Mabbitt
Our first-ever one-day workshop, An Introduction to Polymer Clay – Make an Inspirational Desk Friend, is scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 9:00 a.m.–12:00 noon.
Come join local artist Lainie Mabbitt of Second Stories Art, our newest instructor, for tea and cookies and a chance to make a one-of-a-kind gift, a “Desk Buddy” to brighten your desk or the desk of someone you love!
In this 3-hour workshop for adults aged 14 and up, we’ll talk about the benefits and fun of using polymer clay.
You will practice techniques to create realistic faces and use your new skill to craft a character for your desk who holds an inspirational sign of your choosing.
Back in the realm of longer-form workshops, we had originally scheduled two handbuilding classes this autumn, but they both sold out before August was even over! So we have decided to add one more session of our super-popular five-week Introduction to Handbuilding. This one is scheduled to run on Monday evenings, October 14–Nov. 18, 6:00–8:30 pm (with a break the week of Nov. 11, Veterans' Day).
So much to explore! So much fun playing!
Join our very own founder, Cary Dahl, to explore some of the essential techniques of handbuilding, making several unique functional pieces to take home (or give as gifts this holiday season). You will build confidence working with both soft and leather-hard clay, and explore a variety of surface texturing techniques. Projects will include a set of small plates, a birdbath with bird sculpture, an angular vase, and a mug (all food, oven, microwave and dishwasher safe).
Is that all? Not by a long shot! We are putting the final touches on a couple more holiday-themed workshops that will be taking place in late November and early December, so keep watching this space!
Meanwhile, if you are in the Queen City, have a magical (and mischievous) weekend!