Mother's Day Ideas: Paint Pottery!

Mother's Day is coming up next week (5/13)! It's a time to appreciate all that our mothers did for us. However, it's also a time for us to be recognized for being mothers and all that we do for our own children. This week is going to be Mother's Week on the blog! (Seriously, we work everyday and we only get one day of recognition? Dads, I know you only get one day too.) This week, I'm going to have craft, activity, and gift ideas that center around Mother's Day.

Today's idea is to paint pottery! Way back in the days when my hubby was trying to woo me (before marriage and kids), he used to bring me to paint-your-own-pottery places*. I loved it! Now that we have kids, we don't get to have a date night very often and I hadn't been to the pottery place in a couple years. As a Mother's Day gift last year, my husband took us all to a pottery place and the boys painted me a beautiful flower pot (see below picture, on left), which now holds a spot in the china cabinet.

My oldest also made a candy filled polka dot pot in school and brought it home for me, which also has a home in the china cabinet. (See below picture, on right.) It's a super easy craft; you just need a small clay pot, craft paint, little fingers to make polka dots, and some candy for the filler (they used Hershey Kisses).

*If you've never gone to a paint-your-own-pottery place before, here's how it works: first, you pick out the piece(s) you want to paint. The pieces usually range from small things like an ornament up to mugs, plates, vases, piggy banks. Next, you pick out the color of paints and/or glazes you want to use and start painting. Once you are done, you write or paint your name on the bottom and they fire it for you. You usually pick it up in a week. Some places charge a flat fee for the use of the facility/paints/firing of the pieces, plus the cost of the piece. Other places charge by the hour, plus the cost of the piece. If you want to try it, call ahead to see if you need to make an appointment!