I call myself an “omni-crafter,” which to me, means that I enjoy jumping from one craft to another. I always like to learn something new! I have a few crafts on my “crafting bucket list” that I would like to try, like glass-fusing, mixed media collage, and POTTERY! Well, I did have the opportunity to try pottery when I took a pottery class a few years ago at my local YMCA.

I took the class for 6 weeks, and came home with several very misshapen pots and bowls, but I had a blast. I would love to devote more time to learning and improving my pottery techniques.

Over at eBay*, I’ve written some Tips for Getting Started With Pottery — some things to think about before you jump in. Check my article out! (*I wrote that article as a part of a paid collaboration with eBay.)

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After reading an article about how much fun kids pottery wheels can be at Artful Parent, I became interested in trying out a kids pottery wheel. Um, I mean, I became interested in having my kids try out a toy pottery wheel!

After reading many reviews of many different brands of toy pottery wheels, I learned some tips for successfully using them. They are simple to use, but there are also some common pitfalls that many reviewers complain about. Over in my article for eBay*, I’ve written down my Tips for Using Kids Pottery Wheels, so check them out! (*I wrote that article as a part of a paid collaboration with eBay.)

Artful Parent recommends the Faber-Castell Do Art Pottery Studio, and it also has the best reviews on Amazon. The only thing that I notice about it that I potentially don’t like is that it is only battery-operated and doesn’t include an AC adapter for plugging in the pottery wheel. I would prefer to plug my wheel in, instead of having to use up batteries and then hunt around for (or buy additional) batteries when they inevitably run out.

I’m looking forward to trying out a toy pottery wheel. How about you? Do you have any experience with these?

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If you’re into pottery, polymer clay, or any other sort of clay-related crafting, here is an idea that you will definitely want to try!  Emily at Pottery Blog posted these wonderful textured clay rollers to add to your clay tool arsenal!  It’s a nice way to add your own unique touch to a project – and it’s truly unique because nobody else will have a roller that is exactly the same as yours.  It’s also a quick and easy project to complete, something that is rare in a discipline like pottery where patience is a key requirement.  And at this price, you can afford to make a different texture tool for every project!  [how to make a textured clay roller]

Project estimate:

• Rolling pin, $1 and up
• Sharpie, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

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Would you have ever guessed that this Grecian Urn kids’ craft project started out as a vase from Dollar Tree? The way it’s painted, I had no idea it wasn’t originally terra cotta. I love the brilliant addition of air dry clay handles, too! I found this project over at DollarTree.com’s excellent craft sheets section. This project would be a lot of fun to do with kids during a history unit on Ancient Greece. [Grecian Urn Craft Sheet]

One of the things I miss most about being in school is history class. When I was a kid, I used to write down on my calendar what I wanted to be when I grew up (it changed weekly). One occupation I wrote down often was Archaeologist. I grew up to get a degree in History, and now I write a craft blog. I now settle for re-watching the Indiana Jones movies and making faux ancient pottery!

Project Estimate:

• Glass vase, $1
• Acrylic paint, on hand or $1
• Air dry clay, on hand or $1 and up
• Hot glue, on hand

Total: $1 and up

d: Dollar Tree is an advertiser on DollarStoreCrafts.

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