Clay Cafe Studios wants to share a simple DIY crayon canvas video if you are looking for some fun artwork to create on a rainy day.

Have you or your kids tried glass fusing? Have you thought that maybe it’s too hard for kids? Not true! In fact, after much demand, we have decided to launch glass fusing parties.

Glass fusing is the process of melting 2 or more colors of glass in a kiln. You make a design in various colors. We then melt it in our kiln to create your beautiful glass masterpiece.

As with the pottery painting parties we offer, our glass fusing parties can be scheduled any day of the week and are appropriate for anyone 6 years and older.

Fused Glass Parties are for 1 ½ hours, with time available for cake and/or pizza, if desired. There is a 10-person, 10-fused piece minimum.

We have 3 project choices for the all-inclusive price of $25 per person:

1. Nightlight
2. Suncatcher
3. 6” Trivet

Instruction, glass and hardware are included in the $25 price. There is no additional studio fee.

We are excited to add glass fusing parties a another great addition to our popular birthday party choices.

Please call Gayla at 703-646-6007 for more information or to book a party today Glass Parties .

Inquiring minds want to know! We get this question all of the time in the studio. Clay Cafe Studios has suppliers who are manufacturers and distributors. Much of our pottery (called bisque) is made in the USA and the rest is imported from all over the world.

It’s pretty easy to tell pottery that is made using a mold. Most of the smaller kid’s pieces like dogs, cats, dragons, and other figurines are created by pouring a liquid solution called slip into molds. often formed by slip casting. A pourable slip is poured into a plaster mold, the excess is poured out, and the slip is permitted to stiffen and dry. The plaster mold sucks up some of the excess water which speeds up the drying process. When the greenware is stiff enough, the piece is cleaned of rough edges and seams from the mold. Once it is “bone dry”, the slip-cast greenware is ready for the first firing in a kiln. The piece is then called bisque after this firing. Bisque is ready for painting and decorating.

Other pottery in the studio is made from a variety of techniques such as slab production with raw claw, ram-pressed, formed on a potter’s wheel, or extruded. Regardless of how the piece is formed, it always needs to be cleaned, dried, then fired in a kiln before the decorating process begins.

Clay Cafe Studios only uses non-toxic and lead-free products for decorating and glazing. We are proud to help protect our environment and have always followed these principals. What happens once you paint your piece and leave it with us to finish? There are several steps that take place to prepare your piece for you to pick up in one week.

After you finish decorating your piece, your pottery is placed on drying shelves to completely dry before the pottery is glazed. Once it is dry, we use tongs to hold the piece and submerge it into a large vat of lead-free overglaze. Each piece is hand-dipped and then placed back onto the shelves to dry completely. Once the overglaze is dry (which usually takes another day), any drips are sanded off. Loading the pottery into the kiln is like completing a jigsaw puzzle. A stilt is selected to keep your piece from sticking to the shelves during the firing process. Each piece is carefully placed onto half shelves in a large kiln.

The kiln is fully loaded and then the firing process begins. Each kiln firing ramps up at a set schedule to approximately 1818 degrees and then the kiln is slowly cooled back to room temperature. This process usually takes 7 to 9 hours to heat and another 13 to 15 hours to cool back down depending on the size of the kiln load. We not finished yet. Once the kiln is cool, the pieces are carefully unloaded onto a cart. Each piece is examined and the stilt marks on the bottom are removed by using an electric dremel. Once they are dremeled, they are placed on the pick-up shelves in the studio.

Once you leave your pottery with us to finish, your masterpiece has been handled at least six more times during the process by a variety of staff. It’s not possible to short cut the process to give it back to you the same day but your patience is worth the wait. You get to take home a wonderful hand-made piece that will remind of you of the fun and relaxing time you spent with us at Clay Cafe Studios.

For more information, give us a call at (703) 646-6007 or visit our website at www.claywire.com.

Our summer camp is going like gangbusters with all kinds of incredible art being created! We are hand building with clay, glass fusing, making mosaics, creating beautiful watercolors and painting tons of pottery. Our studio dog, Lulu, even got in on the fun!

We still have spots available in the coming weeks. Give us a call at 703-646-6007 to register your child today!

Do you like to bake? Cakes, pies or cookies? Using a fun and easy technique called Layered Dots, we painted a colorful plate to showcase our favorite cookies. What use is a new cookie plate without cookies? Here is an easy, tasty recipe to try:

Lemon Whippersnappers

1 package lemon cake mix
1 (5 oz.) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 eggs
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Combine dry cake mix, whipped topping and eggs. Drop by teaspoon in sifted powdered sugar. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Come in to #ClayCafeStudios and we’ll help you create a cookie plate to share your goodies!

Family vacations are a time to relax and bond while enjoying activities with your loved ones. Painting pottery is a great way to unplug the devices and connect with your kids with a creative activity. Many of our Clay Cafe family of customers have been visiting the studio as a regular family outing over the past 18 years.

Clay Cafe Studios belongs to an international, non-profit association of studios that offer very similar activities across the globe. If you are looking for a fun activity while taking a break from site-seeing, the sea or surf, it’s easy to find a local paint-your-own pottery (PYOP) studio nearby. Our association has a website with a locator that’s as easy as plugging in the city, state, zip code or country to see a local listing. There are even links to the studios so you can check out their hours and any events or special offers.

We hope you have a great time relaxing and having fun this summer. If you miss visiting us, you can satisfy that PYOP craving and visit the PYOP Studio Locator to find a studio nearby. Don’t forget to come see us at Clay Cafe Studios when you return home.
We love to know where our customers have been visiting.

Clay Cafe Studios is a creative business and as such, has attracted many creative individuals over the past 18 years. We love to get to know our customers and as a result, we have gained some interesting insights into their lives and passions.

We plan to occasionally highlight some of these innovative people in our weekly blog and share their creativity. We interviewed author Jason Helford who has published two books and has some other intriguing projects in the works.

What made you choose writing as a creative outlet?

Writing kind of chose me. It started out as lots of bizarre ideas and stories that would just pop into my head from strangely vivid dreams and daydreams, or just out of nowhere. When I was around 10, I started writing some of these stories at home for fun, but just for myself. After college, I took some advanced level courses and realized, with some time to hone my craft, I could actually be a writer. So, that’s what I did, and now I am one.
How would you classify your genre of writing?

Initially, that was actually very tough for me to figure out, since I mix genres quite a lot in my work. The nearest I can figure is Dark Urban Fantasy Literary Fiction.

What inspires and influences you?

As for inspiration, everything: comics, movies, news, a momentary thought, an event, conflating interests. I find that I get my ideas from lots of sources. My influences are all centered around originality and creativity. I love things that trod new ground and stick out like a creative sore thumb.

Do you have anything in the works you want to share?

I am currently working on two new projects. The first is a novel set in the future where the planet is beset with a technological calamity that threatens everyone. The second is a serial I am finalizing called Catalyst Jane. It’s part magic, part detective/mystery and part plain old weird.

Stephen King or Dean Koontz? Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? Marvel or DC comics?

I loved The Stand. Definitely Stephen King. I have to go with Lord of the Rings because it brings back great childhood reading memories, and I loved the moves, too (no knock on Harry Potter, it was a close one). Make mine Marvel…but I love DC, too. As an equal-opportunity comic lover, that’s kind of like asking me if I prefer my left or right ear…I need them both!

Check out Jason’s website for more details about his books at http://www.jasonhelford.com/ or visit his Author Page on Amazon.com. Just remember to keep the lights on when you read his books. Follow Jason on Twitter @jasonhelford.

It’s that time of year where we have begun spending lots of time outdoors. Giving your patio or deck a facelift is a great way to start the summer season. We found some simple DIY projects to help you do just that, and no, they aren’t pottery … we just think they’re cool!

DIY Outdoor Canvas Rug

Using a simple drop cloth, paint a pretty rug to put under an outdoor table or lounge chair.
http://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/outdoor-spaces/painted-canvas-area-rug
All it takes is the canvas, some paint and you’re on your way!

DIY Decorated Flowerpot

There are many easy ways spruce up a flowerpot. You can decoupage, acrylic paint or mosaic decorative patterns that will showcase your plants.

Decoupage: www.nationalgardenmonth.org/index.php?page=decoupage

Paint: http://www.finegardening.com/painting-clay-pots

Mosaic: www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Mosaic-Flower-Pot

DIY Fused Glass Candle Holder

When you are sitting out on your patio or deck at dusk, it’s nice to have a little light and a way to keep the mosquitos away. Candleholders can fill both those needs. Watch this video on how to create a beautiful candleholder.

You can make this project at Clay Café Studios. Click here to learn more about glass fusing.

Summer, here we come!

Are you at a loss on what to get Dad this year? If you want to forgo the tie or other traditional presents, we have some great ideas for you. Whether your Dad is a sportsman or hobbyist, a new Dad or likes everything, we have the gift for you.

Animal Lover Dad

For the Dad who loves animals, we have plenty of animal-themed pottery to choose from at Clay Café Studios. We have mugs with lobsters, crabs and dolphins embossed on them. We have both small and large animal figurines, including some beautiful faceted elephants, giraffes and rhinos.

Cocktail Dad

What about the Dad that likes a cocktail at the end of the day? Paint a wine glass, martini glass or champagne glass for him to use for his favorite libation. These are always a big hit at Clay Café Studios!

Coffee Dad

Do we have mugs? Absolutely, in tons of different styles! Decorate a mug with Dad’s name on it in his favorite colors. We also have cappuccino and espresso cups, as well as K-Cup dispensers for the Keurig-loving Dad.

Gardening Dad

Does your Dad like to garden and enjoy nature? Why not make him a nature-themed gift? We have pinwheels and useful garden stakes to decorate his garden. We also have flowerpots for his favorite plants.

New Dad

Baby handprints or footprints on pottery are great ideas for new Dads. Commemorate the milestone of your baby’s birth with a mug or plate that he can use every day and will cherish for a long time.

Come to Clay Café Studios and let us help you pick out the perfect gift for Dad!