Colorado in the house – let the Games begin!

Pre-crack of dawn Saturday start.  Pre-crack?  215am wake-up, Ash & Tom’s home at 3am, 5am flight – connection in Kansas City.  Even with the time difference, arrived in St Louis by 10am.  Met up with Michaela in baggage claim.  She had arrived 30 minutes earlier from O’Hare (after an unexpected overnight stay).  Family Reunion 2016!

Weather forecast?  Rain.  Every day, all day.  Sis has the worse luck EVER with weather.  Lucky for us though, she’s also one of the planet’s best vacation planners – rain or shine, the Games would go on as planned 🙂

Started with a late breakfast/early lunch.  Met up with Mom, brother & his family – in addition to my Sis’ two children.  No kids no more.  Everyone’s now in high school, college or boozers over 21.  HA!

1^st activity: ceramic painting at That Painting Spot

Here’s how easy it is to create your own masterpiece:

1. Pick out a piece pottery that you would like to paint. Prices are marked on the shelf and typically run from about $7 up to $40 (maybe a little more for a giant platter).  We have lots to choose from — from useful cups and large platters to all kinds of animals and fantasy figures.

2. Go to the the Paint Bar and pick out your colors. We have red to purple and almost every color in between, so go wild. We also have specialty paints called jungle gems to give your piece and extra bit of pizzazz, at no extra cost.

3. Get to work. One of our Studio Consultants will help you get comfortable at a table.  Feel free to ask for any advice or how to use or stencils, sponges, writers or other special techniques.  We also have paper and pencil available if you want to sketch out your design before starting to paint.

4. When you are finished painting, let us know. We’ll put your name or initials on the piece and then move your artwork to a safe drying area. After that our Studio Assistants will check you out and you can be on your way. Hold onto that white ticket though, you’re going to need it later.

5. When your pottery is completely dry, we still have work to do. We will glaze your artwork and then let it dry again.  Next we will load it in our kiln and fire it.  Temperatures in our kilns reach nearly 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.   It will take at least another day to cool off after firing.  Your masterpiece will be ready to be picked up in the next 7-10 days.

And that’s all!

Spotted an unfinished toucan with a kitchen sponge in its mouth – yep, that’s for me.  Honestly, not a crafty person – so enlisted help & advice with colour and brush selection.

You really have to trust the process, applied paint appears super dull.  Basted my bird twice.  Surprisingly, took the entire 2 hour time allotment.  Will long remember sharing this day with family.  Whole lotta laughs.

Sis shipped our masterpieces a couple weeks later.  Whatta GREAT idea!  Quite the creative bunch.