Paint Your Own Christmas Gifts! - MetroFamily Magazine
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Paint Your Own Christmas Gifts!

by Brooke Barnett

Reading Time: 3 minutes 

Hopefully, you survived Black Friday shopping, are enjoying Small Business Saturday and gearing up for CyberMonday. If you have shopped 'til you drop and still have gifts on your list, or if you are wanting to give something more personal in nature, you might want to take a trip to a local pottery painting place!

My family has given hand-painted gifts to unsuspecting family members for the last few years—a painted tea pot for grandma, a coffee mug for grandpa, a big cereal bowl for dad, a Christmas ornament for our dance teacher and more.

To me, there are definite benefits to these gifts—first, it involves your child in the gift-giving process. My kids have been so proud of the gifts that they have helped to create and it has allowed us to create some fun holiday memories together as we spent the afternoon painting a special "secret" gift. Second, you know you are giving something that the recipient won't already have, so no gift receipt necessary!  (And who doesn't love something created just for them???). Lastly, it allows you to spend your holiday gift budget locally—supporting the local businesses that are the heart and soul of our communities. So, this holiday season, spread the holiday cheer with a hand-painted gift, created with love, at one of our local pottery painting studios—how festive is that?

Where To Go:

Be Wild for Art (1006 24th Ave. NW, Suite 130, Norman—look behind Sonic & Marco's Pizza) in Norman offers a wide variety of pottery pieces, beginning at around $7—and you can choose something functional, something decorative, or both!  To paint, you pay a studio fee of $6.00—which is a steal when you think that it includes all the paint and brushes you need, plus the firing of your object, and the clean-up.  I also appreciate that all the paints and glazes wash out of clothing, so no need to panic if you child ends up a little splattered at the end of the creative process.

Also, if you still want a custom gift without having the brave the painting, you can trace your child's hand on a piece of paper and  Be Wild for Art will turn it into a Santa, penguin or pirate. Handprint ornaments are $22 and you can order them now.

Holiday Hours (November 25th thru December 30):

  • Sunday: 1pm – 5pm
  • Tuesday – Thursday: 11am – 6pm
  • Friday: 11am – 9pm
  • Saturday: 11am – 6pm

For more information, call (405) 307-9971 or visit www.bewildforart.com.

Paint'N Station (7906 N. May, Oklahoma City) is a great pottery painting studio located at the corner of Wilshire & North May.  It is a bright, colorful studio with tons of choices, with items beginning at only $3. Studio fees are $7, and no appointment is necesary for painting fun with your child.  You can also order custom-painted items, great for when you have the perfect gift in mind…but maybe aren't sure you have the painting skills to make it yourself!  Paint'N Station is open:

  • Sunday, 1:30-5pm
  • Tuesday & Wednesday, 11am-5pm
  • Thursday-Sunday, 11am-7pm

For more information, call (405) 842-7770 or visit http://paintnstation.com.

Also, you can read more about painting your own pottery at Unpluggits PlayStudio in Edmond if that is closer to home for you.

How to Save:

Use MetroFamily's Kids Pass to save $5 off a your purchase of $25 or more at Paint'N Station.

Keep in mind that you need to allow adequate firing time for your items, and these studios get very busy during the holidays—so be sure to paint early enough to have your items back in time for that special Christmas celebration  Also, if your child has a winter birthday (like both of mine!), these studios also offer children's birthday parties—a great indoor activity with a built in party favor, as the kids take home what they paint at the party!

Happy painting!
Brooke

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