One thing I absolutely adore doing is trying new things. It’s something that I constantly strive for, as it is one of the best ways to grow as a person. Whether it’s through food, drink or activity, expanding our horizons is both exciting and inspirational.

This week I hope you feel the same way because we’re diving into a new experience that requires patience … and a possible change of clothes.

So now that I have you on the edge of your seat, I’m happy to announce our next stop is The Kiln pottery studio located in Brecksville, Ohio.

Now, some of you may never have partaken in pottery before, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take a more advanced class. The Kiln offers both beginner and advanced sessions with a lot of leeway on what you can make.

When you first get there, you are immediately taken over to the wheel and given a demonstration about how to “throw” or position the clay on the pottery wheel. If it is your first time, the instructor is always available to check, fix or answer any questions you have about your piece. That aspect is super helpful when it comes to accidentally flinging pieces of clay or making weird indents in your piece (which I definitely did).

After you’re done throwing and shaping your piece to perfection, you get to glaze it all in one day!

Now for those of you unfamiliar, in order for your piece to be finalized, it needs to be placed in what is called a kiln (basically an oven for pottery) and then glazed after. However, at The Kiln, they want their beginner’s class to be a one-day process. So, they make sure you can glaze immediately before they fire it in the Kiln.

The glazing part was my favorite, as you get to pick from an entire wall full of colors and make it your own. You can paint your piece however you want, whether that be in a solid or patterned style.

After you’re done glazing, you leave your piece there and then pick it up in about two weeks’ time. Then you have a fully functioning piece that is food and dishwasher safe!

The entire process takes about an hour or longer depending on how long you take to glaze. The nice part is that there really isn’t a time stamp on how long you take to complete your lesson, so you know you’re making exactly what you want.

Personally, the idea of playing in what’s basically wet mud for an hour sounds exciting. It’s like playdough, but for adults. That being said, I hope you try out The Kiln and enjoy it just as much as I did. It’s a fun activity you can do solo, with friends or with family.

Until next time on the Tour de Kent!