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1. A WARM WELCOME
Pre-booking is advised, although not essential
The minute you walk through the door, you'll be greeted by a friendly member of the Sophie's Ceramics team and shown to your table where they'll explain the painting process before you start. We also have placemats with a step-by-step, and some painting tips and tricks! We say booking is advised because although we do accept walk-ins, there's no guarantee we'll have space at your chosen time - especially at busy times like the school holidays!
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2. CHOOSE YOUR PIECE
Prices start from £8
Around the studio, you will see the items we have available to paint, each one is individually priced on the bottom.
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There's something for everyone, so have a wander, take your time, and pick a piece that gets your creative ideas flowing! If you need any help, we're here to advise.
3. DESIGN AND PAINTING
Everything you need to create your masterpiece
Your table will have everything you need including paints, brushes, pencils, rubbers and sponges. We also have stencils available to look through if you like!
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The paints are chalk-based, so if you make a mistake you can use a standard eraser to rub it off - magic! The paint dries a completely different colour to how it will look when it comes out of the kiln, which is why we provide a colour chart - you'll be able to see what your chosen colours look like once fired.
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If you're in need of a bit of design inspiration, feel free to look around the studio or have a chat with one of us to gather ideas.
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Please note: If young children are painting, they must be supervised at all times.
4. WHAT NEXT?
You do the painting, we'll do the rest.
Once you've finished painting, take your piece(s) to the desk and we'll take payment, a photo, and a telephone number.
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We then need to dip your pottery in the glaze that makes it shiny and fire it in the kiln. It will be ready to collect in between 7-10 days (times may vary during busy periods) and we'll give you a call to let you know when it's ready!
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If you're joining us from afar, please don't worry. Postage can be arranged for £3.95 per item if you're unable to return to collect.
Accessibility
For accessibility information, please see our individual cafe pages: Blandford or Shaftesbury
Food and drink
We have a great selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes, crisps, tray bakes, milkshakes, and seasonal treats plus we have a range of dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan treats available, too - so there really is something for everybody.
Still got a burning question?
Feel free to get in touch, or take a look at our frequently asked questions page to see if someone else has asked the same thing.
Studio Fee
There is a £3 studio fee, this covers the paints, glaze, firing, tools, stencils and your time on the table. This is per painting person. You can paint as many items as you like for this £3 studio fee. If you still have any questions on our studio fee please head to our F&Q'S.
Please note: in the unlikely scenario that your pottery is damaged in the kiln process, we will provide you with a voucher for the full amount to recreate your chosen piece at your convenience.