Color Me Mine: Expensive, but Worth It

I've visited two different Color Me Mine pottery studios in the Denver Metro Area. Several years ago, we held my daughter's 5th birthday party at the Color Me Mine near Park Meadows Mall. More recently, I brought my children and their grandma to Color Me Mine in Aurora, Colorado at Southlands Mall. Here are my impressions of the Aurora/Southlands location:

Studio Fees ~ Come on the right day/time ~ I find the studio fees at Color Me Mine to be on the high side. In fact, I would rather not pay them at all. Unless you have a coupon or come on a special day, studio fees are $9 for each adult and $6 for kids. Thus, in addition to your pottery piece, a family of four would pay an additional $24 for glazes and firing. My solution is to avoid the fee by coming on a special day when studio fees are waived. For example, Mondays are free if you bring a canned food donation. Fridays are pajama days (fees are waved if you come in jammies) and Sunday is family day~ the whole family paints for $9. We brought canned food and saved a bundle while contributing to a local charity!

Choosing a Pottery Piece to Paint ~ When you arrive, you'll choose from a diverse selection of bisque (unglazed) pottery to paint. The pottery choices at the Aurora studio range from tableware to figurines of animals and fairies, banks, vases, picture frames and more. The prices range from about $8 for a cute little worm to over $50 for a very large vase. I have painted two medium-sized items, a vase and a large cafe-au-lait cup, each under $20. After you pick your piece, you should wipe it down with water using a sponge. All painting tools, sponges, glazes, palettes and other supplies are easily accessible on a serve-yourself basis.

Choosing colors for your palette ~ The glazes are easy to squeeze out in large containers; a rainbow of colors await your brush. Tiles show what the finished color will look like with one, two or three coats. That's helpful, because the glaze looks much different before your piece is fired. I think the finished pieces look best when we carefully applied several layers of glaze to create a brilliant finished color. A small collection of idea cards with different painting techniques is available to choose a style for your piece.

Painting ~ be sure to tell the assistant if you're new or need assistance. The staff at the Aurora location is friendly but very hands-off. You're pretty much on your own unless you ask for help. The first time we painted vases, we asked for some ideas. The assistant suggested using tape to mask off squares or diamond patterns and paint each shape a different color. We tried her idea and wound up with some darling pieces! The second time we came in, the assistant must have recognized us, because she didn't offer much advice. We painted a fairy, a vase, a cream pitcher and a large coffee cup. The assistant was pretty busy with a daycare group and a birthday party, so I was lucky I knew what to do.

Glazing ~ After you're done painting a piece, the staff at Color Me Mine will glaze it with a clear glaze and fire it in their kiln. That way, any areas you didn't paint will be completely finished after it the firing. The glazes are non-toxic, lead free and food safe. I asked if I could drink coffee from my cup, and I was told that "yes" I could drink from it, and it's also microwaveable and dishwasher safe.

Picking up your product ~ after each of our visits, our finished pieces were ready to pick up one week later. I had no problems picking up the pieces, but don't arrive too early. The southlands studio opens most days at 11 am (10 am on Saturdays). The studio wrapped each piece of pottery in paper to protect it. The finished pieces are brilliant and very colorful, and look great displayed in my kitchen and living room. My total cost for four pieces was $55, not including studio fees. I think that's definitely worth the cost, but I would not have paid $79 for the same pieces.

Birthday Parties ~ several packages are available, starting at $20 per painter (minimum of 6 guests). For the $20 fee you get a $12 piece, balloons, invitations and thank you cards. For $25 you get a $16 pottery piece as well as cake, candles and serving items. My daughter's party (at the Park Meadows location) was several years ago, so my memory has faded somewhat. However, I remember the children painted a small worm or bug and it took very little time. After cake and presents, the kids milled around until their parents came to pick up. My advice would be to invite fewer guests and spring for a slightly larger or more substantial piece. The younger children don't spend as much time on the details as older kids. Also, the piece is not ready right away, so you'll have to distribute the finished pieces at a later date.

Overall impression ~ Color Me Mine in Aurora is an attractive studio with lots of options. Not only can you paint a variety of pieces, I also saw a few examples of personalized plates with photos and writing on them (I didn't ask about this option, but it looks like an interesting one to investigate). The staff are friendly but not overly attentive. There are lots of tables for painting and a sunny window which brightens the space. You might want to call in advance to make sure a large group is not scheduled to be there ~ the studio can get quite noisy. I liked the examples of finished pieces ~ they helped inspire us with patterns and colors. My main complaint is the studio fee is very high, but I'm glad there are ways to get a discount or have it waived. I feel the staff could be slightly more attentive or come around to check your progress and give ideas, but this is a minor quibble.

Overall, I give Color Me Mine * * * * (four stars) out of five.