Things to Do in Carrollton

Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass has offered customers an opportunity to peruse an ever-changing selection of artwork since 1990. Sculptures, goblets, jewelry, scent bottles, paperweights, platters, wall art, and an array of trinkets line the gallery’s art-filled abode. One-of-a-kind handcrafted works from many talented artists are available for purchase. Their friendly staff will help you select the perfect item and even pack it safely for you to take home or ship. Check out a blue cosmo perfume bottle ($48), a striking fish paperweight (starting at $75), or colorful tumbler ($36). Or pick up a beautiful vase ($65) to store your glass bananas and hand-blown daisies. Exhibits change every 4–6 weeks, so there's always something new to see. You have the option to either visit the gallery with Groupon in hand or browse online and phone your order in.

Authentic Belly Dancing Entertainment & Academy's staff of professional dancers pop up around Dallas, shimmering across the stages of restaurants, dazzling guests at private parties, and stealing the stony hearts of competition judges. During their weekend performances and special events, solitary dancers, partners, trios, and troupes perform traditional and Egyptian belly dance movements. They spice up routines with swords, candles, and fire while astounding audiences by manipulating their stomach muscles to pour shots or stop errant cannon balls.

Back at their headquarters on the hardwood studio floors of Dana's Dance Academy, the professional swirlers impart their art to aspiring dancers in beginner and advanced belly-dancing classes throughout the week. A social and enjoyable form of aerobic exercise—unlike sleep dancing, which is essentially solitary—the classes also aim to boost students' confidence, grace, and poise.

Academy students can take their skills to the public stage by performing at Harem Nites at Stratnos Greek Tavern, where, on the first Thursday of every month, professionals and first-timers alike dance together in front of a live audience of spectators, friends, and family.

The Septien Entertainment Group excels at professional singer/songwriter development and training.

The sight of children playing with mounds of broken glass is not uncommon at Smashing Times studio. That’s because each shard of tile, china, or glass has been tumbled to remove any sharp edges before the young ones transform them into multicolored mosaics. All of the shards, arranged by type and color like pieces of a yet-to-be-discovered puzzle, present themselves for collages of all sorts, including interactive glass-fusing projects.

When not helping artists create their own silver jewelry, glass pendants, or mosaic mirrors, the artists at Smashing Times create custom installations. Ranging from massive exterior murals to miniature mosaic lamps, the projects adorn ordinary surfaces with pinpricks of color, stylized to create geometric patterns or a grove of deceptively inedible citrus trees and grapevines.

While attending Austin College, two important things happened to Kirby and Kristi Carmichael: they fell in love with art, and with each other. When Kirby moved to Italy after graduation to expand his pottery education, Kristi followed. During that time, she discovered she had a knack for majolica painting––a craft that Renaissance-era artists used to decorate vases, jars, and plates, all of which Leonardo da Vinci invented. The couple realized they had a sturdy link between their talents, and eventually returned to the United States jobless, engaged, and ready to share what they'd learned.

In October 2005, the Carmichaels opened Quiggly's Clayhouse, where potters and painters alike have since been crafting masterpieces and sharpening their skills with lessons. The studio's flexible walk-in availability encourages artists to visit whenever inspiration strikes—be it for painting pottery, sculpting clay, fusing glass, or forging mosaics. Frequent themed events also bring groups together in the name of casual creativity, including adult wheel nights, ladies’ nights, and kids’ nights.

Customization is the name of the game at Creative Events Photo and Video Booths. Before staffers show up to set up and man the booth, the Creative Events team teams up with customers to personalize each photo-booth package, choosing custom layouts or adding extras such as props or custom logos. On the day of the event, the portrait palace lets up to 10 guests at a time pose for unlimited black-and-white and color snapshots or attempt to break the record for most bunny ears on one bride. Other a la carte add-ons include video greetings from guests and keepsake photo guest books.