Before the invention of glaze, potters were forced to color their wares with plant dyes, mud, and old Skittles they found in their pockets. Savor less sticky pottery pigments with today's Groupon: for $15, you get $35 worth of paint-your-own pottery at All Fired Up in Tuscaloosa.

Crockery queen and All Fired Up–owner Noelle Ingram created a casual and tranquil haven where budding artists of any age can fashion their own earthenware masterpieces. Amateur Picassos first select from an array of paintable options ranging from frames and tableware, to magnets, piggy banks, and bisque sculptures of the real Picasso’s ear ($3–$75, including studio fee). Guests can then select from a plentiful palette of ceramic-safe colors to customize a design, or call upon artistic aid in the form of stamps, stencils, and computer printouts. Dress up a dining table by decorating a plain oval tray ($52), with brightly colored flowers, or gift your mailman a “world’s best milkman” tile ($18 ), before apologizing for your mistake.

Once they’ve been finely frescoed, newly minted bisque-works will be left in the care of one of All Fired Up’s friendly kiln-masters who will hand-glaze and fire them in a kiln along with leftover pizza bagels. After roughly a week, the piece will be fired, allowing guests to tote their wares home and introduce them to the rest of the flatware. Aside from being a fun, safe activity for parents and kids, the studio strives to create an artistic atmosphere for all ages, making it a perfect group activity among friends, knitting circles, or out-of-shape garden gnomes.

Reviews

VisitSouth.com featured All Fired Up:

• Children and adults will both enjoy the opportunity to express themselves as they paint ceramic pieces from the serviceable to the purely whimsical. – Ashley Ferry