Building a miniature ship inside a bottle is impressive, but not as impressive as forging a giant glass shell around the outside of an aircraft carrier. One-up ordinary hobbyists with this Groupon: for $15, you get a paint-your-own pottery session for two, which includes two pieces of pottery, at Bisque & Brush (a $30 value).

The staff at Bisque & Brush's open pottery studio glaze and fire bisque pieces, which guests have painstakingly hand painted and personalized. Aspiring Michelangelos pay no studio fees as they daub pottery with images of flowers, abstract designs, or portraits of imaginary friends. Painters can choose serving ware such as salad or dessert plates, mugs or bowls, or use inspiration from books and completed examples to decorate a holiday ornament or figurine. The studio provides stencils, sponges, stamps, and more than 100 paint colors for pottery primping, and experts offer hands-on help. After finishing the pieces with lead-free and food-safe glazes, staff members fire each work of art and ready it for pickup within a week. Kiln crackerjacks recommend hand-washing dishes and avoiding the microwave to help them endure in kitchen cabinets or plate-spinning contests.