All you have to do is look at my stash of paper and ephemera to know I would buy everything in this…read moreshop, if money were no object. The first time I walked in someone from the staff asked if they could help me and my response was, "I can tell I am in trouble." If you are a paper crafter of any level, this is the place to visit. They carry exquisite papers, embellishments, die cuts, inks, etc. I have also taken a class and found it to be very fun and I learned a lot of new techniques. Every time I am in Ankeny, I stop in and tend to drop more cash than I should...but then I go home and admire my purchases for hours on end.

The best pie ever, highly recommend for any baking needs. Perfect for special gatherings and…read moreoccasions.

From the moment we walked in her stunning home (and drool-worthy kitchen), Deb made us feel at…read moreease. We attended her fajita class on Cinco de Mayo and learned how to make pineapple and aleppo pepper sorbet, marinated steak/chicken/veggies, flour tortillas and guacamole. The food was outstanding, Deb was a thorough teacher and the crowd was lovely (and encouraged to interact). Even if you live in downtown Des Moines, it's worth the drive! Deb, a former restaurant professional, says veggie-based dishes are her specialty, so we're looking forward to attending again for one of her salad or spiralized vegetable classes. Plan for about 2 or 2 1/2 hours per event.

I have had this on my bucket list for a while. The other day, I caught an ad for naughty pottery…read morenight. I instantly grabbed some girl friends and got us signed up. There is a placeholder you pay when you sign up. I completely get that as it sold out quickly. The evening of the event, we brought our drinks and headed to get settled in. Greeted warmly by everyone in the shop. The entire work staff was in a chipper fun mood. We got to select the item that we wanted to glaze. We were given clear instructions on what to do. The room was full of excited adults all there to have some fun. The staff was around to answer questions. They drew tickets for fun give aways. My group of friends laughed, talked, glazed, and had a good time. We were there for about 3 hours. Between picking out the colors and how much time you want to spend on your project. It was really fun for an adult evening out. I really look forward to the next adult fun night.

We were so excited to come in and make our own pottery for a reasonable price. The class was fun…read moreand we were given the option of painting it then or we could come back at a later time and paint it with studio paints and make designs, so we chose that option this class was in November). We went to paint these on February 13. We did very detailed pieces with flowers and intricate designs. The studio told me that they would be done within two weeks to a month. After a month passed, I called to see if our pieces were done, they weren't. After this, I called every week as the studio never followed up with me. Our pieces were finally done on April 3rd. So, I went in on the 4th to pick them up at opening. I waited an extra 15 minutes after opening and they had no one there, I knocked on the door and no one came. They did not have it anywhere that they were closed. I finally picked up our pieces and this studio absolutely destroyed our pieces. They melted the glaze and did not heat them in the proper temperature and ruined all our work designing them. So after 6 months, our pieces are going in the garbage. There was no apology for trashing our pieces or offer to reimburse us or to come in and redo them. It was so unfortunate that the team did not care to make things right.

This is such a great place to create! Families can walk in and pick a project right off the…read moreshelves and start creating. From simple projects like painting a piece of pottery (you take it home THAT DAY!), to projects that are more intricate, there is something for everyone! Owner, Stacy Schuurmann is so creative and offers many ideas for kids and adults to have fun with art!

I'm so glad we stopped by to visit this fantastic business in the East Village!…read more There is an excellent selection of greeting cards, writing tools, notebooks, potential gifts, and stationery with good pricing in a terrific setting. The store feels good. We met Karen, a warm staffer with excellent customer service who knew the store well. I'm looking forward to my next visit!

Favorite Stationary Studio!! For so many reasons it's not…read morefunny!! I get so many compliments on the nature of the cards I buy there, that my family and friends say they love!!

I had a rough idea of a project to make for my granddaughter and the staff was thoughtful in…read morelistening to my questions and very helpful in creating my design. Big kudos to Matthew for taking an interest in bringing my vision to life.

I was looking for something to do, and I found this potter painting shop! It was a relaxing way to…read moreget out my creative energy! When I walked in, they showed me where to get the pottery, how to use the glaze paint, and an instruction card with how to paint it! I chose a mug, and painted potted plants all along the bottom. I may not be a great or even good artist, but it was nice to try something new! You pay for the time and the piece, so prices will vary and they are labeled under the pottery pieces. I painted a regular mug, and for spending an hour and half, I only paid less than $30. Highly recommend!

Hobby Lobby is a good option for stocking up on craft activities and items for home decor,…read moreespecially seasonal items. They have a nice fabric section and supplies for about any craft and creative hobby you can think of. This store is a newly built building, so the layout is a little different from the Des Moines location but is similar to the one by Jordan Creek.

****online store**** Very friendly ladies. Be aware that their hours have changed. You can still…read morebring your machine to be serviced and pick it up but the times are now Tuesday thru Friday, 10am to 2pm. You can call to schedule a different time, I believe. You can no longer go in and shop here. It's an online store. I was bummed to find out on my first visit but I guess it is what it is.

Super cute little quilting store…read more Everyone in here was way friendly and helpful. Went in with my mom and she had lots of questions. They worked with her to get the right material for her project. The passion of the people who work there shows with every person that walks in. Each visitor that arrived got attention that they needed.