GO TO CROCK A DOODLE INSTEAD (723 Gerrard St East). My family has gone to The Clay Room for more…read morethan ten years. I've completed many pieces there, including a yearly handprint ornament for my daughter. This time, after choosing our pieces and following their six-colour guideline for children, I was confronted by a clerk who told me my ten-year-old "only needs four colours" and that "it's four when we're busy." The tone was hostile, and the reasoning made no sense. Customers pay for the piece, the studio time, and the firing. Colour limits serve no purpose beyond making it easier for the establishment to handle customers. The same employee who was rude and hostile later called to say she hadn't realized we had more than one piece and that we could use six colours after all. By then, the experience was already compromised, so we did not return. Crock A Doodle was a direct contrast. Seven minutes away. Transit-friendly. Every table stocked with the full set of thirty colours. The price of the item covers everything: paint, time, and firing. It was straightforward and worth it.

A wonderful little gem for kids' parties (they've got party packages), mother-daughter outings, or…read moregirlfriends wanting to chill and do something crafty. (There were some fathers and daughters enjoying themselves too!) Walk-ins welcomed. (That's what we did!) I haven't had experience at other ceramic painting shops before, so I can't really compare to any competitors. So this is based on my first-time experience - and it was really great! My girlfriends and I wanted to do something artsy, low-budget and relaxing. And thanks to great timing, there was a group deal for The Clay Room some months ago! So the 4 of us bought the deal of the day, and headed down to the Danforth for a girls day out. The Clay Room was bustling with activity on that Saturday afternoon. Not packed and uncomfortable but it had a nice vibe and there was steady traffic. There was a private birthday party downstairs, the benches upstairs were about half full when we arrived. The instructions for us newbies were a little confusing at first. There was an instruction sheet posted on the wall, but it was located in an awkward spot and hard to read from a distance. There was only really one staffer behind the counter (another was working the party downstairs, and another was at the kiln in the next room) - so she was kept busy with one group at a time. The staff was friendly enough, and we understood that they had influx of traffic because of the group deal. So, you get there, and you: 1. Pick up an order form (you need this to pick up your piece after it's fired) 2. Choose a ceramic item (prices range depending on its size) and copy its code number onto your form 2. Select paint colours from the paint chip wall (kids only have choice of 3, whereas adults have unlimited selections) - right down their numbers on your form 3. Give your form to the staff and they'll give you the actual paints in a bucket. And you're set to paint! The store is equipped with stencils, hair dryers, sink, sponges and brushes for your use. There is a Studio Fee which covers your usage of all their space and equipment. It also includes the firing cost. It takes a week for your item to be fired in the kiln. So plan to pick up your final artwork at a later date. There is no time limit - which is great! But mainly because... it does take a LONG time to paint. Especially if you want a good solid coverage of paint on your piece. At least 3 coats of paint, and you need to dry each layer before continuing onto the next. Of course, a smaller piece of ceramic would take less time too. And depending on how many colours you're using and how much detail you're adding to it. I painted a medium sized robot money bank (that's right - a robot! They have a wonderful selection of ceramic pieces - not just the usual plates and vases, but some really fun pieces that make great gifts), with 4 colours. And it took a solid 3 hours. So be warned to plan around meal times and such. :P My friends and I all agree we'd go back again! Happy crafting! :)

My friend and I went to our first pottery class! They had a $25 promotion for a wheel class…read moresession. Such a fun activity! I definitely recommend if you are looking for a creative and affordable activity to do. Note if you want to glaze and paint, you need to wait 6-8 weeks after and book another session for additional cost

I've been here couple times already twice with my girlfriends to make bowls and twice with my…read moreboyfriend. Super fun activity to do. We made our own pieces took them home to dry to 6-8 week then came back to paint our pieces. Be sure to check their website beforehand because they usually have some type of promotional going on. For the matcha bowl it was only $25 per person for 1 lb of clay and the instructor takes you through how to make it. For the painting we only paid $10 per piece and they also glaze and fire for you so you can actually use your pieces. The staff is always very kind and accommodating. Usually their classes and painting is one hour but they let us stay longer with any additional charges. Even if you are a beginner like me and mess up they will help you fix your pieces so don't worry. Definitely very worth it! Recommended coming if you're looking for an artsy activity. Art ventures has multiple location this is the Bay and Dundas location. They offer different pottery class from beginner class with instructors to advance ones. You can always paint your own pottery that you make. They also have already made pottery if you just want to paint a piece. You do have to book before going so make sure you book online or over the phone.

Super cozy and beginner-friendly pottery & art studio! The instructors were very friendly and…read morehelpful with how to experiment with the pottery wheel for the first time. Clean and open space. Great spot for art therapy, friend hangouts, and couple dates!

I'm a little late posting my review as I visited earlier in the year. However I wanted to highlight…read morewhat an amazing place this is. They have plenty of premade paint your pottery available for purchase. you can also take a class and create your own pottery. A birthday party was going on when we visited and what a great idea this is for your kiddos. Or for an adult birthday or event. I'm a foodie so I painted a doughnut. Everything you would need including special pencils and paints are all provided. This was so much fun and priced reasonably well.

Cute spot, instructors were nice and helpful. Took my friend for her birthday and she really…read moreenjoyed the class

I came here for a pottery painting event and it was so fun! The space is really cozy and cute :)…read more There's a fee of $19 for the painting event, and an additional fee for the piece you select -- I think they started from around $20? But the whole event lasts 1.5 hours, which was actually plenty time to design and paint the piece. The staff are super helpful and attentive throughout, as well. The only downside is that there's no AC in the space... so in the summer, it's really hot there. But no worries as the weather is cooling down, so this shouldn't be an issue further on :)

From the owner: mono studio is one of a kind art studio with a cozy home vibe. We mostly host small group from 4-6…read moreppl but open for a big parties up to 15 ppl! Our services: pottery wheel, hand building, oil and acrylic painting workshops. These are available as a private experiences too!

Things Japanese carries assortment of authentic Japanese products…read more So much fun to browse around and everything here is just so delicate. Love the tablewares and they even have tea sets for the tea ceremony. Friendly shop owner also gave me good tip that if I forgot getting any gifts or souvenirs after my trip to Japan, I can always come by and pick up some. Good idea especially I love travelling light! I doubt my friends would have notice the different :) as Things Japanese has their goods shipped from Japan anyway!

An excellent assortment of extremely beautiful Japanese Flatware and other products. Great gift…read moreideas that are of higher quality. More expensive but but worth it in the end. Will be back.