What a fun activity! I was here with a group of women for a social / networking event. We were…read moreallowed to bring our own food and drinks (pizza and coke, solid!). You can pick your own item to paint. They have so many different options to choose from in varying price ranges. They give you all the materials you need, including apron , sponges and paint. They also give you clear instructions and suggestions. I decided to paint a spoon rest, something I've been looking for- functional and pretty. It cost around $24 which was fair pricing. While picking what to paint, keep in mind you have around 1.5-2hrs. So plan accordingly! After our painting, they text you within 10 days and you can go pick up your masterpiece. Plenty of free parking lot as well as street parking available in the area. I will definitely be back.

Expensive and nearly impossible to get you pieces the hours are so limited and if you send someone…read moreelse (like your spouse) they can't look up a name or anything - it would be nice if it was more clear that if you don't have that you're SOL.

All craft roads lead to Playtime--an unassuming yet remarkable arts and crafts supply store in…read moreArlington Center. As a gifter, I don't fully understand how I didn't know about this place before, but I'm so glad I do now. I went for a family project recently when closer craft shops didn't have what we needed. There's an abundance of arts and crafts supplies here, housed in two interconnected basement rooms, along with an impressive paper and picture frame selection (among other items) on the first floor. The atmosphere is one of a kind--more like an arts-and-crafts boutique curated by the owner, with items you won't easily find together elsewhere. Because of the sheer breadth, some categories (like fabrics, for example) have a smaller variety, which is just an observation, not a critique. Ribbons are unrivaled. If you don't have time to wander, ask--the best part of our experience was the owner, Carol, and the staff (thank you, Lilly). They are wonderfully kind, patient, and creative, offering thoughtful, gentle advice for your projects and genuinely care about their customers. Tip: There's a parking lot in the back or bus 87 drops you off right in front, literally. Highly recommended local business.

How in the WORLD have I lived in Boston, Brookline, and Cambridge for decades and not known about…read morethis place. A friend recommended coming here w/ my mom to look for yarn for her knitting projects and my friend prefaced that this place was the BEST for any type of arts, crafts, decor, etc. Well, WOW!! And funny enough, my mom used to go to this store when she was a little girl in the late 50s-60s to get Nancy Drew books. She said it was EXACTLY how she remembered as a kid. I was awe struck by everything this store had. I will definitely be making this place a regular stop for gifts for people and for fun. Forget going to places like Michaels. Come to this local, family-owned business which I guarantee will have whatever you are looking for. It's an incredible place.

A few years ago, the shop had a live on-line sale, but it was open for in-person customers. I'd…read morebeen buying yarn from the shop for years, including under previous owners. On that day, I decided to go to the shop to see what yarns were on sale. Very quickly, I found two kinds of yarn I wanted to buy.While the owner was trying to sell on line, I said that I wanted to pay for the yarn. She became angry that I was bothering her during the on-line sale. She did take the payment for the yarn, but what she didn't know was that she'd just lost one of the regular customers. I never went back and do not intend to. With that business sense, I don't even know if she's still there. I wouldn't be surprised if she hadn't survived.

Walked into the store and was immediately welcomed. The gathering of women encouraged me to join…read morethem. The wide selections of products will make it a challenge to decide on my first project.

This place is AMAZING!!! I have found countless cool items here for my crafts! If you need…read moreinspiration or supplies, this is the place to go!!!!

If you like to tinker, make art, build, create or imagine, this is the place to go…read more If you need beautiful stuff, this is the place to go. If you believe in recycling, reusing, repurposing and reimagining, this is the place to go. If you are looking for support and inspiration with a project, this is the place to go.

There is something truly special about The Clay School. From the moment you walk into the studio,…read moreyou find yourself surrounded by creativity, and an atmosphere that encourages you to try something new. I had such a wonderful time at our Halloween pottery class, learning the process of working with clay, from rolling and adding textures to shaping and creating a piece that was entirely my own. What I especially appreciated was the freedom to experiment, the encouragement along the way, and seeing everyone's individual personality come through in their creations. Kirsten, our instructor (and owner), was wonderful! Patient, thoughtful, and so generous with her knowledge. She made everyone feel comfortable, whether they had experience working with clay or were trying something completely new. I especially loved that there were people of all ages around the tables, each bringing their own ideas and creativity. The conversations and laughter were just as memorable as the pottery itself. For me, one of the best parts was simply shutting my brain off for a few hours. I spend so much of my life in front of a computer, thinking, planning, and working through one thing after another. It felt so good to put all of that aside, get my hands into the clay, and let my imagination take over. Sometimes you don't realize how much you've missed doing something creative until you're doing it again. The Clay School has clearly earned a wonderful following, and after spending an evening there, I can see why. It's the kind of creative experience I hope even more people get to discover. With so many interesting classes to choose from, I already have my eye on what to try next. Thank you, Kirsten, for reminding me how much fun it is to simply create. And yes, I'm rather proud of my Halloween masterpiece! I can't wait to see how it turns out once it's been glazed!

Kirsten has been at the Clay School for many years now. She is patient, knowledgeable & alway…read morehelpful. This program is a must for anyone who loves pottery / clay work. 5+ stars for the Clay School.

The new framer and the manager Carrie, took amazing care of my two items that needed to be re…read moreframed! Excellent work and care to my items.

The store is nice. Employees are fantastic. There is a manager there named Mark. Whoever idea it…read morewas to hire this man should be ashamed of themselves. This man should not be in customer service. He is nasty and demeaning to customers. He seems like he hates his job. Think I'll change stores.

Large double room space with PLENTY of inventory. We usually stop into Michael's obviously for our…read morecraft supplies. For me I look for painting canvases, paint markers, acrylic paints and brush kits. They literally have everything and new sales and deals weekly. Ample parking in the lot...FREE!

One of the bigger Michael's Craft Stores I've been to! Very…read morebig store in Cambridge... definitely will be able to find anything craft related you're looking for here. Came in looking for more paints and didn't have any trouble finding what I needed at all. Staff was very kind and helpful. Parking: lots of parking available. Located in a plaza w/ free parking lot.

Can you marry a store? Because if you could, I would marry this place! This boutique/home goods…read morestore is relatively new and I've been interested to see what is inside. I drive by all the time and have never had a chance to do so until today. I finally had the good fortune to do so as my daughter and a handful of her Girl Scouts troop had a socially distant crafting class this afternoon. My original intention was to just drop my daughter off and leave since they were trying to limit attendance, but all of the lovely hand-crafted products drew me in. Even my 5-year old son was intrigued by all of the sparkle and unique handiwork. From custom-built furniture to paintings to ceramics to holiday decorations, there was so much to see and love. Despite my husband's warning not to add any more items to our holiday collection, my kids and I could not resist picking up a few items to decorate the house. It was hard to just choose one item each! In this time of the pandemic, we needed something to cheer us up though! The prices of all of the items were so reasonable, which is not always the case in stores like this. And even when my daughter, who has expensive taste (!), chose one of the pricier ornaments in the place, Erica was kind to confirm that it was okay with me first. When my young son wanted to buy just one of three adorable felted holiday mice that were sold in a set, Erica said it was okay, which made my son so ecstatic! He has been walking around the house with the mouse since we came back from the store! I had the chance to chat at length with both of the owners - Richie and Erica - and they were both so sweet and friendly. They are both retired from their previous careers, and it is clear that they have invested much time and care to this new livelihood. They even treated my two young children so well! Usually, places with such fragile items are hesitant to have children peruse the displays, but neither of them minded my kids carefully looking through all of the ornaments and fun goodies! In fact, as we left, Richie presented both of my kids with a kind and unexpected surprise - some magic reindeer food! That was totally unnecessary, but my kids were so touched by the gesture. Again, in this times of COVID, the kind gesture brought a tear to my eye. My daughter has not had much social contact recently due to the pandemic so she was hesitant to venture out for this event. She and I were so glad that she ended up going because she had a blast and we discovered this gem! When we left, Richie told us to come back again and both of my kids said they wanted to come back everyday and as soon as tomorrow. If that doesn't speak for itself, I don't know what will. Erica is an amazing artist and I cannot wait to come back myself someday to shop more without my kids in tow and to participate in an adult crafting class. Erica and Richie, welcome to Stoneham and I hope your store is around to stay for a long time! Thanks for treating a first time customer with such hospitality and friendliness!

Cute little store with a not huge but good quality selection of quilting fabrics…read more Staff is incredibly kind. I enjoyed perusing.

Merristitches is my happy place!! Always a fun class, beautiful fabrics and amazing sewing…read moremachines!!

This place is incredible!…read more I brought in a chair from an estate sale and Pam was able to fix it up and make it an original, gorgeous new item for my home, which I will treasure. Pam is creative, thoughtful, and not too pricey considering the high quality final product. Very happy I found this unique little shop and Pam!

A huge shoutout to Pam, the owner of Tin Bucket, for her absolutely wonderful customer service. I…read moream writing this review because Pam went above and beyond when helping me with an important framed print for my daughter Sarah's rehearsal dinner. The framed print was purchased by Sarah's future mother-in-law to display at the event. She initially asked me to do the lettering--the wedding couple's names and title--on the matte, giving me less than two weeks to complete it. (I must admit, she initially thought I could do it by hand, but I didn't feel comfortable with the task.) While searching The Tin Bucket website, I saw the beautiful work Pam could do with lettering transfers. I reached out and asked if she could possibly take on this project. With a smile on her cheery face, Pam went right to work, providing possible different lettering choices within just three days! Once the lettering was agreed upon, Pam took apart the frame only to find the matte was glued to the frame itself. This is the remarkable part, especially with the rehearsal dinner just a few days away: Pam actually bought another frame and matte herself and finished the lettering! It was all done within the needed timeframe, even with the unexpected matte issue. I cannot thank Pam enough; she was professional, delightful, and truly committed to helping me. I believe this level of service is extraordinary these days, and it is so important to know we have Pam and The Tin Bucket in our town. I am so pleased I thought of Pam and chose to support a local Reading business owner. Many thanks again, Pam!