What a great place to relax during a blizzard! A friend and I decided to check it out on a snowy…read moreafternoon and they have a great selection of pottery to paint, from small ornaments or figurines to large plates and bowls. The owner and her staff were incredibly patient and helpful, walking us through the step by step process to ensure we felt confident with the projects we chose. I painted a large coffee mug for $28 (painting supplies, instruction, clear glaze, and firing included) and we were there for a couple hours, just chatting and painting. It was so fun and relaxing! (It actually cured my hangover.) You can also create your own clay pieces, have a painting party in their Party Room, take a class to learn to throw clay on the wheel (I think that's how you say it), or make glass art -and there are many beautiful examples to inspire you. As we drove home we chatted about how excited we are to see our fired pieces in a week as well as how much we look forward to doing it again!

Cute indoor activity! I loved the glazes and the pottery options, but the service needed a little…read morework. Went here on a Saturday afternoon, and I was told it was an hour to hour and a half wait. That was fine with me. I spent an hour in the area and then I called to ask how much more time is left (not to be impatient, but to see what things I could do while waiting) and I was told it would be another 45 minutes. I started doing something else, and 10 minutes later, I was told it was my turn... that was really unfortunate. When I got there, the staff was super nice and helpful! However, I noticed that I wasn't given all the info other customers were getting. They were told about things like the tools to make textures and what not, but I didn't hear about it until halfway through I was done glazing. I wish there better communication. A great spot though for a calming indoor activity.

It is a wonderful space. I had a patient instructor, and came home with beautiful table.read more

My husband and I took a woodworking class and came home with beautiful vases that started as just…read morean ordinary piece of wood. It was great pleasure to watch this wood take form and function as the class progressed. Joanne was an outstanding instructor and we will return many times for more classes! We are fortunate this business is so close to where we live. Highly recommend visiting their website!

Bought a Groupon for a 1hr Glassblowing Class for 2, great deal especially since I got it with a…read more20% discount. Pros: -Adrian was a great instructor/coach, patient and highly knowledgeable. He was chill and safely guided us through the various techniques to properly use/apply the blow torch, thermal art theory, and glass properties. -Total active time including instruction and making glassware is about 1hr, then about 20-30min wait to collect your art. The glass needs to cool down gradually in a blanket to avoid thermal shock: good thing the class is located off of State Street, so wander off but don't forget to come back. -The class is in a small room in the back of a CBD store. Small workbench and 2 stools to sit on during demo with a spot in the corner to hang your coat. Plenty of space to work in. -During creation, you will be standing in front of the blow torch. I don't think you're allowed to sit, due to safety: proximity to the fire and gasses. -One stop shop for some people. Curious place for those new to functional glass art. -Small private class for 2, special request for bigger groups. Good idea for a date night, everyone walks away with something cool! -During introductions, Adrian showed us a tray of the things we could make (pendants, stir sticks, ornaments) to showcase beginner class techniques we would learn. Cons: -Location is a little bit hidden, the shop is in the basement of the white house looking establishment NEXT to State Street Brats on N. Frances St. watch for the small street sign next to the sidewalk. -The CBD Store has a lot of locked displays on the floor, so it can get pretty cramped in there. -Originally made our reservation online, the site said it was confirmed but I never got the email confirmation. I had to email them to verify the reservation (48hr response), by the time they replied my chosen time was booked by someone else so the shop gave me the next available time slot which, luckily, turned out to be a better option for us. But still, when you register online take a screen shot of the preliminary confirmation page before you exit the page, then double check your inbox for the confirmation email. There are penalties for cancelled reservations and no shows, read the MGA policies. -No restrooms in the shop. If you need it, go to State Street Brats: use the closest entrance from MGA, go through the door on the left, and the ladies' room will be immediately on the left.

Not something I would normally elect to do but my daughter gave us the groupon for two so why not?…read more I'm really glad we did this, I think you will too if you are thinking about it. Park in the Frances Street ramp and walk a short distance to the basement of the white house just before State Street Brats. No bathrooms but it's just an hour for the beginner class. Reservations were a bit funkie and it is a cramped head-shop with a workbench in the back. Nothing unexpected for down town Madison. The class was awesome, the instructor Adrian is the one that made it that way. Knowledgeable, informative, patient and engaging. Not only explained what he was doing but the why, including some of the physics & chemistry that go into glass blowing. It's not as easy as he made it look but you come away with something you made that you will likely keep forever including the experience you had doing it.

Spry Whimsy is notable in the community, and since I don't knit or crochet, I always felt like they…read morewouldn't have any options for me, in order to patron them. I was wrong. They have an amazing space that they have transformed into the most modern and trendy spot! There are areas for them to host classes in the back, or just areas to sit and work on a project. They have great options for gifts, oodles of options for yarn and such. Their displays are so adorable and strewn around the store in spots you wouldn't normally think to stash one. Make sure to swing in here on your stroll down Main Street!

Great yarn store with helpful friendly staff! They are open 7days a week! Easy parking down town…read moreStoughton Wisconsin

Strolling down State Street, doing some window shopping. Found this gem of a card store. Love shops…read morethat have a wide selection of greeting cards and other gift items. The staff were friendly and helpful, and able to point me in the right direction. Found a bunch of hilarious (somewhat sarcastic) cards that almost had me rolling on the floor. Thought I was ready to be checked out, and then found a few more fun items at the register. I had to will myself to leave the store before I found more items (and spent more money). A great place for cards and other thoughtful gifts.

This store has a lot of cute cards, stationery, and little gift type items. Some of it is a little…read morepricey, but a lot of it also seems to be locally made. I didn't purchase anything so I can't speak to the service, but it was a fun shop to look around in.

Confectionique is an adorable little shop located in the Middleton Airport. Very random, but very…read moreworth the trip. Each month the "market" has a theme and is only open a few select days a month. Because of this, the store is very, very crowded, so be prepared to get cozy with the people around you. The nice thing is that with such a beautiful setting, everyone is in a good mood and friendly and you'll have a few random conversations about the goods you're looking at. The owners seem like super sweet people who are enjoying living their Parisian dream with their customers - on our visit they were co-manning the checkout counter to get everything wrapped and added up in quick fashion and were very friendly and gracious - they exude appreciation that you're there and make you feel like a regular that's stopped in a corner shop as opposed to a stranger in an airport. I came away with a lovely greeting card featuring a fox and floral design, plus a ceramic bird teapot for my mother for Christmas. After getting home I flipped the pot over to see who made it, and was a bit disappointed to see it was a mass-market made in China piece. The store's tagline is "Authentic. French. Vintage." and this was none of those things. The inexpensive price probably should have tipped me off ($17), but at the end of the day it was a great, affordable find that I think the recipient is going to love, so who cares? Looking forward to stopping back in again, and I'm excited to go during warmer weather so I can sit out for a bit and watch the planes come and go!

I cannot resist this place! You walk in the doors, and it's like being in the most magical and…read morewhimsical dream. The shop is open once a month, and it is uniquely decorated each time you visit. The shop owners visit paris once or twice a year and work with french and local vendors to fill the shop with delightful treasures. Whether you have specific items you've seen on Etsy, Anthropologie, on a blog your visit, or if you are just looking for decorating inspiration...this place is a must! Today I visited and walked home with a vintage food scale and an antique minnow bucket. Both items I've been searching for, and I found them here reasonably priced and in fabulous condition. Next month I intend on visiting on the Thursday night...as they serve free wine while you shop!

We stopped in for the first time today. It's filled with absolutely beautiful hand made pottery…read more I don't know why I was surprised, but the quality of the pottery and glaze is truly top notch. We'll be back!

crap pottery.!!!!!!! Ugly pottery. Overpriced. Horrible…read moreowner. Rude and extremely unprofessional.

Higher fire is a great studio in the Madison area. The people who work there are really friendly…read moreand customer service oriented. I started a class there this summer, but was unfortunately unable to finish it out due to outside circumstances. Linda was willing to work with me on the money I had paid for not being able to complete the course. I was really pleased with their responsiveness. The class itself was very informative. The teacher was attentive, and able to answer any questions. I think that others would enjoy taking these classes.

This is a great little art studio, gallery, and retail/gift shop on Regent St. They offer pottery…read moreclasses for adults and children - a unique idea to get out of the house in the winter and the lessons make a great gift for that person or kid that already has everything. Linda was extremely helpful and patient with our group lesson. She fired the pottery and we came back to glaze it before she fired it a second time. You can also buy a variety of gifts including from the adjacent jewelry and pottery studio or, better yet, make your own gift for someone special. It's a laid back atmosphere and they offer as much or little assistance as you prefer. Keep your eye out for the Gallery Nights they host complete with snacks and occasional live music. We bought 4 really cool hand made cups intended for Sake wine (but they're also ideal for espresso and baby food!) at the one we attended recently. Higher Fire is a place you've probably driven/walked past dozens of times but never stopped. Next time check it out and I bet you'll be glad you did! Plus it's always nice to support our local small businesses.