NW Encaustics is an amazing little gem of a studio. It has…read morea fantastic set-up with all the tools, instruction, and house-made wax you'll need to learn this super fun medium. It's also affordable-more affordable than Pratt I believe. Also, the people who take classes there and teach are really fun. It's a laid back, relaxed, and welcoming atmosphere, which I really appreciate. Encaustic painting is easy to do, but there are some techniques that are really helpful to learn, and it's not a completely non-toxic art; the fumes need good ventilation. Also, you use blow-torches... so, having a studio to paint in is a necessity, especially for an apartment dweller like me!

I love both this studio and the community of friendly artists that instruct there. Laid back, yet…read moreprofessional; NWE is a great place to take beginner classes and beyond. Well worth the price if you are ready to dive into the wax!

Such a fun and unique paint experience! My partner and I selected the Couples package and had a…read moreblast with the balloon darts and extra colors/brushes! The studio owner let us blast our own music the whole time and did not provide any restrictions on how to paint our canvas board or conduct the session. This made for such a special shared birthday gift and memory that will last with our art piece! Friendly and professional owners with no judgements about our art piece. Highly recommend!

Booked a session for my two granddaughters, ages 3 1/2 and 5 and Wicked Rae's exceeded my…read moreexpectations! The staff is engaging, knowledgeable about child development and encourages creativity. My granddaughters had fun exploring a unique approach to art where they had a full hands on experience. They decorated and left class with their very own canvas bag. We'll definitely be back!

We finally checked out Curious Kidstuff and I wish we would have come in sooner…read more The main reason we came in was for the art class they offer. For littles 18 months and up on Mondays and Fridays they offer an art class at 10am. The first class is free which is awesome because you can check it out without making a commitment. Then, classes are $12 or if you purchase a 4 pack, you get 10% off. It's drop in style which is great because our schedule can change suddenly with my 2 year old. The toy shop itself is also very cool with a wonderfully large assortment of toys. Art toys. Educational toys. Trucks. Animals. All the things. The prices are a tad higher than amazon, but I'd rather pay the additional $2 than have to add $20 worth of stuff I do t need to get same day shipping on amazon. The staff is very kind and friendly. This is a great shop in west Seattle. There is 2hr street parking and also a few close by public lots for the junction.

Good toy stores are very scarce. I brought my four year old grandson into this shop for his first…read moreexperience in a REAL toy store. The shop staff were so great. He had never seen so many toys in one spot. Department store toy "areas" are just not the same as a shop like Curious Kidstuff. He walked around the shop in amazement. I highly recommend grandparents to take their grandkids for this magical toy shop experience.

What can I say but wow! Besides this being the best idea ever (and well-executed at that!), the…read moreowner is super nice and has tons of great ideas ready to go. Her kids were there as well and were wonderful! Check out especially the splatter room. Seriously, the best. We don't live close enough to come every day, but we will be back every time we are down this way.

Great place to let your imagination take over. With little limitations and a bag of popcorn. You…read morecan have a party or just drop in. 10$ a hour. You walk in and sign in and pay when you leave. My sister and I came with her three year old son and I was super impressed. Some much painting and crafting for your kids. The owners are super sweet and down to earth. There are different rooms to different crafts. Check out the picture you and your kids with have a blast. Great place to have a party or play date.

I just completed an 8-week, on-line, drawing class there. The instructor was great and so were the…read moreother students. Classes were well organized, and all the instruction was posted 24/7 on the web, including class videos. I have taken a few of their on-line courses in the past couple of years, and since I live at the other end of town this is an easy solution. If you try it, be sure to familiarize yourself with the links they will send you ahead of the class. One for Padlet, and one for Zoom.

A lot of fun to dive into oil painting! I haven't touched painting in more than ten years but have…read morealways wanted to work on it. The teacher Lendy was very accommodating and helpful to alternate your perspective of painting and getting you out of perfectionism. Hyper realistic art isn't as interesting--and wouldn't you just take a photograph if that's what you want? Not only did you learn a bit about painting in the 8 week or so in person course but also how high of expectations people have of themselves. We started with probably 15 or so people enrolled and the last class had four. Even if you think your art sucks, just showing up and investing time will make it better. No one is good at anything immediately. You can also get out of external validation in these types of classes. If most paintings from others look similar, what do YOU want your art to look like? Is the question to ask. The class is pretty affordable for the hours and time you spend painting as well. The main feedback I would have is a little more time educating. Most of the beginner classes have a quick overview for about 10 minutes and then you start painting for the rest of the three hour class. I might be a very literal and visual learner, but I would love to go through more examples prior to start, and more in depth learning about technique and maybe some history or introduction to artists for maybe a third of the class or at least 30 minutes. Even if it was a pre read, I would read it. You get a ton of experimentation time, I'm a nerd for learning so I may have initially expected equally technical to hands on experience. I definitely recommend trying a class here especially if your more of a hands on "I'll figure it out" kind of learning style or looking for more studio time over lecture or traditional education. Worth your time!

I have been a member of Rat City Studios for 4 1/2 years and a hobby potter for 10 years. This…read morestudio is amazing. It is in a beautiful garden setting, the studio is clean and organized, studio management is excellent, and the studio glazes are great. Deb Schwartzkopf, the studio owner is not only a wonderful ceramic artist, but a supporter of potters at all levels. I love this community.

Did the Sip N' Spin class and had a great time. I would recommend it for friends looking for a fun…read morenight out or a fun date night. It's a great first time on a pottery wheel. You get a 30 minute lesson and at least an hour to enjoy clay. Best part, it's all the clay you can spin. I took full advantage of that fact to keep trying. You only get to keep 2 pieces which they ship to you after it's fired. Amazing value! Amazing experience! FYI: You really don't have time to drink (sipping is the best you can do) and with your hands are covered in clay don't bother bringing snacks.

Such a cool event. I came here for a friend's birthday event and left with a really cool knife and…read morecarrying sheath for it. The instructor was super kind and ensured we were all following along safely and timely. Would totally come back!

What a sweet guy our instructor was! Ben the Magnificent. It's like a 4 hour Podcast with this guy…read more Chatty while being productive! It's all about the transitions. Thanks Ben. Oh yeah, the ring, right! It's a great experience. Do bring snacks, and put them in your shoes, this activity involves lots of standing. Will do it again. Metal forging is hot and cool.

I can't believe I had never explored this store before!…read more Seattle recreative (the sodo location) has just about everything you could ever need for crafting. They had fabric, all aspects of sewing and scrapbooking, jewelry making, bulk paint and glue, glitter, and a wide selection of different containers. I don't think I could even write everything they had. The prices are dirt cheap: I bought 9 or 10 things for $5. If you (like me) are really into sustainability, I can't think of a better place to pick up your crafting supplies.

I was looking for craft supplies for a project and didn't want to buy all new stuff, but kept…read morestriking out at Goodwill. Somehow, I had never heard of Seattle ReCreative, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it! The store doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's much bigger than it looks. The front rooms have sewing supplies, knitting/crochet needles, fabric and notions, plus modeling clay, jewelry and beading stuff. As you go further back, there's a room with office supplies, a section of cards and stationery and paper ephemera. The biggest area is in the back, though, where the main warehouse is. That's where you'll find gift bags and tissue, floral supplies, wicker baskets and tins, paint, and tons more random stuff. The other side of the warehouse is a crafting area that looks like it can be rented out - they said they had had a bunch of kids in earlier for a field trip. You definitely have to sift through the piles of stuff to find what you're looking for, but the prices are very reasonable. I love that it's reducing waste and encouraging creative reuse - anyone with hobbies knows how expensive it can be to get started with supplies, and this is a good way to try things out inexpensively. (Or get rid of the evidence of an abandoned hobby.) Their hours are a bit limited, but similar to other small crafting/hobby supply shops. Overall, if you're willing to roll up your sleeves and hunt, there's lots of treasure to be found!

Its been on my list to check this place out and glad I finally got to visit on an early afternoon!…read moreFor there only being about 5 people in the store during my visit, it did not feel cramped at all. Tons of different selections of fabric. Unique patterns ane solid colors, all 100% cotton. Even appreciated the hemp fabric available as well as those are generally hard to find for me. Overall, definitely recommend!

Looooved this shop! I found them on social media and knew I had to stop in during my visit to…read moreSeattle. Lots of modern fabric, notions, thread, and patterns. I wish I lived closer so I could check out their in person classes, but I believe they also have online based activities too. And I hugely appreciate they are so inclusive and transparent about their beliefs as an organization.

Had a great date night here making a ramen bowl in a class with a group of people. Class was about…read moretwelve individuals but the lone instructor did a great job of explaining and demonstrating how to make the bowl from clay. Instructor was also available for one-on-one attention if you had questions or needed extra assistance. Fun experience in a loft workspace above the downstairs art gallery. Very busy with other classes and individuals all working on their projects. Parking is on your own. If you know downtown Seattle, then be prepared to give yourself extra time to find on street parking or a lot that's not full. Use transit if you can!

They butcher your Date Night pieces after charging extra to fire them. Six of the bowls we made…read morewere "trimmed" so savagely they wouldn't even stand on a flat surface. The wheel instructions given were vague and we were largely left to fend for ourselves. We made the best of the night itself, but as artists they should know how this kind of careless post processing will disappoint people who attended in good faith.