mom review: afternoon fun at hot pots in timonium

Hot Pots is a great place to spend an afternoon with kids. At this cozy Timonium storefront, you can choose a piece of unfinished pottery and paint it using the design and colors of your choice. Options range from coffee cups, cereal bowls, sushi plates, and chip and dip sets to purely decorative keepsake boxes and yard ornaments.

My three girls had a hard time deciding on a piece, especially since this was our first visit. Preslee insisted on Ariel and Mason and Finley were smitten with a sweet little puppy. After lots of influence by Mommy, we decided on a seashore magnet set that would be perfect for them to paint for Nana’s birthday.

Making the color selections was equally difficult. There were so many beautiful colors to choose from. Dozens of rich hues and soft pastels are displayed on labeled boards on the wall. You fill your palette with your chosen colors; grab a brush and head to your table. Employees were on hand and more than welcome to answer any questions we had about the process.

The paint used here dries really quickly, and it’s best to apply 3 coats for a good-looking finish. You can just freestyle like we did, but many customers bring in designs to trace onto the pottery and paint over; the markers used here disappear when put into the kiln. Of course, the more elaborate the design, the more time you can expect to spend at Hot Pots. We were there for about 1 1/2 hours, and our paint jobs were relatively simple. It takes about a week to get your piece fired and back for pick up.

The pottery pieces I looked at ranged from $4 for a tile to $48 for a “colossal coffee cup” that looked like it would hold several pots of java. The average piece was around $10 and then you pay an additional studio fee of  ½ the cost of your piece. This covers paints, kiln, time, etc. When you consider that a movie costs nearly $10, plus a lot more for concessions, it’s a pretty good deal. After all, you get to keep or give away a unique creation of your own design. I loved seeing how creative the girls were!

What a relaxing, enjoyable experience! I was amazed at how at ease my kids were. They were so into it! I barely heard a sound from them the entire time they were painting. The peaceful environment provides a quiet backdrop for chatting with a friend, your kids, or a date. During our visit, groups of teenage girls, a young couple, middle-aged ladies, and moms with their little ones came in. The place is fairly small, but we had no problems getting a table.

Hot Pots offers classes and events for kids, ladies’ night out, and other group activities. You can reserve a room for birthday parties, showers, and field trips as well. There are even several different camps for kids that looked really awesome!

Consider checking out Hot Pots for a variety of occasions. Gift certificates are available. What a fun afternoon and such a unique gift for someone you love!

Hot Pots
39 West Aylesbury Road
Lutherville, MD 21093
(410) 561-3035

Hours: Sunday 11a-7p, Monday 11a-5p, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10a-8p and Thursday 10a-9p

Author Description

laura

Laura Beynon is a former pediatric RN, now wife and stay at home mommy to three very girly little girls. When she isn't playing princess, you can find her at her laptop, planning parties and designing custom invitations and party décor for her newly launched company, Cupcakes and Lemonade. Night owl, thank you Pinterest. Loves, little details, cupcakes, a really good glass of wine and that not-often-enough date night with her hubby.