By: Danielle Kearns 
Can you even believe it? Summer flew by in a flash and most Connecticut schools are back in session. The college kids are gone til Columbus Day. And the nights are getting chillier by day.

We know it takes a minute to get back into the routine of life, but we're here to help make that transition a little easier for you all -- especially those stay at home parents who are looking for educational fun during the day and after-school creative options for the older kiddies as well.

This September, we'll be offering many kid-friendly classes to meet those needs, starting off with a jam-packed Labor Day! This Monday, we will be offering TWO kids classes since it only took 3 days of school to warrant a day off. (You'd think they would have thought this school calendar through a bit more by now, right?) Here's what we have on the calendar: 

Toddler Time: 10:30-11:30am, September 2nd
Theme: Baby Shark 
Age Group: Perfect for 5 years old and younger
All of our Toddler Times include a read aloud story, take home craft project, pottery craft project, and nut-free snack. This particular event is bound to have a sing-a-long too. The shark scrubby holder is the pottery piece of choice this time around. It's both cute and functional. The perfect addition to any kitchen. If you love this event, look out for our Toddler Times, offered throughout the month. 
​Register Online here. ​

Kid's Drop Off Event: 1:00-3:00pm, September 2nd
Theme: Llama Plate Workshop 
Age Group: 7+ [Drop off event]
Llamas are so trendy these days and kids love them! This workshop will allow some of our older kids to learn some more complicated pottery techniques to achieve the effects seen in the sample below. This carved out 2 hour time-slot will also allow parents the opportunity to grab lunch in the center, kid-free.
​Register online here. 

For more information on these or any of our other events, reach out to Cait, our Events Coordinator, via email. Don't see what you're looking for? Contact Cait for suggestions for upcoming classes your kids will love. As always, stay in touch with us on social media for new classes and updates. Spots are limited.

​Note: All pottery is ready for pick-up one week after event. Registration cost includes 1 adult and 1 child. 

By: Danielle Kearns 
Looking for some extra help this summer with the kids? The Claypen has several options to keep your kids entertained and creative the whole summer through, perfect for a drop-off date night situation or busy parents. As always, check our Events page for updates. Most of these events will require pre-registration, including our summer camp program.

​Our Summer movie series started Thursday, June 27th and will be every Thursday, all summer long, with pizza provided by our friends at Savoy and a corresponding art project. Due to licensing restrictions, we are not able to publicize the movie titles on our website or social media, so give the studio a call if you'd like to learn more about our movie schedule. These nights are a drop-off event for children 6+ and are $35 per child, which includes the pottery, popcorn, and 2 slices of pizza.

We are also running our Summer Art Camp, brought back by popular demand. There will be two sessions this year: 

Session 1: July 29th - August 1st 
THEME: Around the World

Session 2: August 5th - August 8th 
THEME: Safari 

Each session runs Monday-Thursday from 9a-12p. 
The cost per week is $250. (Discounted rate of $230 applies if child is registered for multiple weeks or if multiple siblings attend.)
Limit of 15 campers per session. 
Ages 7+

​For any questions about our kid-friendly events, contact our Events Coordinator, Cait at cait@theclaypen.com. 

By: Danielle Kearns 
For over 20 years, we have been a art studio that gives folks a space to relax, embrace their creativity, de-stress, and host parties and events. (We definitely host our fair share of birthday parties, showers, reunions, staff outings, and classes.) But we'd love to remind you of some of our most popular specialty items that can be created with the talent of our custom artists. Many of these suggestions are items that came to pass naturally with customer requests over the years, and we'd like to share them with you for an added bit of inspiration. 

Here are our top milestones that can be marked with a keepsake made at the claypen:

weddings  
We actually covered this exact topic in a previous blog post, which I'd like to link here. You can take this particular milestone moment in a lot of different directions, including gifts, guest books, artistic invitations, or photo frames. 

"gotcha day" 
For many families, the adoption process is a long, tedious, and necessary cycle, but with the ultimate reward of a completed, blended family. After making things official in court, families have come to the claypen (or taken a home-kit with them) to mark the occasion. Hand-prints are usually the most meaningful because they will show the passing of time in the future and bring you back to that moment when your child officially became yours.

retirement 
After years of hard work, the end is near and your accomplishments should be recognized. These days have shaped you. Create an item to mark the occasion and remember all you've worked for. These also make the perfect gift! 

paw prints
We love our pets like the fur babies they are. We are a pet-friendly space and have done many a pup print over the years. We have had past customers come in with their brand new family member and even the day they had to say goodbye. We are always looking for an excuse to have a studio dog.

cancerversary 
As difficult as it is, many people will experience cancer either personally or through the experience of a loved one. The day you're a told you're "cancer free" is truly a milestone and a day to be celebrated and remembered. For others, the cancerversary might be the last day of treatment... or maybe even the day of diagnosis. Whatever it might be for you, a cancerversary is usually celebrated yearly to recognize another day, week, month, or year of life. Five years is the mile marker for a (hopefully) future cancer-free as the statistic of reoccurrence decreases significantly. Celebrate this. Remember the fight. Recognize how far you've come.

don't forget our teachers!     
Say thank you this school year to your child's teacher, librarian, bus driver, coach, tutor, babysitter, or teacher's aide. There are so many people that help to shape our child's self that it is important to let them know we appreciate their time and effort.

For more ideas, check out our Pinterest page. 

By: Danielle Kearns
     The local craft beer scene has completely exploded over the past few years and I am all for it. There are now over 50 breweries in the state who are doing their best to cater to the growing interest, and I have made it my personal mission to visit as many of them as I can.  Each time I feel like I’ve made a dent, a new place seems to pop up. I have visited a good portion over the years, but have made it a tradition to indulge in a flight upon each inaugural trip. I highly recommend this practice as it gives you a good sense of the scope and flavors they are playing around with. From there, I choose my favorite to order a full pint of.
     I recently visited Alvarium Beer Company in New Britain.  It was on a Sunday, which has now become synonymous with brunching and day-drinking, so needless to say, the place was absolutely packed!  I made my way through their draft list… strictly as “research,” of course. Their flat screen menu was rotating behind the bar with their most up-to-date tap list, kept up to date with the help of UNTAPPD.  The current menu includes 14 beers, ranging from IPAs, ales, Hefs, sours, and lagers -- as well as a rotating guest tap and snacks from The Drunken Alpaca.
     We are so excited to announce that we will be hosting our first brewery collaboration with Alvarium this month, so mark your calendar and save your spot now, because spots are already starting to fill.  
     During the event, a member of the Alvarium team will be at the studio pouring some of their current selections while you are painting any piece of pottery of your choice, but knowing we’ll have some professional drinkers in the house, we are sure to stock up on some appropriate drink-ware including wine tumblers, shot glasses, and beer steins.  But you can truly paint whatever you want that evening and enjoy the ambience and tastings all the same.

save the date: friday, march 15th
Pre-registration is required.  This is a 21+ event.
**Registration costs covers your Studio Fee + use of silk screens. It also reserves your seat! You will pay for your pottery of choice same night.
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We will be welcome Alvarium back on friday, may 24th
Pre-registration is required. This is a 21+ event. 
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a management mention
We’re hoping this is the start of many more collaborations for us in the future, especially with other small and local businesses.  If you might be interested in planning an event with us, contact our Events Coordinator, Cait.  We can also come to you!  That’s right -catered claypen is available for team bonding, networking, fundraisers, events, and more.  Inquiries can be submitted to our owner, Sophia.  

By: Danielle Kearns
     I solemnly swear that I’m a grown human with a major thing for Harry Potter, and there is no shame in my game, so don't try and Horcrux this up for me!  No lie, I once spent over six hours at the Warner Bros. Studio Lot in London touring the real sets and original costumes from the films, so yeah, I’m sort of qualified to speak on this front. Harry is where it’s at. My generation grew up with the Hogwartians (is that a word?) and considered Harry, Ron, and Hermione as our own, personal friends. I am a Gryffindor, through and through, and I just need to share with you our newest claypen additions that I’m so psyched out of my mind about -- HARRY POTTER SILK SCREENS!  This might be the best thing we've offered yet, in my nerdy opinion.
    Think of a silkscreen like the ultimate adult stencil.  It’s made out of a super thin material with microscopic holes that allow paint through, but just enough for fine-detail work.  You just use your fingertip to apply, peel the screen off, and you've got a pretty magical finished project that looks just like the real thing.  This is the first time we've ever offered anything Harry Potter related, and we're super excited to see all of the majesty as each item comes out of the kiln.  Choose whatever piece of pottery you'd like to paint that night and apply one of your favorite Harry Potter themed images and symbols faster than you can say Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. 
Here's a list of some of our available silkscreen options: 

• house symbols (varying sizes) 
• deathly hallows symbol (alone + with "always")
• the golden snitch 
• "mischief managed" (multiple versions)
• "i solemnly swear that i am up to no good"
• platform 9 3/4 
• "don't let the muggles get you down"
• "the muggle struggle is real" 
• lumos nox spell
• expecto patronum! spell 
• stag patronus with "always" 
• leaky cauldron pub sign

And more! 
Can you wear costumes?  We hope you do!
Can you bring food or drinks?  You better.
Will you be tested on your Harry Potter knowledge?  You bet.  We will be featuring some Harry Potter trivia throughout the night for some extra fun.  Get ready for it!  We hope to see you there.  
​
save the date: saturday, march 2nd  
sign up on our events page 

See you there, witches.
(Muggles welcome too.)