Time away from screens is absolutely essential, especially in the age of AI. That’s why the recent rise of analog hobbies has been nothing short of a miracle for my mental health. In fact, spending a few minutes with a mini coloring book or investing in a monthly book subscription is an easy way to boost dopamine during my downtime—no doomscrolling required.
But the best hobbies are those that require practice and patience. That’s where at-home pottery kit brand Pottd comes in. These clever at-home pottery kits come with almost everything you need to put together pots, paint mugs or make your bestie an incense burner. And the best part? You don’t need any experience with clay to craft cute pieces. Here’s my experience getting hooked on these all-inclusive kits.
Pottd Pottery Kits
Pinch pots, painted mugs and pressed clay coasters—oh, my! Pottd kits come with dozens of different projects that scratch that creative itch.
Unboxing the kit
There are several kits on Pottd to choose from, which fall into two categories: painting and pottery. Painting kits come with premade items along with the paints to decorate them. Pottd offers dozens of kits that come with things like picture frames, mugs, beer glasses, coasters or vases—you name it.
The pottery kits bring additional choices. Pick from general creativity kits or opt for specific kits that cover things like biscuit-shaped coasters, candle holders, baby keepsakes, sculptural plants, games and more. There are also extras like molds and paints available à la carte.
I opted for a general kit with “retro” paint colors. Pack neatly inside the kit is nearly everything you’ll need to make several different pieces, including:
- 2 bags of eco-friendly Super Clay
- 5 wooden sculpting tools
- 1 potter’s sponge
- 1 pottery paint set of your choice
- 2 artist brushes
- 1 bottle of base coat
- 1 bottle of gloss varnish
- Quick-start guide
- An easel to prop up your guide as you work
Getting started
First, take everything out of the box and arrange it on a flat surface. Now is the perfect time to unfurl that junk mail or those local grocery mailers crowding in your mailbox—they make excellent protection for your table!
The Quick Start guide is a great resource when first setting up your pottery zone. It outlines any extras you might want that don’t come with your kit, such as additional tools. While I didn’t have a ruler or rolling pin on hand, I did take its advice to ensure I had a cup of water set up for smoothing and adding “slip” to the clay. I also grabbed a reusable paper towel to keep messes to a minimum.
Next, I highly recommend setting the mood. If you’re like me, that means adding some background noise and good, solid lighting. While you can absolutely make your pottery in silence, popping on a good podcast, audiobook, or your favorite album helps keep that creativity flowing.
The Quick Start guide also comes with several instruction cards covering projects like a trinket dish, pinch pot, incense burner, vase, draped dish, photo stand and plant pot. Reading through these cards is super helpful when you’re considering your first pieces!
Crafting the clay
For my first project, a pinch pot, I unpacked one of the clay packets and separated out 1/4 of the bag as instructed. The rest goes back into the sealed bag for future projects. I popped the instruction card into the cardboard holder and got started.
Overall, the instructions are detailed and perfect for newbies. They go over each step in an easy-to-follow format, leaving plenty of room for creative choices. I especially appreciated the continued reminders to use water and the included sponge to keep the clay surface nice and slick. This clay tends to crack when it’s dry, so keeping it moist while you work is crucial for a nice, smooth look.
After making my pinch pot, I caught the creativity bug and decided to crank out an incense burner and a draped dish. This time, I also had a clearer direction: I wanted to model them after my favorite noms—breakfast foods! Even after crafting a bacon-shaped incense burner, an egg-shaped dish and my little pinch pot, I still had about a third of my first bag of clay leftover. I didn’t even dip into my second bag, so each box can easily handle several projects.
The hardest part was waiting for the clay to dry, which took about 48 hours. After that, you must apply a base coat, which takes about 1-2 hours to dry. It’s important to ensure that pottery is completely dry before painting. Once dry, it was time to paint my pottery!
Painting party time!
This is the fun part! Using the paints that come in the kit, it’s time to decorate your pottery. For the best results, Pottd recommends working in thin layers and waiting for each layer to dry before adding another. Now is the time to get creative with stripes, spots, murals or whatever inspires you.
I used a reference photo for my bacon incense burner, and I’m pretty pleased with how it turned out! While the kit didn’t come with a white paint for my egg whites, I opted for a baby blue color and think it turned out pretty darn cute. For my pot, I pursued a polka-dotted aesthetic.
Once the paint has dried completely, the final step is to give it a good glaze. This step is optional, but it gives the pottery a more finished look. Plus, the glaze protects the paint from scratches and adds slight water resistance, though it’s best to keep all pottery away from water for the best longevity. Skipping this step gives the pottery a more rustic look, should that be your preferred direction.
Final thoughts
Once you begin making clay pieces from a Pottd kit, it’s quite an addictive hobby! I found myself thinking about my next project soon after finishing my first batch. And because each kit includes so much clay, I was able to make a few pieces to give to friends as gifts as well. Overall, Pottd kits are an easy way to try out a new hobby. I already have my eye on additional kits like the Paint a Tea Set kit and the overstuffed Super Bundle.
Where to buy
Pottd Pottery Kits
Pottd kits span tons of options, including pottery, picture holders and pretty tea sets!
Folks looking for an all-in-one kit that makes it easy to experiment will love how inclusive Pottd kits are. Plus, they make great gifts for creatives or date night activities for couples’ holidays like anniversaries and Valentine’s Day. The brand is always rolling out new kits and creative tools, so check out the Pottd website to see what’s currently trending!
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