All Fired Up

All Fired Up is one of my absolute favorite activities in Lynchburg! You won’t be disappointed!

Description: A paint-your-own-pottery studio

Price: from $6.50-$60.00

Time: 2 hours

Perfect for: Girls' Night

Why it's a treasure: Tons of paints, stencils and pieces to choose. Great for gift giving!

Check their site for discounts (students!!) and special paint nights: http://www.allfireduplynchburg.com/

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I love birthdays. I have this odd little memory bank of birthdates for a diversity of people- my my old soccer coach, my ballet teacher, my high school locker mate, my fifth grade teacher. And to be honest, I love my birthday. Come on….who doesn’t love a little extra love? I was a smidgen moody when I found myself alone in our apartment when my birthday rolled around this year. I decided to go to Michael’s in hopes of some sort of artsy inspiration to keep myself occupied. To my dismay, two different drivers, on two different roads, BEEPED at me as I was trying to navigate. Firstly, I get very nervous when I get beeped at. Invariably, I assume that the other driver hates me deeply. Secondly, it’s my birthday and I prefer to feel loved today and not hated. Thirdly, there is NO way I am going to make a right on red onto Ward’s. PLEASE. Is nothing sacred, including birthdays and driving safety?

I called up by best pal Anna in hopes of doing something remotely entertaining to crawl out of my pity party, and we decided to head to All Fired Up. As we entered the shop, we were instantly greeted with twinkling lights and pieces of whimsical pottery scattered among shelves and tables. It’s a truly charming space, the kind that makes you feel super inspired and confident to be one of those trendy people on Pinterest.

There were tons of different pieces available to paint-cereal bowls, serving platters, vases, pitchers, spoon rests…just about any household item you could think of. Staring at a blank piece of pottery is pretty intimidating, like it’s just waiting for you to plop a big sploosh of shameful paint on its perfect porcelain self. That being said, the shop graciously supplied tons of stencils and stamps for us painting rookies.

The pieces ranged anywhere from $6 (for little figurines) to $60 (for very large pieces) in price, so it was easy to find a budget-friendly option that would still be fun to decorate. Anna chose to do a cereal bowl, while I opted for salt and pepper shakers. The next time we returned, we tackled Mother’s Day gifts: a petite teapot and the most adorable ice cream dish, shaped like a heart, of course.

My second piece, before the kiln.

Painting took about two hours, so be prepared to devote a large chunk of time to this activity. We probably could have painted a bit faster if we were more decisive and stopped commenting on how artsy and accomplished we felt, but I think it’s all part of the experience. The space is fairly quiet and roomy, so it’s a perfect atmosphere for chatting. There are also light refreshments for purchase in case you get munchy.

The most exciting part of the experience is picking up your pieces after they have been fired in the kiln. Please note, All Fired Up would not be a good idea for Lynchburg visitors, as the pieces take 7-10 days to reach their final product. Picking up the pieces is a real treat though, because all the colors change into deep and shiny hues. Our pieces looked totally different from when we originally painted them, so it’s a surprise each time.

My salt and pepper shakers I made on my birthday are now a reminder to me, steadily convicting me from across my kitchen table. Don’t be salty; choose joy. Even on the days you get beeped at.