Shape Your 3 Snack Set Pottery Workshop
With Optional Painting
NZ$125.00
Create your own beautiful, functional, and eco-friendly takeaway-style mug in this relaxed and hands-on pottery workshop. Guided step-by-step by your tutor, you will learn how to build your mug using clean slab-building techniques.
Slab building is a method where clay is rolled into flat sheets, then cut, shaped, and joined together. This allows for clean geometric lines, sharp forms, and custom surface textures—perfect for crafting a practical, personalized everyday piece you can actually use on your morning commute.
Please note: This is a hand-building workshop and does not involve the pottery wheel. No prior pottery experience is needed—this session is completely beginner-friendly.
What You’ll Experience
The Fundamentals: An introduction to rolling, cutting, and handling flat clay slabs.
Slab Construction: Learning the mechanics of joining clay seams securely to ensure structural strength.
The Details: Tips on adding personalized textures, stamping, or styling your mug.
The Vibe: A calm, supportive, and social creative space.
Who This Workshop Is For
Complete beginners looking to create a highly practical item.
Coffee and tea lovers wanting to replace single-use cups with a handmade alternative.
Adults and teens (16+) looking for a hands-on creative experience.
Friends, couples, or solo makers.
What’s Included
Clay and all necessary materials.
Use of studio pottery tools during the session.
Professional clear-glazing and kiln-firing by Pottery Embassy.
One finished, food-safe ceramic takeaway mug to take home.
Bonus: You will also have the option to paint your piece during a separate underglaze session!
After the Workshop & Firing Process
Studio Clean-up: To maintain a safe and dust-free studio environment, we will spend the final few minutes of the workshop wiping down our tools, boards, and work surfaces together before leaving.
The Kiln Timeline: Please allow approximately 6–8 weeks for your mug to be dried, bisque-fired, clear-glazed, and glaze-fired.
Why it takes time: Pottery drying is a natural process that cannot be rushed without risking cracks. Extended rain or high humidity can slow down drying times and delay our kiln schedules by a week or more. We appreciate your patience as we ensure your travel mug safely makes it through the kilns!
Collection: We will notify you when your mug is ready for pickup. Shipping can also be arranged at an additional cost if required.
Important Information
Duration: Approximately 2 hours. Please arrive 5–10 minutes early to settle in before we begin.
Minimum Numbers: If minimum class numbers are not met, the workshop may be rescheduled or cancelled, and a full refund will be provided.
Health & Safety: Please make sure you read our Health and Safety Guidelines before attending your workshop.
Before booking, please click the + icons on the right-hand side of your screen to read more about:
Pottery Making is Volatile (Understanding ceramic risks)
Terms and Conditions & Studio Guidelines
Payment Plans
Pottery Takes Time
A Realistic Note on Studio Pick-ups:
Please keep in mind that Pottery Embassy is a proud one-woman band. I do the teaching, the loading, the glazing, the marketing, the website, the packing, the shipping, the admin and everything in between! Because I am just one human, mistakes can occasionally happen, especially during busy collection periods or if someone sends a friend or partner to pick up their pottery for them, please make sure you are picking up for the correct person.
Abuse will not be tolerated. This includes face-to-face confrontations as well as sending nasty, aggressive, or passive-aggressive text messages or emails. I run this studio with care, patience, and mutual respect, and I expect the same in return. Creating a safe space means keeping communication constructive—displays of anger, raised voices, or disrespectful messages have no place here.
Any little mix-up can always be easily sorted out with some calm, respectful communication! We are all here to learn and enjoy the process, so let's keep the studio a positive environment for everyone.
Pottery is a wonderfully rewarding craft, but it can also be unpredictable. By choosing to work with clay, you’re stepping into a creative process full of variables, many of which are beyond my control.
I want to be upfront: I cannot guarantee that your piece will return to you exactly as you left it. I handle every piece with care and treat your work as if it were my own. However, in ceramics, things do go wrong; pieces can crack, glazes may run, items can warp or even explode in the kiln. Sometimes your creation won’t turn out the way you imagined, and that’s part of the process too.
By choosing to book this workshop, you acknowledge and accept these risks as part of the learning experience. I do not offer refunds, credits, or replacements for any pieces that are damaged, or don’t make it through the drying and firing process.If any issues arise, I’ll keep you informed by email and share photos where possible.
What I can promise is a welcoming and encouraging environment where you can explore, create, and have fun. This is your opportunity to connect with clay, embrace the unexpected, and enjoy the unique experience of making something by hand.
Bookings, Cancellations & Payments
Group Booking Responsibility: The person making a booking is responsible for informing all participants of these terms, conditions, and studio guidelines.
General Cancellation Policy: A 20% administration fee applies to all standard cancellations.
Outside 14 days of start date: Eligible for a refund (minus the 20% fee).
Within 14 days of start date: Only eligible for a refund if your space can be filled.
Within 7 days of start date: Non-refundable, and transfers or rescheduling are no longer available.
Private Workshop Bookings: Private group bookings are strictly non-refundable and non-transferable, as these dates are reserved exclusively for your group.
Attendance & Lateness: Missed classes or no-shows are non-refundable and non-transferable. Please arrive on time; late arrivals miss essential safety instructions and may not be able to complete their work.
Health, Safety & Physical Preparation
Pottery Embassy is committed to providing a safe, supportive environment. Working with ceramic materials, tools, and equipment involves inherent risks. By enrolling, you agree to follow all instructor directions and safety guidelines at all times.
Physical Considerations: Participants are responsible for ensuring they are physically able to participate. Please inform your instructor before class begins if you have any medical conditions, allergies, injuries, pregnancy considerations, or physical limitations.
Liability: While every care is taken, Pottery Embassy is not liable for personal injury, loss, or damage arising from studio activities except where required by New Zealand law.
Why Short Nails Matter: Long nails easily dig into wet clay, leaving hairline cracks that weaken your pottery and cause it to break in the kiln. We strongly recommend trimming your nails before attending. If you prefer to keep your nails long, you must bring a pair of thin surgical or disposable gloves to wear as a barrier.
What to Wear & Bring:
Wear comfortable, casual clothes (and layers in winter) that you don't mind getting messy. Avoid delicate fabrics.
Closed-toe shoes are recommended for safety.
Bring an apron and an old towel if you have them.
Remove rings, watches, and bracelets before class, and tie back long hair.
Studio Etiquette & Cleaning Policy
Materials: All tools and materials are included in your workshop fee unless explicitly stated otherwise.
Cleaning Expectations: All students must clean their tools, equipment, and surrounding workspace thoroughly after each class. Please ensure areas are left exactly as you found them so our tutors can pack up efficiently and keep the shared studio hygienic and dust-free.
Kiln Disclaimer & Collecting Your Work
The Volatile Nature of Clay: While all care is taken during drying and firing, pottery is an unpredictable process. Breakages, structural cracks, or glaze variations can occur naturally. Pottery Embassy cannot guarantee final results and is not responsible for pieces that do not survive the kiln cycles.
Collection Timeline: Finished pieces typically take 6–8 weeks to process through drying, bisque, and glaze firings. We will notify you when your work is ready. Due to strictly limited studio storage, work must be collected within one month of notification. Additional costs apply if individual shipping is required.
Media & Promotional Consent
Photos and videos taken during classes—including images of student work—may be used for promotional purposes on the Pottery Embassy website and social media channels. By enrolling, you consent to this use. If you prefer not to be photographed, simply inform your tutor. You may request the removal of any image at any time.
If you can’t afford to pay for the workshop in full upfront, you’re welcome to pay it off weekly. Full payment must be completed prior to the class starting.
Message me to arrange banking details and a payment plan that works for you at 0226911883
Pottery is a slow, hands-on craft that takes time and patience. Once a piece is shaped, it must go through several important stages before it’s finished:
Forming the piece – Often created on a pottery wheel/handbuilding for balanced, symmetrical shapes.
Drying (Leather Hard to Bone Dry) – After shaping, the clay begins to dry.
Leather hard is when the piece is firm but still slightly damp, this is the ideal stage for trimming the base, refining the shape, or adding details like handles or feet.
Bone dry is when all moisture has completely left the clay. The piece becomes very fragile and lighter in color and must reach this stage before firing to prevent cracking or damage in the kiln. This drying process can take several days depending on thickness and conditions.
Bisque Firing – The first firing hardens the clay, using slow heating and cooling to prepare the piece for glazing.Bisque pieces can also be painted using an underglaze.This takes about 30 hours.
Glazing – Glaze is applied and left to dry completely, normally 24 hours.
Glaze Firing – A second firing at higher temperatures, followed by gradual cooling to prevent cracks and strengthen the finished piece. This normally takes 48 hours
Because of this multi-step process, pottery isn’t ready to take home straight away. Depending on drying and firing schedules, it can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks before your finished piece is ready. Sometimes the weather plays a role too regarding the drying process.
