Pott’d Ultimate Starter Kit Review
DISCLOSURE -THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Jo Tebbs
We’ve reached that time of year whereby the days are getting shorter, the nights are drawing in and we are now braced for the long haul of winter, but this is time when I love settling in and letting my creative juices flow, all whilst in the comfort and warmth of my own home!
I’m a huge advocate of limiting screen time whether that be for an adult or a child. In the summer time, we can be outside and make the most of nature, but as the seasons shift, I turn to indoor activities to keep my family entertained. Crafting together with my daughter and her friends, allow us to turn simple moments of creativity, into cherished memories, with the bonus of making beautiful things by hand. Little keepsakes that I treasure!
Pott’d (www.getpottd.co.uk) are a company supplying creative projects/products for amateurs. There is such a vast array of products to choose from; whether it be a DIY seasonal craft like the ‘Dwali Candle and Clay Kit’ or the ‘Christmas Cookie Coaster Kit’, to themed kits like the ‘Wild Flower Candle Kit’ or ‘Barbie x Pott’d Paint-A-Mug’, to products that allow for complete customised bespoke designs like the ‘Home Pottery Creative Kit.’ There is something for every crafting hobbyist, regardless of ability, and at varying price brackets.
A pack of plain ‘Super Clay’ is simply priced at £10. With this, there is endless modelling possibilities… you can let your imagination run wild!
When the opportunity arose to review the Pott’d Ultimate Starter Kit, I enthusiastically jumped at the chance. This would be a new experience for both myself and my daughter – one we were both very keen and eager to try out!
Although the kits are intended and designed for adult use (which is also stated on the box), under adult supervision and with a bit of assistance at times, many budding creative children, will love and enjoy this experience too!
My daughter and I have previously visited pottery studios whereby you select a crafted item that has already had their first trip through a kiln (like mugs, plates and little figurines), and then you spend a couple of hours delicately decorating and painting your mini masterpiece. Once finished, the staff glaze and fire your piece again in the kiln, turning the artwork into a one-of-a-kind memento that you can proudly take home. We thoroughly enjoyed this experience but would have loved to have had the opportunity to make the original clay item by hand ourselves in the first place. This is where Pott’d have come into their own!
Pott’d have cleverly designed and produced home pottery clay kits that enable you to have a similar ‘pottery studio’ experience but all in the comfort of your own home…you get to make the clay item itself first, without the need for a kiln!! The clay simply ‘air dries’ and hardens when it is exposed to air.
We’ve never tried clay modelling before, but we’re thrilled to take on the challenge and get our hands (and in my daughter’s case, clothes too!) a little messy! The ‘Ultimate Starter Kit’ does not require a spinning wheel, kiln or any special equipment. Everything you need is included in the box, and what a beautifully presented box it is too! They even provide tutorials and step-by-step guides to assist you through the process making. Therefore this DIY clay modelling should be effortlessly easy (or so I was hoping). Alternatively, you could simply just let your hands sink into the clay and shape something real made from your own touch!
The Starter Kit provides a gradual introduction into working with clay, whilst guiding and assisting in making 3 specific products so that you can learn and practice specific techniques, making textures whilst also providing painting tips.
The Pott’d Ultimate Starter Kit includes;
– 3 packets of ‘air drying’ clay (each bag contains 500g)
– 1 x spray bottle (to keep the clay moist whilst working with it)
– 1 x circular cutter (to make a perfect circle shape)
– 1 x pottery stamp set (alphabets and shapes to personalise pottery)
– 1 x plant pot
– 1 x handbook (instruction manual with tips and techniques)
– 8 x pottery paints
– 1 x pot of base coat paint
– 1 x pot of seal ‘n’ shine (to assist waterproofing the clay once it’s dried)
– 1 x paint palette
– 2 x paint brushes
– 1 x sponge
– 1 x rolling pin
– 3 x clay tools
– 1 x phone stylus (so we don’t get messy phone screens if touching them with our clay covered fingers when utilising any online instructions).
Personally, I chose to only follow the physical ‘hard copy’ instruction booklet. They also include QR codes within the box so you can upload guides to follow on your phone.
The ‘air drying clay’ acted just like standard, normal clay and occasionally we would use the water spray bottle to add a little moisture if it was getting a little dry, or for assisting in combining 2 pieces of clay together.
A level of patience and degree of practice is required to create more intricate designs or fiddly structures. For novices like ourselves, we thoroughly enjoyed bringing our visions to life and this ‘starter kit’ was perfect!!!
My daughter loved using the cute little pottery stamps to mark her name on items and add a heart, flower or star shape. We only opened 1 of the 3 packets of clay for the this ‘making’ session. There was enough clay to make a jewellery trinket plate, a small flower pot and my daughter made a little cat ornament with it too! There was plenty of clay for one art project and I’m pleased to say, it leaves us with another couple of packets of clay to utilise on a different day. Once the clay packet is opened, it will obviously harden with time, so ideally don’t open packets that aren’t required for use at that time.
Our creations are now safely drying on the side and I can already envision the moment (I believe it takes 24-72 hours to dry out first) that we can bring them to life with the addition of the paint supplied!
I will certainly be using the seal ‘n’ shine prior to painting the plant pot.
This product feels like the perfect mix of creativity and discovery, and I can’t wait to see how our first creations eventually turn out!
Something to note when I was researching about ‘air drying clay,’ is that it is not waterproof unless it’s sealed. I don’t know if this clay would be suitable to make a mug with (even if sealed) either!
Also, large pieces are more prone to cracking during the drying process due to the uneven moisture loss. So please bear that in mind too.
With Christmas in the not too distant future, this makes for a great present to go under the tree. Priced at £64 (currently on offer for £49), it is a high-quality crafty present that will keep someone busy for hours designing, moulding and then artistically painting special individualised pieces. Alternatively, you could also buy this set in the lead up to Christmas to make loved one’s handmade ornaments, or trinkets that sparkle with personal meaning. Why don’t you make a heartfelt gift for the people you love this festive season!
It would also make a lovely gift for a creative individual at any time of the year because the design is so very versatile and ‘all year round!’
Rating: 5/5
The RRP for this item is £64 (currently on sale for £49)
You can buy the Pott’d Ultimate Starter Kit from the Pott’d website here;