All Fired Up

We thought it’d be a fun girls night out to paint some pottery. We made the reservation for 6:30 PM they mentioned that it usually takes about an hour but we’d be welcome to take more time to finish up.
We found out, because we overheard them talking to a walk-​in customer, that they would close at 7:30 sharp. When we asked about it they said that we could come back and finish up later but yes, they’d close up on time. Honestly, it takes 15 minutes to even pick a piece to paint, then think of a design and find colors. There’s no way we could finish in an hour. To add to all that, I live in California so I’m clearly not coming back.
I asked if we could get a discount since we would obviously not be able to finish and we were being rushed out. Apparently that was funny, because she asked me if I was being serious.
Only one of us ended up hastily trying to paint a mug. No wonder all the finished ceramics on the wall look like that… they were probably rushed as well. I jest. Good job, kids.
We ended up having fun and chatting, but not because of All Fired Up, just because we love each other and could have fun anywhere.

Had great team building and we got ‘fired up’! It was so relaxing none of us wanted to move or get up and get more paint. We were so comfy working on our pieces and just chilling. Really great way to end the week. The staff were friendly and helpful. Plus the day before I received a call to confirm our group and they also wanted to make us aware that they had plumbing repairs going on but another restroom arrangement had been made for their clients. Well by the time we got their everything was in good working order so no issues there. Definitely will be back! Can’t wait to see how our pieces come out

We had fun, my BF’s daughter loved it and wants to go back every day forever and ever.
Bummer is the first time we went there was an ear splintering kid party so we left — when our 9 year old had a sound related melt down. Later when we returned, they did not remind us of the closure time. we had 10 minutes to do our whole platter. improv!

I’m never going back here. I’m sure the painting is fun, but the customer service was terrible.
We showed up at 8, asked to paint. One girl set a table up for us, and that was the end of the service. This was the first time for all of us, so we headed to the wall to pick out our items, which admittedly took some time. We headed to the paints, but nothing was really available… at 830, some other girl (who I thought was a customer because she was in a corner painting the entire time) announced that they were closing at 9pm and everyone should check out if they haven’t already. I asked (very politely) to verify that we would have to be done at 9pm, and the girl said yes. Knowing that we wouldn’t be done by then, I started putting our items back on the shelves. The girl (I know her name, but i won’t say it here) came over to our table to retell us that we had to be out by 9.
We heard her the first time.
My friend asked for the manager’s name, which she gave us, but then she snapped back, «We actually dont allow customers to seat themselves, so you really shouldn’t be here anyway… what did you think we meant we say we’re closing at 9? Are we just supposed to wait around until you guys decide to leave?» She kept antagonizing us for no reason, and she was very rude about it. I looked right at her when I walked in the door, so I know she saw us walk in. Clearly we were preparing to leave; her treatment to us was completely unwarranted. And if she thought we were doing something wrong by «seating ourselves,» she didn’t say anything to us the 30 minutes we were there.
The only issue we had was, outside of setting up the table, no one helped us the entire time we were there. We actually had no intention of calling the manager at first, but after her attitude, we kind of have to now. I was really disappointed because we were looking forward to treating my friend’s daughter to a fun evening.

My boyfriend and I wanted something new to do and I came across this place online and thought we’d check it out. When we went in I thought it was a very nice place, and easy to find. The workers were very nice and helpful they really explained everything to us. I also think they had a good variety of items to choose from.
I had a great time painting and my boyfriend enjoyed also. It is a time consuming thing is you’re very particular like me but I definitely think it was relaxing and fun. I would recommend this place for kids and for anyone really who just wants to try something new. There were people of all ages there.
The price was what I expected I paid about 55 bucks for two rather large pieces, but most things were about $ 20. I like how this place doesn’t have a studio fee so all you pay is the price of the piece you choose!
Overall, I really really liked it and I would recommend highly to anyone!

If you drop your kids off for first Friday’s, feed them first. All the kids in our group said they were really hungry when we picked them up. Dinner was to be included, but all the kids said they were given two tiny double sliced pieces of pizza and were not allowed to have anymore.

Previous management was much more helpful.
And items that used to be regularly stocked were not there.

I had a bad experience here. I asked the staff to show me a new technique and the person who helped me showed me the completely wrong way, insisting that once the item was fired it would turn out with the pattern I wanted. When I was ²⁄₃ of the way finished another staff member came up and said «You know you’re doing that wrong» and showed me the correct way to do it. The pieces to paint are not inexpensive and I wasn’t given any kind of discount for the misinformation. The piece I painted was unsalvageable — my time and money was wasted.

Oh, I really like this place. A lot.
I went here for a staff development outing, around 11am on a Wednesday. I was surprised to see how many people were already there, but then I realized they host a summer camp in this location. I was listening in on the interactions with the teacher/​staff member and the kids and was very impressed. She was extremely patient with the kids, even the ones who clearly wanted to do their own thing which did not include following directions. As a mom who would consider sending my kid (s) to something like that, I took note and was pleased with what I saw.
I appreciated the overview the staff member gave us. I’d been to Color Me Mine, so I figured most things were pretty standard. I like that I didn’t have to pre-​moisten my piece. It’s a small step that I just don’t care to do. they don’t provide the first set of paint for you, which I liked because it gave me time to really look at the colors and take my time deciding. They also have a wide range of supplies that are well organized and labelled for your use.
They run specials on certain days for specific types of pottery. When I went, they had a 15% of sale for mixing, cereal and other small bowls on Monday and Wednesday in July. It took a few dollars off, but I had to remind the salesperson because she didn’t ring it up correctly until I reminded her.
The only thing I didn’t really care for was that the selection seemed a bit smaller than what I’ve seen in other places. That was fine, though, because I’m pretty limited to what I’m artistic and patient enough to paint. This wasn’t a significant factor for me at all. Also — if you break something, you do buy it for 50% of the retail value. This probably won’t matter to most, but my daughter knocked something over at CMM and they didn’t charge us at all.
If I go back to a pottery painting place, I’d definitely keep All Fired Up at the top of my list.

Man this place is awesome! I said I was going to have my birthday party at Dangerously Delicious Pies (insert shameless plug here) but now I want to challenge all of my friends to paint better pottery than me.
We do date night every Wednesday and try to make it interesting. My girlfriend has been choosing some pretty stellar places recently, (trapeze, baseball games, etc.) This place great. The staff member working was super friendly, professional, and explained the art of water color to me like I was 9 (which I asked for, my skills are sub-​par). I chose an epic skull & crossbones mug and my girlfriend chose a nice three section dish (to hold girl things).
The first thing I was stoked on was the amount of paint colors, textures, and crazy stencils this place has. I was able to get super creative (i.e. messy) on my mug, and what’s better is if you make a mistake it wipes right off.
The most impressive part to me was seeing a lady and her two kids walk in at 7:20 last night (they close at 7:30). She insisted that her kids paint something, and instead of kicking them out, the employee, in the most calm and friendly manner I’ve ever seen, let the kids paint, but reminded the mom that they will, unfortunately, have to leave at 7:30. I would have lost my mind at that lady, to me that’s just super disrespectful and straight up not using your brain. Kudos to the awesome employee for keeping her cool.
Take your kids here, they will love it. Take your parents here, they will love it too. I’ll be back for sure!!!

I visited All Fired Up in Bethesda in late January with several ladies from my sorority alumnae chapter. All those in attendance agreed that it was one of our best events since we all got channel our inner artist while sipping on wine and eating snacks in such a relaxed environment. Yes, that’s right, All Fired Up allows you to bring your own drinks and food in to enjoy while you paint. You need to bring your own cups and wine opener as well so make sure not to forget those!
The shop is very easy to find on Elm Street and is across the street from a large parking garage, so parking is easy. Also it is walkable from the Bethesda Metro Station. All of the employees we interacted with were very friendly and did a great job explaining the process since we were all first timers to the store. There is a huge variety of pieces to paint which range from plates to wine glasses to jewelry boxes to serving trays. All Fired Up has plenty of brushes, stencils, paint, and other equipment to help you create a masterpiece. For groups, I recommend making a reservation so they can make sure to have space ready. Also, Thursday nights are «Ladies Night» so you get 15% off your piece.
Pieces are ready the following week and pickup is super easy. I was delighted when I picked up my piece that not only did it look better than I had thought it would (let’s just say I am not that artsy), but it was on the «Wall of Fame»! Next time I need a relaxing afternoon or evening and want to be crafty, I will be heading to All Fired Up.

Oh All Fired Up… you have helped me make so many important decisions while I’ve been in your shop, painting my worries away and figuring out what I really want in life. I can’t thank you enough. But I can tell the world how AMAZEBALLS you are right here on Unilocal,which I will do!
For anyone who has never been, All Fired Up is a paint-​your-​own-​pottery studio. You go in, pick out the piece you want, sit down at a table, and start painting. They have all sorts of paints as well as stencils, guides, and tools to help you make your piece absolutely fabulous and unique.
I personally stop in here about twice a month. Some people go to the gym when they are stressed. I come here. Nothing frees my mind and relieves my stress like sitting down watching giddy kids gleefully paint. It just makes me feel calm and at ease, unlike anywhere else. The owner, who you will get to know if you’re a frequent customer, is a gem. She’s helped me create tiles with my puppy’s paw prints, told me about their adult happy hours where I can bring my own wine and snacks, and is always willing to listen when I occasionally decide to vent. Her staff is also great — young, energetic, and so sweet. Sometimes when I need inspiration or an idea, I ask them to tell me what they think I should do, and my piece becomes an interactive project that gets everyone excited.
My 1 secret that I’m going to give away here on Unilocal is that I actually use All Fired Up as a test for any and all potential boyfriends. Usually within the first few dates, I ask if I can plan a date and don’t tell the poor fellow where I’m taking him. I just tell him to wear something he wouldn’t mind getting dirty and I leave it at that. When we arrive, just the reaction they immediately give tells a lot. One guy once absolutely refused to come in… another one threw a temper tantrum. Boom, instantly cut. See how helpful All Fired Up can be? And if you have one of those special suitors, the ones who actually make it in the door, nothing is more interesting than seeing what piece they pick out and what they do with it. The conversation that flows during it is also different from that of any traditional date… a lot of times you hear childhood nostalgia, what they were like or enjoyed as kids, etc. For dating in the DMV, I highly suggest you single females take advantage of All Fired Up and use it in your dating repertoire to help narrow down the field and find you Mr. Right!

Okay so I hate to do this but I have to knock off a star.
I picked up my pieces this past Sunday and it was easy– I gave them my yellow slip and someone retrieved my pieces. The girl was kind enough to wrap up the smaller dish and put it in the bigger bowl when she was wrapping them for easy transport.
However, I didn’t really get to look at the pieces before she wrapped them– I just gave the nod of verification that they were both mine.
When I unwrapped them at home, I found there was an annoying chip in the glaze in the bowl. (If you look at my photo, you can see it below one of the stars.)
It’s small, I know. But there was another bubble/​chip in the glaze in the under the bowl too. Sighhhhh. I’m not sure anything could be done at this point to fix it but it definitely wasn’t chipped when I handed it over to be fired and glazed.
I’m a bit bummed because I was excited about this bowl. I’ll still use it and all but given the times I’ve been here before and had my pieces come out perfectly, I expected better.

I came here with one of my friends and we painted the afternoon away! There are a wide variety of pottery that you can paint… many of which are wonderfully useful (i.e., butter holder, dry measures, and mugs)!
With tons of paint colors, stencils, and other such painting equipment, your imagination can run wild as you make your own creation! There are also a variety of books that can help inspire you with ideas and techniques to take your craft to the next level.
Friendly staff, warm environment, and all around good-​fun for children and adults! Certainly would go back!

I love this place. What more can I say. The staff is always pleasant and helpful. Painting pottery is a great stress reliever. It is so relaxing to let your creative juices flow. It can become a costly hobby though if you get hooked.

What a fun place. Even for adults. I love the fact that they offer «happy hour» specials and you can bring your own food/​drinks. I’ve been here several times and the staff is always helpful and friendly. It’s a little pricey, but keep in mind that the cost of materials is built into the pottery prices. There isn’t really a time limit, you can stay as long as you like. They have plenty of books with ideas if you need inspiration.
I may even celebrate my next birthday there; for old time’s sake :-)

great place to have a small party. you can even bring snacks and drinks (alcohol included). just reserve a table in advance.
there’s a lot of options of things to paint, including vases, platters, mugs, ornaments, hairbrushes, you name it.
the price points seem fair. the staff seems really knowledgable and helpful. they’re even encouraging when you are unhappy with your finished product.