This place just opened up two weeks ago. We stumbled upon it while at the mall. We have done the…read morepottery thing but this was different. These are banks! They are not pottery, so they feel so much more durable and practical. We spent hours perfecting our banks and loved every minute. Give this place a try, you won't regret the experience.

From the owner: Mio Painting is a vibrant craft studio located in Massachusetts, offering unique DIY experiences…read morefor both kids and adults. Specializing in fun and creative activities like doll coloring and ‘message in a bottle’ projects, we also host memorable kids’ birthday parties and special events. Whether you’re looking for a family-friendly day out or planning a custom birthday celebration, Mio Painting provides an artistic escape where creativity flows and everyone leaves with their own handcrafted masterpiece. Come visit us for a fun, hands-on experience in the world of arts and crafts!

Added photos after pickup! Love the mug and platter; they came out great. They did a great job with…read morefinishing. It is nice and glossy and it effectively removed that creepy unfinished clay like chalkboard feeling. They said it is dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe so excited to get it in rotation! They have a pretty quick turnaround time (3-5 days) and are very generous with their hold times. I embarrassingly will admit it took me a few months to get back to pick them up, and thankfully they still had them waiting in the back. Also, the garage DOES go through to the back of the building where The Painting Place is - so the directions are correct. It was much easier to get there this time when I realized it was a pull-through garage under the building lol.... I will definitely keep The Painting Place on my list for pottery crafts in the future!!

Staff here is very welcoming and friendly. Explained the process thoroughly…read more The setup is very similar to other pottery painting places I've been to. They even had pre-made paint palettes as an option. They also have some pottery pieces and things you can paint and take home the same day, but you can't eat from those items as they don't go thru the kiln. There wasn't a ton of variety in the pottery pieces to choose from, and the prices were a bit high compared to what I've seen in the past. We enjoyed our time. There were only two other parties there so it was very quiet and peaceful. Tip: if you use GPS for directions, it'll point you to the building across from theirs. They're right across from the Russian School. Their sign is a bit hidden. They do have a free parking lot.

This place is THE PLACE to go for clay painting in Boston. Super cheap ($10 studio fee plus the…read morecost of the item. Whole session can be $30ish or more if you buy a big item). They book out quickly so make sure you make a reservation! Week nights they're less busy though and it can be fun to hang out with friends or bring a date here. There's a great variety of colors and the turn around for firing is only a few days. Also they've been doing a free pizza Tuesday deal that is awesome! I love painting here. Plus great people watching/listening if you ever want to paint alone and just enjoy the community and bustling room of artists

This is a very economical pottery place. Rather than throwing your own pieces (which is an…read moreactivity that seems to get expensive pretty fast) you select something premade and paint it. You just have to pay for the item and then pay for the studio fee (10 dollars). You get two hours of time and essentially the entire rainbow of glaze colors. They even have fine tip dispensers for details. The studio itself is very homey and fun! It's great and very fun, relaxing, and creative activity that is cheap and anyone can excel at!

If you're a teacher, you likely already know about this place and have been here numerous times. I…read morereally like this place, even though I have no children and teach college students. I tend to shop here for educational items for relatives and friends' children. The staff is very friendly and patient, even when you have no idea what you are looking for. The store is well lit and well organized, so you know relatively quickly whether the item is available. The have undoubtedly the best selection of educational materials for all ages of any store around. That said, they are rather pricey and it is easy to blow through whatever budget you may have had walking in. I would suggest shopping here last, as many things can be found at Target, Amazon, and other outlets. If there is something in particular, especially harder to find educational aids, then this is your place. Just prepare to spend accordingly.

So I do a lot of shopping for my classroom.... and I buy much too much stuff, and have a lot in…read morestorage, but I always will end up using it at some point. Lakeshore is a really good place for the items that are rare. Special board games, art supplies, and even classroom decor (no where sells that stuff anymore!) have huge presences throughout this place. Lots of variety, very colorful store in general (it actually is too bright in here sometimes), and lots of unique and innovative products that aren't found in any other store. I definitely get more for a buck at WB Mason, and probably shop there three times as much as here, but this is the place I get things that are fun, useful, and normally for activities that are memorable for kids. Staff are always friendly and definitely search out the clearance tags here, they are a goldmine! Make sure to bring the 20% off coupons they send out and are sometimes on their website. In closing, great place for teachers to shop for any classes from Kindergarten - Grade 8. Don't expect the lowest prices, and I would never suggest buying crayons or pencils here. They will be lots cheaper online or at Staples down the street. 4 stars for Lakeshore. Located in Newton on Needham Street (technically, it's on Industrial Place). Exit 19A off Rt. 128, turn right at the HomeGoods (Industrial Place) and the store is the last storefront on the right side of that side street.

It's just the best place for fountain pens, paper, ink, gifts! Local owner. Great items for…read morereasonable prices. Love it!

Sweet little shop, just a bit outside Boston, but well worth the stop. I loved the sweet Japanese…read morestationery section, and the fountain pen case was beautiful with Sailor, Pilot, Kaweco, Opus 88, Esterbrook, and others that I hadn't yet come across.

Absolutely one of the best places for kids! You can help yourself with a cup of coffee or tea while…read moreyour children are having fun themselves!

One of the best toy shops in the area. Charles very carefully chooses the selections based on…read moretheir quality and educational value. Our daughter loves this store. A real gem in Needham Center.

Jessica was FANTASTIC! We had so much fun and learned so much in our intro to knitting class. She…read morewas so patient, explained things so well and she made the entire experience easy and enjoyable. Would love to come back for another class and will definitely be recommending friends and family to this studio!

The original class was great - very competent and knowledgeable teacher, she was professional, kind…read moreand caring - great mix of ability and personality. I did a multi hour private class for which I paid a premium, I felt OK about it and good about my decision afterwards. I planned on returning to continue with the same teacher, however when I called to arrange, I was told that the teacher had been dismissed. The lady I spoke with explained that the dismissal was not for ability or quality of teaching, that the studio ensured the quality of teaching always met the studios high standards. When pushed however I was told that the dismissal came as a surprise to other staff members, but was also not a surprise as the studio owner requires 'yes' teachers to all requests, and that he is VERY commercially minded. This teacher was clearly NOT a yes person, just very competent and a thoroughly nice person! What also surprised me was the extent to which she supported the studio, despite what seems to have been one way from the owner! So a very disappointing conclusion, maybe I will be able to arrange private classes with her, but for anyone considering the studio for classes - buyer beware and don't believe the very believable owner who will say anything to get the business and revenue. It's a shame he behaves in this way, but I strongly believe it can only be the start of the end for the studio