Get Crafty

from February 3, 2023

Countdown to CREATIVITY

Give the gift of quality time – and learn a thing or two along the way – with inspired classes in the metro area. By

Emily Standlee

Whether you’ve been married for 20 years or recently made a new friend, creating shared experiences could strengthen your bond. Fortunately, St. Louis offers plenty of classes in cooking, woodworking and other niche interests such as flower arranging or native plant propagation. Embrace the joy of unconventional hobbies this year while making new memories with your loved ones.

Freshen Up Your Pottery Skills At The Painted Pot

In St. Charles, the folks at The Painted Pot organize a variety of pottery wheel workshops and classes covering the hand-building and application of specialized glazes. Open studio time is available by the day, and private “clay dates” for couples are available Tuesday to Friday. These dates take place over the course of two sessions – you ’ll make your own serving platter together and then throw a few dip bowls on the wheel. Most other classes occur on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

The Painted Pot, 3772 Monticello Plaza, St. Charles, 636-300-4515, thepaintedpotstl com

CRAFT WITH SALVAGED MATERIALS AT PERENNIAL COMMUNITY WORKSHOP + STORE

Located in South City’ s Marine Villa neighborhood in St. Louis, Perennial is a nonprofit organization teaching local residents about recycling and reclaiming household items that might typically go to waste. You and a date can take classes in woodworking, stained glass, mosaics, sewing, bookbinding and even lighting and wiring while also feeling good about repurposing materials. Perennial diverts more than 10,000 pounds from area landfills each year. You can build a custom serving tray or solder stained glass pendants on Feb. 7 or wait until the big day, Feb. 14, to create one-of-a-kind wooden rings from hardwood remnants.

Perennial Community Workshop + Store, 3762 S. Broadway, St. Louis, 314-832-2288, perennialstl.org

Visit The Missouri Botanical Garden

Although the rows upon rows of flowering plants haven’t bloomed yet this year, the Missouri Botanical Garden still makes quite the picturesque backdrop for any walking-and-talking “getting-to-know-you” date. Starting in February, the garden will host a variety of events perfect for lovers of nature. Take a friend or a loved one on a winter walk through the botanical garden, hosted on Feb. 14 and Feb. 25. If your partner happens to love trees, sign up for a tree-identifying class held at Shaw Nature Reserve on Feb. 16. The Botanical Gardens also offers beginner gardening classes for those interested in getting their hands dirty and a greenhouse propagation class taught by horticulture staff, both held on Feb. 16. Check out the Missouri Botanical Garden website for more information.

Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, 314-577-5100, missouribotanicalgarden.org

TREAT YOUR DATE TO A FLOWER-ARRANGING CLASS AT STEMS FLORIST

Gather The Gals For A Cooking Lesson At Kitchen Conservatory

You and your best pals might not need to become better cooks – perhaps you already have a knack for tempering chocolate and constructing the perfect macaron – but there’s no denying you ’ll be talking about your Kitchen Conservatory experience for years to come Most classes sell out quickly, but the popular kitchen store in Clayton holds more than 900 different sessions each year, all taught by chefs and skilled culinary educators. Get some tips for dairy- and gluten-free cooking on Feb. 21, or sign up for the pesto and pomegranate class on Feb. 23. Both classes are still available, so sign up as soon as possible!

Kitchen Conservatory, 8021 Clayton Road, St. Louis, 314-862-2665, kitchenconservatory.com

Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arranging, recently garnered popularity in the United States as a favorite D.I.Y pastime. Although Western flower arranging differs from the traditional Japanese ikebana, taking a class in floral design still offers a refreshing way to help your relationship blossom with partners or friends this Valentine’s Day Stems Florist, located in Old Town Florissant, offers in-person classes at the Stems’ Design Studio and can help arrange virtual classes upon request by delivering a bucket of flowers and supplies right to your doorstep! Take your date, or a group of friends, and sign up for a special group class for 10 or more people. One upcoming class featuring bright, springtime flowers will take place on Feb. 25 and another will be held at the beginning of March. If you ’ re looking to gift a class to someone special, Stems can send a specially designed gift certificate via mail or email.

Stems Florist & St. Louis Flower Delivery, 210 Saint Francois St., St. Louis, 314-972-7836, stems4flowers.com