
Photograph by Sarah McCosham
Pearl’s love language is quality time, and I’m always happy to oblige. Whether it’s an afternoon playing games at the arcade or grabbing ice cream from our favorite local shop, these moments together are something we both treasure.
Recently, I decided to mix things up with some art. My kids are all doing ceramics in their respective art classes and I was feeling a little jealous because, really, was there anything better as a kid than the pottery segment at school?

Photograph by Sarah McCosham
I chose Mad Potter in Madeira because a) it’s next to one of our favorite bookstores, and b) it’s a walk-in studio that’s accessible and family-friendly. I envisioned us making Valentine’s Day decor together and happily, there was an entire shelf of heart-shaped pottery from which to choose. I picked a heart-shaped plate and Pearl opted for a large mug with two heart embellishments. We then grabbed as many bottles of pink, red, and purple paint as would fit into our arms and set up shop at a table covered with craft paper. Brushes, palettes, and bowls of water were ready for us to use.
There’s something about doing crafts that encourages conversation and as we painted, Pearl and I talked about everything from her upcoming birthday and a trip we’re taking together to the friends she plays with at recess and what we were having for dinner. I helped her add a couple more layers of paint to her mug, mainly because I wasn’t ready for the conversation to end.

Photograph by Sarah McCosham
We left sans art, as our creations wouldn’t be ready for another week. Neither of us minded, though, because the real magic of the afternoon was the afternoon. The quality time and casual conversation. The big hug and “I love you, mommy” I got as we left. The way Pearl excitedly told her siblings about our afternoon at dinner, which, by the way, was frozen pizza. The best kind of Friday night fare, in my opinion.
Mad Potter, 7754 Camargo Rd., #11, Madeira
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