A charge labeled “The Ceramic Studio Etc” on your credit card or bank statement in Howell, MI comes from The Ceramic Studio Etc LLC, a paint-your-own-pottery and art studio in Howell, Michigan. Payments run through Square, so the descriptor may also include “SQ” or “Square” next to the studio name. The charge usually traces back to a walk-in painting session, a workshop, a party deposit, or a gift card purchase.
What Generates the Charge
The studio is owned by Charlotte Perkins and does not add a separate studio fee; project pricing covers glazing and kiln firing.1The Ceramic Studio Etc. Pottery Painting The purchases that most often appear on statements:
- Drop-in pottery painting or glass fusing, with prices starting at $15 and most projects running $35 to $40.2The Ceramic Studio Etc. Drop-In Fun
- Clay handbuilding workshops around $45, with a $10 deposit charged at booking. Stoneware night events add a separate charge for the piece chosen that day, from $15 to $65.3The Ceramic Studio Etc. Clay Handbuilding Workshop4The Ceramic Studio Etc. Stoneware Night
- Birthday and studio party deposits of $50, or a $100 reservation fee for adult private after-hours events. Deposits apply to the final bill on the day of the event.5The Ceramic Studio Etc. Studio Party
- eGift cards sold online in $25, $40, $50, and $100 denominations, plus custom amounts, processed through Square.6The Ceramic Studio Etc. eGift Card
- Per-seat reservation fees of $5 for some special events, credited toward the in-studio purchase.7The Ceramic Studio Etc. Mothers Day Reservations
Because deposits post separately from the event-day balance, two charges from this merchant for a single visit is normal.
Why It Might Not Look Familiar
Someone else in the household may have booked a party, bought a gift card, or signed up for a workshop. eGift cards go out by text or email, so there’s often no paper trail at home. Party deposits can post days or weeks before the actual event, so the date on the statement may not match any visit you remember. And a workshop attendee who doesn’t glaze a piece within 90 days is billed a $10 fee for later glazing and firing, which can appear as a small follow-up charge.3The Ceramic Studio Etc. Clay Handbuilding Workshop
If You Want a Refund
The studio’s default is that all sales are final, with exceptions by purchase type.8The Ceramic Studio Etc. Terms and Conditions
- Clay, glass, and stoneware workshops: refundable with seven or more days’ notice; a voucher for another class if canceled one to six days out; nothing for same-day cancellations or no-shows.8The Ceramic Studio Etc. Terms and Conditions
- Ceramic painting workshop tickets: non-refundable, but transferable to another event or drop-in credit with at least 48 hours’ notice.4The Ceramic Studio Etc. Stoneware Night
- Private after-hours party deposit ($100): refundable with at least one week’s notice, minus a 7% processing fee.9The Ceramic Studio Etc. Adult Private After-Hours Party
- Birthday and studio party deposits ($50): non-refundable.10The Ceramic Studio Etc. Clay Birthday Party
If the Charge Is Unauthorized
Start with the studio. They can look up transactions by the card number used and confirm what was bought, which resolves most mystery charges without a formal dispute.
If no one in the household recognizes the purchase, federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50, and most issuers waive that under zero-liability policies.11Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges To dispute formally, send a written notice to your card issuer’s billing-inquiry address within 60 days of the statement date the charge appeared on. Include your name, account number, the dollar amount, and why you believe it’s an error.12Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Dispute a Charge on My Credit Card Bill The issuer must acknowledge the dispute within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles or 90 days, whichever comes first. You don’t have to pay the disputed amount while the investigation is open, and the issuer can’t report it as delinquent.