30 easy air dry clay ideas

Grab your air dry clay, paints and some handy Mod Podge and see what creations you and your kids can make!

Coasters | Tea lights | Clay earrings | Clay bowls | Clay paperweights | Clay stars | Vases | Clay tray | Mini pots | Hand print ornament | Clay bracelet

What is air dry clay?

Air dry clay is a malleable, soft clay that can be easily moulded into different shapes, and you don't need a hot oven or special tools. Unlike regular clay that needs hot temperatures to set, air dry clay — as the name suggests — hardens all by itself just by being left out in the open air.

Depending on the thickness of the project and the humidity of the environment, it usually dries within a day or two, but sometimes takes longer, so you do need some patience and preparation if you're going to create an air dry clay project.

Due to the nature of the clay, it's great for making small things like coasters, keepsakes, jewellery, vases and ornaments. Plus, because it's non-toxic and mostly mess-friendly, it's great for family crafting.

Tools and materials needed

The main tools you'll need for these creations are, of course, some good quality air dry clay — we would suggest Das (£5 for 1kg at Amazon), and a reliable non-stick surface, such as a silicone mat (£7.29 at Amazon).

For most of the projects below, you need to roll the clay out and instead of using a normal kitchen rolling pin, an acrylic one (such as this one from The Works) will be much more effective as the air dry clay is less likely to stick. We would also suggest investing in some cutter blades (£4.99 for 3 at Amazon) to easily cut through the clay when needed.

For decorating your projects, we suggest using acrylic paint as it is water-based, fast-drying, and sticks really well to the clay’s surface. A selection of colours such as this set from Amazon will work well. And for nearly every air dry clay project, we suggest applying a layer of Mod Podge — a water-based, acrylic glue that's a non-toxic adhesive and really helps to seal and protect your air dry clay creations. It comes in different finishes, such as a matte (£5.50 from Hobbycraft) and gloss (£6 from Hobbycraft).

You'll also probably need a small piece of sandpaper to sand down your creations and remove any rough edges. Most other tools and materials needed for these projects are items you'll probably find around the house — bowls, straws, pencils, baking paper etc.

Air dry clay ideas

Coasters

1. Simple air dry clay coaster

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Clay cutter/knife
• A circle stencil (or something round to cut around to make the coaster shape)
• Acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Mod Podge

How to make an air dry clay coaster:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Use a rolling pin to flatten the clay to your required thickness
3. Use a circle stencil and knife to cut out your coaster outline
4. When you've cut out the amount of coasters you want to make, leave them in a cool, dry space to allow the clay to completely dry. You'll need to leave them around 2-3 days depending on their thickness (the thicker the coaster, the longer it will take to dry). Check them periodically to see how they are drying, you may need to turn them over so they get full coverage of air
5. When the clay is completely dry, use the acrylic paints to decorate your coasters
6. Once the paint is dry, you can use Mod Podge to seal and protect the clay

Credit: Hobbycraft

2. House-shaped air dry clay coaster

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• House-shaped cookie cutter (we love this one from Amazon)
• Optional: small heart-shaped cookie cutter
• Baking tray and baking paper
• Small paint brush
• Mod Podge

How to make a house-shaped air dry clay coaster:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Use the rolling pin to roll the clay out (you can make them as thin or as thick as you want. The thicker the coasters are, the longer they will take to air dry)
3. Use the house-shaped cookie cutter to cut out as many houses as you like
4. Optional: use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out a heart shape on the house
5. Line a baking tray with baking paper, then place the coasters on top
6. Leave the coasters in a cool, dry space to allow the clay to completely dry — you'll need to leave them around 2-3 days depending on their thickness (the thicker the coaster the longer it will take to dry). Check them periodically to see how they are drying, you may need to turn them over so they get full coverage of air
7. Once the coasters are dry, you can decorate them using acrylic paints, or you can just leave them plain
8. When the coasters (and optional paint) are dry, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front and back of each one
9. Allow the first coat to dry completely, then apply a further one or two coats — this will protect them from spills or condensation

Credit: Eleanor Rose at Home

3. Leaf-inspired air dry clay coasters

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Leaf cookie cutter (available from Amazon)
• Clay cutter/knife
• Wood skewer
• Sandpaper
• Acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Mod Podge

How to make a leaf-inspired air dry clay coaster:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Flatten the clay with the palm of your hand
3. Use the rolling pin to roll out the clay to around 1/4 inch thick
4. Place the leaf cookie cutter on the clay and press down
5. Use the clay cutter/knife to cut the excess clay from around the shape, then repeat to create as many coasters as you wish
6. Use a wood skewer to create 'stems' in the leaf
7. Repeat with the other shapes
8. Leave the coasters in a cool, dry space to allow the clay to completely dry — you'll need to leave them around 2-3 days depending on their thickness (the thicker the coaster the longer it will take to dry). Check them periodically to see how they are drying, you may need to turn them over so they get full coverage of air
9. When the leaf coasters are completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
10. Use acrylic paints to decorate the leaves
11. When the coasters are dry, apply a thin layer of Mod Podge to the front and back of each one

Credit: Bluesky at Home

Tea lights

4. Simple air dry clay tea light holder

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Clay cutter/knife
• Ruler
• Cardboard tube, such as a kitchen roll tube
• Paintbrush
• Small bowl of water
• Scalpel
• Acrylic paints and paintbrushes
• Mod Podge

How to make a simple air dry clay tea light holder:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Using the rolling pin, roll out the clay until it is evenly spread out and the thickness of the clay is roughly 0.5 cm
3. Use a ruler and a knife to cut the clay into a long rectangular piece (height approx. 5cm and length approx. 19cm). Cut one side to an angle so that one of the lengths remains as 19 cm and the other becomes 17 cm
4. Cut down one side of the cardboard tube, then wrap the clay around the tube
5. Carefully remove the cardboard tube — your clay may slump a little when you remove the tube but don't worry! It can easily be picked up and adjusted while the clay is still malleable
6. Use a paintbrush and some water to smooth out the surface or any rough edges
7. Leave the clay for about an hour so it's hardened, but still soft enough for you to cut into
8. Use a scalpel to create a carved texture onto the surface and edges (take extra caution when doing this step, adults may need to complete this for young children)
9. Once the clay has dried, paint the votives whatever colour or pattern you wish
10. Once the paint has completely dried, use some Mod Podge on the outside to seal the paint in place and give it a glossy finish
11. You're done! Now just pop a tea light in

Credit: Hobbycraft

5. Geometric air dry clay tea light holder

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Tea lights
• Clay cutter/knife
• Small bowl of water
• Sandpaper

How to make simple air dry clay tea light holders:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the clay until it is soft and pliable, then roll into into a ball
3. Take a tea light and press it firmly into the ball of clay (don't worry about cracks)
4. Give the tea light a bit of a shake — you want to ensure there's enough room to remove and replace the tea light when needed
5. Slice into the base of the clay at an angle (be careful that you don't cut too close to the tea light)
6. Cut around the base until you're happy with the shape
7. Flip your clay over and this time cut in at an angle from about halfway down towards the countertop
8. Continue until you form your geometric shape
9. Use a little water and your fingertips to smooth out any cracks or splits in the clay
10. Leave the holders in a cool, dry space to allow the clay to completely dry — you'll need to leave them around 2-3 days depending. Check them periodically to see how they are drying, you may need to turn them over so they get full coverage of air
11. When the clay is completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
12. Place the tea light back into the holder and you're done!

Credit: Gathering Beauty

6. Air dry clay house tealight holder

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Large printable Clay House template
• Small printable Clay House template
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Clay cutter/knife
• Chopping board
• Plastic wrap/cling film
• Rolling pin
• Tacky glue (available from Hobbycraft)
• Scissors
• Cutting board
• Baking sheet
• Sandpaper

How to make an air dry clay house tealight holder:

1. Print and cut out the template pieces
2. Place the templates on a chopping board and use a knife to cut out the small windows and heart shape
3. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface, then roll into a ball
4. Place the ball of clay between two pieces of plastic wrap
5. Use the rolling pin to roll the clay to about 1/4 inch thick
6. Remove the clay from the plastic wrap and place on top of the chopping board
7. Place a template piece on top of the clay and gently rub the paper to help it stick in place on the clay, then cut around the template with a knife
8. When cutting out the windows, try to cut into the corners well to make them easier to remove. Gently pry the windows out with the tip of a knife
9. Leave the pieces in a cool, dry space to allow the clay to completely dry — you'll need to leave them around 2-3 days. Check them periodically to see how they are drying, you may need to turn them over so they get full coverage of air
10. When the clay is completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
11. Using the tacky glue, start to assemble the house:
    1. Add a line of glue to the right of the front piece (the piece with the heart cut-out)
    2. Attach one side of the house to the front
    3. Once the two pieces are attached, stand them up and hold them in place until the glue is dry enough to keep the pieces together by itself
    4. Next, add a line of glue to the inside left of the second side piece
    5. Attach the second side to the front of the house. Again, hold the pieces in place until it stays together
    6. Add glue to both sides of the back of the house
    7. Connect the back of the house to the other pieces, attaching the glued parts to the inside of the side walls
    8. Add glue along the pointed peaks at the front and back of the clay house
    9. Place both roof pieces on top of the house making sure they line up correctly. Hold the pieces in place until they stay together
    10. Wipe away any glue drips then allow the glue to fully dry before moving your house

Credit: One Little Project

Clay earrings

7. Easy heart-shaped air dry clay earrings

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Cling film
• Small bowl of water
• Mini heart cutter (available from Amazon)
• Small bowl of water
• Sandpaper
• Acrylic paint and small paintbrush
• Mod Podge
• Head pins
• 1mm spacer beads
• Fine-nosed jewellery pliers
• Earring hooks

How to make easy heart-shaped air dry clay earrings:

1. Remove a 2 inch piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface, then knead it until it is soft and pliable
2. Roll the clay into a ball
3. Use the rolling pin to roll it out into a circle approximately 1cm in thickness
4. Place a piece of cling film over the clay
5. Use the mini heart-shaped cutter to cut 2 hearts in the clay
6. Use a small amount of water on your fingertips to smooth out the clay
7. Allow the clay to dry for around 24 hours
8. Once completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
9. Apply a thin layer of acrylic paint to the hearts, then leave to dry
10. Apply additional layers of paint until you have good coverage on the hearts, then leave to dry for at least 1 hour and clean your paintbrush
11. When the paint is completely dry, use the paintbrush to apply a thin coating of Mod Podge, then leave to dry for another hour
12. Take a headpin and thread on a 1mm silver spacer bead
13. Thread the clay shape on top and add another spacer bead
14. Use needle-nosed pliers to bend the wire at the top into a small loop
15. Cut the excess wire from the headpin off
16. Thread the loop that you have just made in the headpin onto the earring hook

Credit: A Happy Home in Holland

8. Leaf-shaped air dry clay earrings

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Leaves
• Clay cutter/knife
• Wooden skewer
• Baking paper
• Sandpaper
• A cloth
• Acrylic paint (you'll need gold plus autumnal colours like green/red)
• Paintbrushes (make sure you have one very thin brush)
• Mod Podge
• Jump rings
• Earring hooks
• Pliers

How to make leaf-shaped air dry clay earrings:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Using the rolling pin, roll the clay to about 2-3mm thick
3. Slowly and gently press the leaves on the clay with the rolling pin
4. Remove the leaves carefully — you should see the imprint of the leaf on the clay
5. Cut off the excess clay around the leaves using the clay cutter/knife
6. Use the wooden skewer to create 2 small holes at the bottom of the leaves for the earring hooks
7. Move the clay leaves onto baking paper to dry
8. Once completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
9. Paint the leaves on both sides with acrylic paint (apply additional layers of paint if needed)
10. Once the paint has dried, paint the veins of the leaves with gold acrylic paint using a very fine paintbrush
11. Optional: paint leaf veins on the back too
12. When the paint has dried, apply a layer of Mod Podge on both sides
13. When the Mod Podge has dried, use the pliers to attach the earring hooks and jump rings to the small hole you created before

Credit: DIY With Marjaana

9. Easy feather air dry clay earrings

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Clay cutter/knife
• Small bowl of water
• Wooden stick
• Acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Mod Podge
• Gold jump rings
• Earring hooks
• Needle-nosed pliers

How to make easy air dry clay earrings:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Roll the air dry clay to around 1/8 inch thick
3. Use the clay cutter/knife to cut long teardrop shapes
4. Cut little jagged notches out of the side then smooth any rough edges with a fingertip dipped in water
5. Use a wooden stick to create 2 holes at the top of the clay for the earring hooks
6. Let them dry overnight on a non-stick surface (such as baking paper)
7. Once the earrings are dry, paint them in whatever pattern you choose
8. Once the paint has dried, apply a layer of Mod Podge on both sides
9. When the Mod Podge is dry, use pliers to open a jump ring by twisting it. Put it through the hole in the earring, then close the jump ring by twisting it back
10. Then open a second jump ring and attach it to the first and add an earring hook. The second jump ring allows the earring to hang in the right direction when you wear them

Credit: Little Red Window

Clay bowls

10. Air dry clay heart shaped bowls

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Heart-shaped cutters
• Cling film
• Bowl
• Acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Mod Podge
• Optional: Wooden alphabet stamps (available from Hobbycraft)

How to make air dry clay heart bowls:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Roll the clay out until it's the thickness of a £1 coin
3. Cut hearts in the clay using the heart-shaped cutters
4. Line a bowl with cling film
5. Gently lift the clay heart shapes and leave them to dry in the cling film bowl
6. Optional: if you would like to create a stamped greeting on the bowl, use the wooden alphabet stamps to imprint the clay while it's still wet
7. Leave to air dry until the whole of the heart 'bowl' has changed colour to a lighter shade of grey/white
8. Once completely dry, paint with your chosen colour of acrylic paint (apply additional layers of paint if needed)
9. After the final coat of paint has dried, apply two coats of Mod Podge

Credit: Hobbycraft

11. Easy stamped air dry clay bowls

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Stamps, or anything else you can use to make an impression on the clay (such as these stamps from Amazon)
• Ink pad (available in different colours from Amazon)
• Small glass bowls
• Clay cutter/knife
• Sandpaper
• Mod Podge

How to make easy air dry clay bowls:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the air dry clay until it is soft and pliable, then roll it out to about 3-5mm thick
3. Press the stamps into the ink, then press firmly onto the clay
4. Repeat until the clay is covered in your stamp design
5. Place a bowl upside down on the clay and use a knife to cut around the edge of the bowl
6. Peel away the remaining clay to leave the circle of clay behind that will form your bowl, smooth any rough edges using your fingertips and a small amount of water
7. Lift your clay circle carefully and place it inside the bowl, then press the clay down gently into the bowl using your thumbs (try and apply even pressure as you work your way around the bowl)
8. Leave to dry overnight, by the next day the printed side of the clay should be hard enough for you to remove it from the bowl. If the clay is still damp where it's been touching the glass bowl, place your bowl upside down on a cooling rack to allow both sides to dry fully
9. Once completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
10. Seal with a layer of Mod Podge

Credit: Gathering Beauty

12. Air dry clay ruffled bowl

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Bowl
• Cling film
• Clay cutter/knife
• Acrylic paint (including gold, or liquid gold leaf)
• Paintbrushes (including a thin one to paint the bowl edge)
• Spray gloss

How to make an air dry clay ruffled bowl:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Use a rolling pin to roll the clay out, make sure it's not too thin
3. Using a clay cutter/knife, cut out wavy lines around the edge — feel free to be creative!
4. Line a bowl with cling film
5. Gently lift the clay piece and fold it slightly into a bowl shape using your hands, then insert it into the cling film bowl
6. Smooth out the edges and make any desired changes to your ruffles (create deeper folds, reshape them, smooth out any areas with a tiny amount of water, etc.)
7. Leave it to dry for at least 24-48 hours (depending on its thickness)
8. Once completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
9. Give the bowl a coat of acrylic paint (whatever colour you choose), then give it a band of gold around the edges using gold acrylic paint, or liquid gold leaf
10. Once the paint has dried, apply a layer of Mod Podge

Credit: Eunice at Home

Clay paperweights

13. Easy embossed clay stone paperweights

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Stones or Pebbles
• A selection of stamps (available from Amazon)
• Mod Podge
• Optional: acrylic paint and paintbrushes

How to make easy embossed clay stone paperweights:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the clay until it's soft and easy to work with
3. Wrap and press flat pieces of clay around the stones or pebbles, try to keep the clay as close as possible to the surface of the stone, any gaps or air bubbles will be weak spots on your paperweights when they dry. If the air dry clay becomes dry and you struggle to get it to stick to the stone, use a small amount of water to wet the clay
4. Use small pieces of clay to patch up any gaps and smooth any joins with some more water
5. Stamp your designs onto the clay — roll or rock the stamp onto the clay to compensate for the uneven shape, and overlap the stamp until the whole piece is covered
6. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours, depending on the thickness of the clay — when the air dry clay dries it changes from an off white/grey colour to a matte, white finish so you should be able to tell when it's completely dry
7. Once the clay has dried, you can paint the stone with some acrylic paint
8. Once the paint has dried, finish with a coat of Mod Podge, or skip the paint and just apply a layer of the Mod Podge to the stone

Credit: Gathering Beauty

14. Ladybird air dry clay paperweight

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Acrylic paint (you can make a red and black ladybug, but other bright colours too!)
• Paintbrushes
• Mod Podge
• Googly eyes

How to make ladybird air dry clay paperweights:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Roll the clay into a ball, then flatten into a disc
3. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours, depending on the thickness of the disc
4. When the clay is dry, paint the disc your chosen colour
5. When that paint has dried, paint a simple black oval at one end for the head and add polka dots to their backs using the handle-end of a paintbrush
6. When the paint has dried, apply a coat of Mod Podge and leave to dry
7. Once this has dried, glue or stick on googly eyes

Credit: Crafts by Amanda

15. Air dry clay whale paperweight phone holder

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Acrylic paints (blue and light blue, or blue and white)
• Paintbrushes
• Black marker pen

How to make an air dry clay whale paperweight phone holder:

1. Remove a large piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Mould the clay into the shape of a whale using your hands. If you want it to also work as a phone holder, the head will need to be quite round and the tail will need to curve upwards (see the image above)
3. Smooth out any creases or wrinkles (use a small amount of water if needed)
4. Leave the clay to dry overnight (it will help to prop the tail up with something so that it doesn't drop when drying)
5. If needed, mix white and blue paint together to form a light shade of blue, then paint the underneath of the whale
6. Use blue paint to paint the top of the whale
7. Paint a small fin over the top of the light blue paint
8. Leave to dry, apply another coat of paint if necessary
9. Once the paint is dry, use a black marker pen to draw eyes and a mouth onto the whale
10. If using as a phone holder, place the phone between the head and tail and you're done!

Credit: Doodle and Stitch

Clay stars

16. Easy air dry clay stars

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Star-shaped cookie cutter
• Pencil/straw/skewer
• Mod Podge
• Acrylic paints and paintbrushes
• Straw/ribbon/twine

How to make easy air dry clay stars:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the clay to make it pliable and soft, then use a rolling pin to roll the clay out
3. Use a star-shaped cookie cutter to cut the shape into the clay
4. Take the clay star shape and use a pencil or skewer to make a small hole in one of the star's points
5. Repeat to make as many stars as you like
6. Leave to air dry for 24-48 hours (the thicker the clay the longer it will take to dry)
7. Once dry, seal with a layer of Mod Podge and leave to dry
8. Once the Mod Podge is dry, decorate your stars with acrylic paints
9. Once the paint is dry, thread your straw or ribbon through the hole and tie in a knot, then hang up your air dry clay creations!

Credit: Hannah Cowie

17. Air dry clay star garland

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Small star cookie cutter
• Mod Podge
• Silver wire/ piece of twine
• Ruler/measuring tape
• Damp sponge (for moistening hands)
• Scissors

How to make an air dry clay star garland:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the air dry clay until it is soft and pliable, then roll it out to around 8mm thick
3. Use the star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out stars
4. Run a wet fingertip along the edges of the stars to soften the edges and remove excess clay
5. Leave them to dry for around 24-48 hours, turn them every few hours to ensure they dry evenly on both sides
6. Once dry, apply a layer of Mod Podge around the stars, then leave to dry
7. To make the garland, leave a length of around five inches at the beginning of silver wire, then wrap the wire around the first star a few times, following the star shape
8. With the wire still attached to the first star, use a ruler to measure out around 5 inches of wire
9. Wrap the silver wire around the second star
10. Repeat with the remaining stars, measuring 5 inches between each one
11. Measure around 5 inches of silver wire from the last star, then cut off the excess
12. Create a loop in the wire at each end of the garland for hanging the star garland

Credit: Chalking Up Success

18. Embossed air dry clay stars

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Cable knit knitting, or anything else you want to use to make an impression in the clay
• Star-shaped cookie cutter
• Wooden skewer or straw
• Sandpaper
• Ribbon/string

How to make embossed air dry clay stars:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the air dry clay until it is soft and pliable, then roll out the clay until it's around 3-5mm thick (the thicker the clay, the longer it takes to dry)
3. To emboss the clay, take your cable-knit wool or whatever you’re using to give the clay texture (you could also use stamps) and place it on top of the clay
4. Use the rolling pin to press the wool firmly into the clay, make sure to apply even pressure with the rolling pin. You can always peel back a corner first to make sure you're happy with the pattern before you remove the whole thing
5. Use a star cookie cutter to cut out your clay shapes, then carefully peel away the remaining clay
6. Use a wooden skewer or straw to make a hole in the point of each star (don't make the hole too close to the edge of the star)
7. Leave to dry for around 24-48 hours, it should turn from a pale grey to white (check them periodically to see how they are drying, you may need to turn them over so they get full coverage of air)
8. Once completely dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
9. Thread some ribbon through the hole you made earlier and hang

Credit: Gathering Beauty

Vases

19. Long thin air dry clay vase

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Clay cutter/knife
• Pencil/straw
• Small bowl of water
• Sandpaper
• Mod Podge
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes

How to make a long thin air dry clay vase

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the clay to soften it, then roll the clay into a log with your hands to make a cylindrical shape — around 5.5 inches long and 1 inch deep
3. Smooth or slice the edges of the log with a knife/clay cutter
4. Insert a pencil/straw into the end of the log, and push it gently through the centre of the clay until it comes through at the opposite end (twist it as you push to make this process easier)
5. Use the pencil/straw as a rolling pin and roll it towards you on your work surface, applying even and gentle pressure — this should make the hole in the middle of your clay log bigger
6. If there are any cracks on your clay, dip your fingertips in a small amount of water and smooth them out
7. Leave to dry until the clay is firm
8. Take a small amount of air dry clay and mould it onto the bottom of your vase — use a small amount of water to connect the base to the vase and use a knife to gently press down to flatten the surface
9. Leave the clay to dry again and once fully dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
10. Optional: use the acrylic paints to decorate the vase in whatever colour or pattern you like
11. Once the paint has dried (if used), apply a layer of Mod Podge

Credit: Red Rocking Bird

20. Striped air dry clay vase

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Old jar or milk bottle
• Clay cutter/knife

How to make a striped air dry clay vase:

1. Work out how much clay you'll need by using about half the length of the old jar you're using, then slice the clay from the pack
2. Roll the clay on a non-stick surface to about 2cm thick and wide enough so it will wrap around your jar
3. Wrap your jar or bottle within the clay, making sure the clay completely covers it
4. Join the edges by pushing the clay together to secure
5. Fold the clay around the bottom of the jar making sure it's flattened so it stands upright correctly
6. Once the bottle is covered, use a clay cutter to add lines working from the top to the bottom of the vase — don’t worry too much about creating straight lines, concentrate instead on pushing down and creating nice clean lines down the clay
7. Leave the clay to dry overnight, then it should be ready to fill — because you've used an old jar or bottle, this means you can fill with water without worrying about the clay

Credit: Gathered

21. Quirky arch air dry clay vase

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Bowl of water
• Clay cutter/knife
• Acrylic paint and paintbrushes

How to make a quirky arch air dry clay vase:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Knead the clay with your hands
3. Wet the surface of the clay and then begin rolling a long, thick cylinder (if cracks start emerging, use more water)
4. Cut the ends off with a knife, then smooth with water and your fingers
5. Gently (and use more water if needed) bend the clay cylinder and smooth with your fingers. If cracks emerge then use the knife or a clay tool to pull the clay from one side, over the split and then smooth with water
6. Add a hole in the top, going most of the way through the clay
7. Once you've created your arch, leave the clay to dry for around 24-72 hours
8. Once the clay has dried, use acrylic paint to decorate the vase, then leave to dry

Credit: The Lovely Drawer

Clay tray

22. Floral air dry clay tray

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Scissors
• Fresh or artificial flowers
• Basket/bowl for shaping
• Wax paper
• Sandpaper
• Acrylic paints and paintbrushes
• Mod Podge

How to make a floral air dry clay tray:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Use a rolling pin to roll out the clay to about 1/4 inch thick
3. Roll the clay to whatever shape of tray you like — you can use scissors to cut and smooth the edges, use a rectangular or square shape to press down, or just leave it rough
4. If using fresh flowers, wash and dry them first, then gently press them into the clay
5. Cover the clay with a piece of wax paper on top, then flip it over onto a bowl or basket
6. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours
7. Once dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
8. Use acrylic paint to fill in the indentations from the blossoms and leaves
9. Let the paint dry, then apply a layer of Mod Podge and leave to dry

Credit: Hearth and Vine

23. Easy speckled air dry clay tray

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Circular container/bowl
• Scissors
• Sandpaper
• Mod Podge
• Optional: Black pepper

How to make an easy speckled air dry clay tray:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Roll the air dry clay out to around 1/2 inch thickness
3. Take a circular container or bowl (or whatever shape you wish to make your bowl), and press it into the clay
4. Gently remove the shape you've just created from the clay
5. Cut the excess clay from around the circle with scissors
6. Optional: if you would like to create a speckled effect, sprinkle some pepper on the top of your air dry clay circle, then gently press it down and roll with the rolling pin
7. Put the clay into the container that you used to cut the circle with
8. Leave to dry for 24-72 hours (the thicker the tray the longer it will take to dry)
9. Once dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
10. Apply a coat of Mod Podge to seal the clay

Credit: Mix it up Marci

24. Air dry clay tray trinket dish

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Small bowl
• Clay cutter/knife
• Stickers (preferably washi-style like these from Amazon)
• Metallic or acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes
• Mod Podge

How to make an air dry clay tray trinket dish:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface, then roll into a ball
2. Use a rolling pin to flatten the clay until it's about 1/4 inch thick
3. Place a small bowl on top of the flattened clay to cut out the dish, then slowly pull the excess clay away from the bowl
4. Place the clay in the small bowl and let it dry for about 24 hours (this will help form a slight dip in the dish), the clay should be a nice shade of white when completely dried
5. Once the dish is completely dry, use metallic paint to form a fancy rim around the dish
6. Carefully place your selected sticker on the dishes, avoiding lines and rippler in the stickers
7. Use a thin layer of Mod Podge to seal the dish

Credit: Little Pine Learners

Mini pots

25. Mini air dry clay pot

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Clay cutter/knife
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Bottle or small vase
• Small bowl of water
• Optional: Acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Optional: Mod Podge

How to make a mini air dry clay pot:

1. To create the side of your pot, roll out the air dry clay, ensuring that it is no more than about 1/2 inch thick
2. Measure and cut along the sides to your desired height
3. Wrap the clay around a small vase or bottle and cut off the excess
4. Score across the edges with the clay cutter/knife
5. Dip your finger in water and begin smoothing the scored edges until they have joined (a plastic knife can also do the trick)
6. Leave the side wrapped around the bottle or vase for about an hour to allow it to harden just a bit — this will make handling the sides easier for the next step
7. Remove the bottle or vase by gently wiggling it out
8. Optional: Add a design detail with the blunt end of a plastic tool/pencil
9. To make the base, roll out more clay about 1/2 inch thick again
10. Using the bottle or vase, measure the base
11. Score around the edge of the base, then score the bottom of the side piece that will be attached to the base
12. Add a generous amount of water to the scored parts and gently attach the side piece to your base by adding a bit of pressure and then gentle wiggling back and forth
13. Cut off the excess
14. To ensure all those edges will remain attached, reinforce the base on the inside and on the outside
15. To reinforce the outside, dip your finger in water and begin smoothing out the area where the base meets the side
16. To reinforce the inside, first roll out a long thin piece of clay, then add that to the edge of the interior of the pot where the base meets the side
17. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of water and begin smoothing it out using the eraser at the end of a pencil or other blunt tool
18. Leave your clay pot to dry for a few days
19. Once dry, you can decorate your pot with acrylic paint and seal it with Mod Podge (optional)

Credit: A Pretty Fix

26. Embossed air dry clay pot

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Stamps, or anything else you can use to make an impression on the clay (such as these stamps from Amazon)
• Small glass bowl
• Clay cutter/knife
• Sandpaper
• Optional: Mod Podge

How to make an embossed air dry clay pot:

1. First, make some clay slip (this is watered-down clay you can use to glue your clay pieces together):
   1. Break off a few small pieces of clay into a bowl and cover it with water
   2. Leave for about 30 minutes to dissolve
   3. The smaller the pieces of clay the faster it will break down
2. Take a block of air dry clay and knead it on your non-stick surface until it is soft and pliable
3. Roll out the clay until about 3mm thick
4. Stamp your design onto the clay
5. To make the sides of your pot, use a knife to cut a rectangle out of the clay (you can use a template or just cut it free-hand)
6. For the base of a pot, cut around a glass or circular container to make a circle
7. Flip your rectangle of clay over so the stamped side is on the table, then score a cross-hatch pattern about 1cm on any edges where the clay will touch
8. Apply a layer of clay slip to the parts you've just scored to help glue your pieces together
9. Wrap your clay around the circle base and overlap the sides — make sure the part you've scored is on the outside and the unscored clay is on the inside
10. Carefully turn your pot upside down and blend the edges of the clay sides and base together (use more slip or water to help if needed)
11. Leave to dry for around 24-72 hours (you may need to leave it upside down to begin with)
12. Once dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth
13. Optional: add a layer of Mod Podge to protect the pots and give them a shiny finish. You can also paint the pots too, if you like

Credit: Gathering Beauty

27. Air dry clay mini house planter pot

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Rolling pin
• Cling film
• Measuring tape
• A small tin can
• Clay cutter/knife
• Glue
• Masking tape
• Acrylic paints and paintbrushes
• Sandpaper
• Optional: artificial succulents

How to make an air dry clay mini house planter pot:

1. Roll a piece of air dry clay out to 3-5mm thickness between two pieces of cling film
2. Using a tape measure, measure the size of the tins and create templates for the pots — you will need two house shapes and three squares
3. Lay the templates on top of the clay and cut around them
4. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours
5. Assemble the house with the small rectangular piece as the base and the two house pieces opposite each other, glue together then use masking tape to hold it in place whilst it dries
6. If there are any gaps in the joins you can smooth them by mixing clay with a bit of water to make it into a sticky paste, then use your finger to smooth it onto the pot
7. Once dry, use a piece of sandpaper to gently sand any rough or sharp surfaces, then wipe away any dust with a cloth — try to be gentle so they don't break
8. Paint the base of the pots with acrylic paint — you will need a few coats for an even coverage, then leave to dry
9. Fill with succulents and you're done!

Credit: Hobbycraft

Hand print ornament

28. Easy air dry clay hand print ornament

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Straw
• String
• Optional: Cookie cutter
• Optional: Alphabet and number press kit (available from Amazon)
• Optional: Acrylic paint and paintbrushes
• Optional: Mod Podge

How to make an easy air dry clay hand print ornament:

1. Remove a small piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface, then flatten with the rolling pin
2. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your desired shape, or roll it into any shape you like
3. Use a straw to puncture a hole at the top (if the hole looks a bit messy, you can dip your finger into a bit of water to smooth over the clay)
4. Press your child's hand or foot gently into the clay
5. Optional: if you have an alphabet press stamp kit, you can gently insert the letters into the clay to spell out their name
6. Let the clay dry for 24-72 hours (the thicker the ornament the longer it will take to dry). If cracks appear, touch-up the ornament with a small amount of clay and a few drops of water to smooth over the surface
7. Optional: once dry, decorate with acrylic paints
8. Optional: once the clay and optional paint is dry, seal the ornament with Mod Podge
9. Thread the string through the hole and tie, then hang up your air dry clay decoration!

Credit: On The Slow Lane

29. Christmas tree air dry clay handprint ornament

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Rolling pin
• Clay cutter/knife
• Baking tray and baking paper
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Mod Podge
• Mini pom poms
• Hot glue gun
• Scissors
• Twine/ribbon

How to make a Christmas tree air dry clay handprint ornament:

1. Remove a small piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Roll out the clay to about 1/2 inch thick and make sure it's long enough for the hand you're imprinting
3. Place your child's hand down on the clay and push
4. Remove your child's hand, then gently cut around the handprint, leaving some clay around the fingers
5. Line the baking tray with baking paper, then lay the handprints on top of the paper
6. Leave to dry for 24-48 hours
7. Once fully dry, paint the imprinted handprint green
8. Once the paint is dry, seal the ornaments with Mod Podge and leave to dry again
9. Once dry, add mini pom poms onto the tree using a hot glue gun and add a craft star to the top
10. Cut a small length of twine/ribbon, tie it in a loop and glue to the back so you can hang the decoration up

Credit: Mod Podge Rocks

Clay bracelet

30. Easy air dry clay bracelet

You will need:

• Air dry clay
• Silicone mat or other non-stick surface
• Acrylic paint
• Straw/pencil
• Scissors
• Paintbrushes
• Satin ribbon or string

How to make an easy air dry clay bracelet:

1. Remove a piece of air dry clay and put it down on your non-stick surface
2. Roll the clay into 6 balls
3. Take the acrylic paint and squeeze the paint into the clay ball, then knead the clay until it absorbs all of the paint
4. Keep kneading and add more paint if needed (wear gloves to avoid mess!)
5. Continue adding in different colours to each ball of clay, either stick to one colour or add different ones
6. Pull apart one of the large colourful balls and roll this into a smaller ball to create a bead, then repeat until you have enough beads
7. Use a pencil or straw to poke a hole through each bead (you can dip the pencil/straw into water to remove excess clay and make it easier to thread a hole through)
8. Leave the beads to dry — this can take up to 24-48 hours depending on how thick the beads are
9. Take the ribbon or string, measure loosely to the wrist size and cut off the excess (having the string a little longer is better than it being too tight)
10. Thread the beads onto the string (try and keep your work flat so the beads don't roll away)
11. Once you have enough beads, pull the ends of the string together and tie it in a knot to secure the loop, then trim the excess string if needed

Credit: Montmarte

Top picture: Getty

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