Let’s play ceramicist! Make beautiful air-dry clay bowls—no glazing or firing required
With self-hardening air-dry clay, you can easily make beautiful dishes for jewelry and trinkets. Use store-bought dishes as molds for your bowls, and create decorative patterns using leaves from your houseplants.
Air dry clay bowls – materials:
- Self-hardening clay
- Rolling pin
- Knife
- Small bowls to use as molds
- Plastic bag
- Craft paints and a paintbrush
- Small leaves from houseplants or herbs to create patterns
Here’s how to make air-dry clay bowls
1. Roll the air-hardening clay out on baking paper to about half a centimeter thick. The thicker the clay, the sturdier the bowl will be.
2. Place the bowls you’re using as molds upside down on the clay, side by side. Use a knife to cut out circles that match each bowl’s size, then remove the bowls.
3. Gently press the clay circles into the bowls. If needed, use a knife to smooth the edges and lightly soften the cut lines with your finger. Keep in mind that the clay shrinks as it dries, so avoid shaping it around the outside of the molds to prevent cracking.
4. Cover the bowls with a plastic bag while they dry. Let smaller bowls dry for one day under the plastic and larger bowls for at least two days. If the clay dries too quickly at room temperature, the bowls may crack.
5. Take the clay bowls out of their molds. If needed, smooth any rough edges with fine sandpaper or a paper nail file. Let the bowls air-dry without plastic until they are completely dry.
6. Once the bowls are fully dry, paint the outside with craft paint. To print leaf designs on the inside, brush an ivy leaf or another houseplant leaf with green craft paint, then press it onto the bowl. Continue until you have the look you want. You can also use herb leaves and stems or cut-flower leaves.
Tip!
Place the decorative bowls on your nightstand, bookshelf, or in the entryway. Use them to store jewelry, keys, paper clips, or hair ties.
Take the idea further
- Self-hardening clay can be shaped into nearly anything! You can make items that don’t need to be durable, such as a bathroom door sign, ceramic wall art, a nameplate for your door, or decorations for Christmas, Easter, or Halloween. If you want a glossy finish, apply a suitable varnish such as DAS varnish at the end.
- When making items or signs for outdoors or other damp spaces, seal them with a moisture-resistant varnish, such as marine varnish from a hardware store or stone varnish from a craft shop.
- Imprint a raised pattern in the clay. For a wall hanging, a small bowl, or a Christmas decoration, you can create a pattern by rolling a lace doily, glass plate, or even a tealight holder over the clay.
- Try making ceramic earrings or pendants. For a dangling piece, create a hole with a toothpick.
