How To Make Air Dry Clay Bowls — Gathering Beauty (original) (raw)

Have you ever wanted to try your hand at ceramics but don't have access to a kiln? Then this the craft for you.

Learn how to make your own beautiful stamped clay bowls using air dry clay. Not only is it strong and durable but there is no firing or baking required.

Using these simple techniques you’ll soon be creating pretty catch-all clay dishes to decorate your home or give as gifts.

You won't believe how easy they are to make.

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Air Dry Clay Bowls.

I'm obsessed with air dry clay. It’s easy to use, cheap to buy and can be used to make almost anything. From small dishes to plant pots and jewellery to candle holders. It’s an incredibly versatile product. If you’ve never worked with air dry clay before, trust me, you’re going to love it.

One of my favourite things to make is these pretty little bowls. They can be used as a ring dish, personalised and given as a keepsake or used as home decor.

I currently have mine out on my desk and use them to hold washi tape and paperclips but I’ve also used to keep loose change and keys safe as well.

Making Clay Bowls At Home.

Making your own DIY clay bowls is easier than you may think. All you need is some air dry clay, a collection of rubber craft stamps, an ink pad and something to cut around.

Apart from the clay, you’ll probably find you have a lot of the supplies already on hand. A knife, a glass to cut around and a small bowl to use as a mould.

If you don’t have any rubber stamps or ink you could use anything textured to leave an impressive, the bottom of a vintage glass or maybe an old cable knit jumper as I did with these embossed clay stars.

Customise them by changing up the ink and stamps and create your own decorative works of art. They’re a lovely craft project to make on a rainy afternoon.

Air Dry Clay Tips And Tricks.

If you want some of my best tips and tricks for working with air dry clay you can find them here or sign up below to get the FREE PDF sent straight to your inbox!

9. Repeat until you have as many bowls as required and leave to dry overnight. As the clay dries and the water evaporates it will turn from a pale grey to white.

By the next day, the printed side of the clay should be hard enough for you to remove it from the bowl. You may find the clay is still damp where it's been touching the glass bowl. Place your bowls upside down on a baking cooling rack to allow both sides to dry fully.

I found the drying time for this air dry clay differed greatly depending on the weather. In warm weather, the clay dried quickly (around 36 hours) but in cold, wet weather it took up to 72 hours to dry.

Got questions? Don't panic, keep reading for my top tips.

F.A.Q's.

1. I've opened my clay and it looks grey. Does the clay change from the grey I'm seeing to the white in the pictures?

Yes, the clay starts off white and dries to a matte, white finish.

2. Argh, help. My clay is sticking to my work surface, what can I do?

If you haven't got a glass cutting mat or silicon mat I recommend using some greaseproof or parchment paper. It makes it much easier to lift and peel the clay away. As it absorbs the moisture from the clay it does begin to wrinkle so try not to leave the clay on it too long.

3. Is the clay food safe? What can I use them for? Can I use these bowls for snacks?

The air dry clay isn't food safe and should be used for decorative purposes only. So far I've used mine for storing jewellery, keys and office supplies.

4. My ink has faded, what can I do to fix this?

When choosing an ink pad look for a permanent pigment ink. It takes longer to dry but is fade-resistant. Dye-based inks whilst also considered permanent can fade over time when exposed to the sun.

5. The sides of my bowls have wrinkled? How do I stop this from happening?

Apply a light, even pressure when pressing the clay into the bowls. When you press too hard the clay can bunch up and wrinkle. Sandwiching the clay between a large bowl and a smaller bowl like in the video above is the best way I've found to stop this from happening.

6. It's been days and days and my clay still isn't dry help!

As the clay is self-hardening the drying time can vary greatly depending on the weather. In warm, dry weather the clay can dry in around 24 hours. However, in cold wet weather (which feels like most of the time here in the U.K.) it can take several days so make sure to allow for extra drying time.

7. How long will they last?

5 years on and I still have mine. They sit on my desk holding washi tapes, paperclips and other bits and pieces. I've used them so much and they still look just as good as they did when I first made them. As long as you treat them well you should get many years of use out of them.