DIY: Air Dry Clay Ceramics

Monday, June 13, 2016

Desk accessories have really been trending lately, and we can't get enough of them! They're practical, useful, and super cute! This week we bought some air dry clay, and tried our hand at some desk accessories of our own– a pencil holder and a mini dish. Here's what you'll need to make this craft:




MATERIALS:
+ Air Dry Clay
+ Clear Gloss Sealant Spray (optional, but if you want a sleek, glossy look, this stuff is for you!)
+ Clay tools or a knife
+ Circular Glass
+ Straw or Pencil
+ Clay Roller to flatten the clay (OR a spray can does the job!)
+ Gold Paint Pen (optional, but adds a little something to the final product!)



PENCIL CUP

Step 1: Cut a piece of air dry clay, enough for however many pieces you're making. We used about half of the block to make our pencil cup and mini dish. Make sure you seal up the rest of the package if you don't use all the clay– if not sealed properly, it will dry out fast! 

Step 2: Cut out a circular piece of clay for the bottom of your pencil cup. You'll want to make sure the walls of your cup holder fit nicely around this circle without too much gap. 


Step 3: Roll out the wall part of your pencil cup with your roller (or spray can!) Don't roll the clay so thin that it sticks to your working surface, but you also don't want them so thick that it's hard to attach to the base of the cup. About 1/4" - 1/2" thickness is good. 


Step 4: Trim the top, bottom and sides of your clay slab so you have a nice rectangle to then attach to the circular clay base. Then punch some holes in the slab for a small decorative touch, or leave it plain- it's up to you!




Step 5: Drape your rectangular slab of clay around your clay base, and merge these two pieces together securely at the bottom. With a clay tool or knife, make tiny slashes across the pieces, then gently smooth over these dashes to join seamlessly. 

Step 6: Once you have joined the base to the sides, you can smooth out the rest of the pencil cup around the sides and the top rim. Remember, handmade is beautiful, so don't sweat the imperfections!


Step 7: If you're feeling fancy, or think the white is too white, take a gold paint pen and line the rims of your cup and dish. If you want even more color, don't be afraid to grab some paint and add a pop of color to your workspace!































































MINI DISH

Step 1: We made our mini dish from the excess clay we cut off our pencil cup, so it doesn't take much! Roll that out into a smooth, round ball of clay.

Step 2: Gently press your thumb into the center of the clay ball to start forming the inner part of the dish. Keep smoothing and pushing against the sides until you get something that looks like a little dish!

Step 3: Add a touch of color if you want, or keep it plain and simple! These dishes make wonderful little homes for air plants (we can't get enough of them!)

This isn't your typical fine-crafted ceramics project, but it is a fun way to get your hands dirty and make some nice additions to your desk set-up!

#makeitmonday

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