DIY Air Dry Clay Jewelry Bowls
We just moved Calla into a new room and I realized she needed some little bowls for jewelry, hair ties and all that little stuff that four-year-old girls like to collect. I’ve always wanted to work with air dry clay and this seemed like the perfect project to give it a try.
Before having the girls, one of my hobbies was pottery, so I’ve been looking for easy ways to get back into it. What is so nice about air dry clay is that it doesn’t make a mess and it doesn’t involve a kiln, or even an oven.
*Since we originally published this post, we have done so many more craft projects with air dry clay. You can find them here. Like rainbows, clay platters and bunny bowls.
Read more to find out how I made these simple, sweet DIY Air Dry Clay Jewelry Bowls.
Supplies
rolling pin
glass bowls
paintbrush
fine sandpaper
How to make DIY Air Dry Clay Jewelry Bowls
1. Roll out air dry clay on smooth surface. Roll to thickness of 1/4 inch.
2. Place bowl top side down on to clay. Cut around the edge of the bowl with a knife. Lift off clay gently and place inside the bowl. To make the nesting bowl set, I simply used my glass nesting mixing bowls from my kitchen. I used the smallest four.
3. Push clay into bowl until it touches the bottom and side. Smooth edges with your finger. Let clay dry overnight, up to a day until dry.
4. Pop out the dried clay from the glass bowls and sand the edges with the sandpaper.
5. Paint the bowls however you’d like with acrylic craft paint.
This clay was so easy to work with. I’m already dreaming up my next projects that I want to try. I found it can be helpful to slightly wet your hands with water while first working with the clay. I had a wet paper towel on hand while working on the bowls.
Can’t wait to see what you create!
–Melissa
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All photos by Melissa Fenlon for alice & lois design studios. All rights reserved.
So simple yet clever. Fun project for kids too.
Thanks! And yes, it’s fun for kids, too. My four year old loved working with this clay to make little bowls. –Melissa
Oh la la ! C’est trop joli !
Good idea, i keep it and the choice of colors , bravo !
Martine, so glad you love the bowls! Have fun making them…
Super cute, ladies! Sharing 🙂 p.s. I’m an identical mirror twin — #twinsrock
Kelly –
Thanks so much!
Wonder twin power….activate!
I am also a mirror twin!!!
Cute bowls! Wish I had some air dry clay, but I guess I’ll just use up the oven dry clay I have first!
Does it really just pop out of the bowl so easy? Awesome 🙂
Yes they do! It seems too easy, but those are the kind of projects we love 🙂
Love this DiY, im going to try it this next month.
I’ll Show you what is the result.
thanks for sharing
I found this project on Pinterest and I just finished making them! So happy with the result – thanks for sharing such a fun, easy and inspiring project! You can see my bowls {and some stars} here: http://taraleaver.com/2014/05/easy-mini-clay-bowl-project/
How many packages of clay did you use?
Jeannie, I used about half of the package. But you can make the bowls as big or small as you want 🙂 I was safe with just one package. Hope that helps. Have fun making them!
–Melissa
I love this idea for a girl’s birthday party! So cute!!
Thanks Erica!
These are beautiful and looks so easy to make! Thanks for the great tutorial, I will be trying it for sure!
Thanks! Enjoy!
My bowls are crumbling when I paint them. They have been drying for two days and are not too thick and not too thin either. What am I doing wrong? I’m so bummed. 🙁
Melissa, try wrapping your bowl in very thin plastic wrap. Just wrap it around the bowl lightly. This could help the clay from drying out too quickly. Hope this helps 🙂
hi, i wanna make me some plates and bowls im Tired of buying dishes Every month due to kids 🙁 lol
i have air dry clay but is it safe to put food in if i make bowls out of it? and put food on if i make plates out of it ? ive always wanted Square plates! 🙂 but theyre so much more expensive than regular round dishes 🙁
i noticed u used acrylic paint i have water paints and i have nontoxic kids fingerpaints i also have recipes for Natural food coloring for like easter eggs and such
Thank u !
Unfortunately air dry clay is not food safe. I know what you mean about kids breaking plates… one of mine broke tonight after some little hands dropped it after dinner tonight 🙁
i’m hoping to use this clay to make 8 bowls about the size of the pink or the green ones youve made. do you think I can get 8 out of that block or should I buy 2 packs? Thank you
One pack of clay should be just fine. Have fun!
LOVELY!
LOVE! I just found this tutorial on pinterest and just made a similar one for my guest bedroom! Will tag this tutorial on my blog post to show my readers a different example of how you can paint them! 🙂
Can’t wait to see them Maria!
awesome.
A friend just gave me a little clay jewelry bowl along with a necklace for my birthday and I love it and want to make some as gifts. Did you do anything to the outside of the bowls (paint, shellac/varnish, etc.)? Thank you!
Feel free to put on a coat of mod podge if you’d like!
love these little bowls! do you need to seal the clay at all? (the raw part you haven’t painted)
You don’t have to.