Learn how to make DIY Christmas ornaments that double as stylish present name tags with this step-by-step guide. All you need is air dry clay and a few simple tools!
Nothing beats a homemade gift. Here’s an easy DIY gift that you can make for friends and family – Christmas ornaments made from air dry clay! What I love about this DIY ornament is that they can be attached to your presents to double as name tags. Thoughtful and functional!
Discover how to make these rustic ornaments below and I can promise you, they will impress anyone you gift them to.
What you need:
- Air dry clay (I used the DAS Air Hardening Modeling Clay)
- Baking paper
- Rolling pin (or a large glass bottle)
- Something to cut the clay to your desired shape (I used an old jar but drinking glasses or cookie cutters work well too)
- Water
- Small paint brush
- Something to create an indentation in the clay (I used these alphabet stamps but you could use flowers, leaves or rosemary)
- Twine (or a ribbon or string of your choice)
Instructions:
Step 1
Lay a sheet of baking paper out on a flat surface and tape it down. This will be what you work on as the clay will not get stuck to this surface. Fill a small bowl with water and keep it handy.
Step 2
Pull off a piece of clay. Ensure that you keep the rest of the clay that you’re not working with wrapped tightly in plastic (either in the original packaging or in a plastic bag) so that it doesn’t dry out.
Step 3
Using a rolling pin (or plastic bottle) roll out the clay until it is to your desired thickness (I rolled my clay to around 5mm). Keep in mind, the thicker you roll the clay, the longer it will take to dry.
Step 4
Cut out shapes from the clay using either an old jar, a drinking glass or a cookie cutter. Punch out a hole in the top of the ornament so string can go through it once it’s dried. I did this using the back of a paint brush.
Step 5
Clean up the edges of your clay shape. Do this by dipping your finger in water and smoothing the sides. Adding water to air dry clay makes it very easy to smooth out rough edges or smooth out any marks/unwanted indents in the clay.
Step 6
Once your clay is smooth it’s time to decorate and add character. I chose to stamp names and the year into my ornaments so they felt super personalised and could double as name tags. If you don’t have alphabet stamps, you can press flowers or leaves into the clay to make a unique embossed effect. This step is where you can get as creative as you like.
Step 7
Ensure you are happy with the surface of your clay and smooth out any cracks or bumps with water. Let the clay dry following the recommended amount of time on the packet. My ornaments took three days to completely dry.
Step 8
Once completely dried, knot a loop of twine and feed it through the hole in your ornament.
Step 9
Gift to family and friends and see the look of astonishment on their faces.
If you end up making this DIY, tag me on Instagram @the.palette.blog – I’d love to see how it turns out!