As the holiday season approaches, there’s always an abundance of things to consider – from planning the menu to deciding on decorations and gift ideas. Amidst all the hustle and bustle, it’s easy to forget about the joy of crafting. However, making your own personalized ornaments can be a wonderful way to get into the Christmas spirit. These clay name ornaments are particularly delightful, requiring minimal materials yet resulting in charming keepsakes. Not only do they make for lovely decorations, but they’re also perfect for gifting loved ones. And who knows, you might just find yourself getting hooked on crafting and exploring other fun projects like birdseed ornaments, pom pom bookmarks, or even citrus shower steamers.
Why You’ll Love Them
Making air dry clay Christmas tree ornaments is a breeze, making it an excellent activity to share with family and friends. The kids can have fun creating their own unique DIY stamped clay ornaments using cookie cutters, adding a personal touch to each one. As for customization, the possibilities are endless – you can add paint, glitter, ribbons, cinnamon sticks, faux berries, or any other embellishments that catch your eye. Not only will these air dry clay ornaments make your gifts stand out, but they’ll also infuse them with a sense of love and creativity that’s hard to replicate with store-bought decorations.
Materials Needed for Clay Gift Tag Ornaments
To create these stunning DIY clay Christmas gift tags that serve as ornaments, you’ll need a few essential materials. Start by gathering air dry clay, a butter knife for shaping, alphabet stamps, cotton twine, small brass bells, and clear tacky glue. If you want to add an extra touch of color or personality, consider incorporating acrylic paints into your project.
How to Make Air Dry Clay Christmas Tree Decorations
To create your air dry clay ornaments, start by rolling out the clay with a rolling pin to achieve a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a butter knife to cut out shapes in your preferred size – rectangles work well, but feel free to get creative and cut out other designs. Once you’ve cut out your shapes, use a wet fingertip to smooth out any rough edges or bumps. Allow the clay surface to dry for approximately 20 minutes before moving on to the next step.
Next, add a personal touch by using alphabet stamps to stamp a name onto each ornament. Be sure to let the names dry completely before proceeding. To do this, poke a small hole through the opposite side of the ornament from where you applied the name, and then allow the ornament to air dry for about 24 hours on newspaper or wax paper.
Once your ornaments are fully dry, you can add some color with acrylic paint if desired, or leave them plain. If you do choose to paint them, be sure to let the paint dry completely before moving on to the final step. To add a finishing touch, thread a little bell onto an 8-inch piece of cotton twine and pull it through the hole you created earlier. Glue the twine in place to secure the bell.
/nFinally, add some ribbon so that you can tie your ornaments onto gifts or hang them on the Christmas tree.
Substitutions and Variations
If air dry clay is available in white, that’s the preferred choice; however, if not, another color will suffice. When it comes to painting, the color of the clay doesn’t greatly impact the final result. I personally prefer this particular brand of air dry clay.
As you thread on the tiny bells to create your ornament, feel free to get creative and add other embellishments like ribbon, wooden beads painted a deep red to resemble berries, sprigs of greenery, a cinnamon stick, or any other decorative element that strikes your fancy. You’ll have an absolute blast deciding how to personalize yours.
How to Store Air Dry Clay Decorations
When storing your salt dough ornaments, it’s essential to preserve their integrity for future use. A clever approach is to encase each ornament in bubble wrap before placing them in a sturdy container alongside other Christmas treasures like ornaments and decorations. This ensures they remain safe from damage or breakage until you’re ready to display them again the following year.
Air Dry Clay Name Tag FAQs
To achieve a rectangular shape for your homemade ornaments, you can employ a knife or even a pizza wheel to trim the edges. Since these are handmade, it’s not necessary to worry about achieving perfection – a touch of rustic charm can actually add to their appeal. If you’d like to get creative, consider using cookie cutters to craft unique shapes inspired by festive themes, such as leaves, Christmas trees, or other seasonal motifs.
When it comes to managing leftover clay, it’s generally best to use up all the clay at once to prevent it from drying out and becoming unusable. This excess clay can be repurposed for additional Christmas crafts, doubling up on names in case one gets broken or you’re giving someone multiple gifts, or even crafting a different ornament with the remaining clay.
Air Dry Clay Ornament Instructions
Clay Name Ornaments/Gift Tags
Written by Bella Bucchiotti, these DIY clay name ornaments are not only a thoughtful gift but also a fun and easy Christmas craft. Not only do they make great tags for gifts, but their personalized touch will surely bring a smile to the recipient’s face. With a cook time of just 30 minutes and dry time of 1 day, this project is perfect for busy holiday makers. So why not get creative and add a personal touch to your gifts with these simple air-dry clay gift tags?
Instructions
Start by rolling out a small portion of air-dry clay into a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Use a butter knife to cut rectangular shapes from the clay, varying the size depending on the ornament you want to create. Gently smooth out any imperfections using your finger and a small amount of water. This is also an opportunity to refine the shape of the ornament before it begins drying. Allow about 20 minutes for the surface moisture to evaporate.Next, use alphabet stamps to carefully imprint a name onto one side of the rectangle. Then, create a small hole at the opposite end using a straw, which will serve as a secure anchor for the twine once the clay has dried.Let the ornament sit for 24 hours or until it reaches a hardened state and turns white. You can choose to leave it in its natural state or add some color with acrylic paint. For a finishing touch, cut an 8-inch piece of cotton twine and thread the bell onto it. Pull the twine through the hole and secure it by pulling it tight, ensuring that the knot rests against the back side of the ornament. Apply a small amount of glue to keep the knot in place.To use your ornament as a gift tag, simply tie it to your gift bag handles or box using a few inches of ribbon or twine.
