Air Dry Clay Jewelry Dish: A Handmade Gift Idea

A ring left on the edge of a sink or a nightstand is a ring waiting to be lost, which is why a small jewelry dish is a gift people actually use. This one is about the width of a palm, has a softly scalloped rim and a painted metallic-look edge, and takes well under an hour of hands-on work. The rest is drying time, so start at least a week before you need to wrap it.

What You Need

• Air dry clay, about a golf-ball-sized lump
• Rolling pin and guide sticks about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick
• A round cutter, jar or lid about 4 inches (10 cm) across
• Craft knife (adult supervision for the blade)
• A small shallow bowl to use as a mold, lined with plastic wrap
• A small sponge and a cup of water
• Fine sandpaper
• Metallic or mustard-gold acrylic craft paint and a fine detail brush
• Water-based acrylic varnish and a soft flat brush

Choose the Size and Rim Style

A circle of clay about 4 inches (10 cm) wide makes a finished dish close to 3 1/2 inches (9 cm) across once it curves up, which is enough for a few rings and a pair of stud earrings. Go much larger and the dish stops looking like a jewelry piece and becomes harder to dry flat.

The rim is where the character comes from. Pick one style before you start.

Roll, Cut and Shape the Dish

1. Knead the clay briefly and roll it between the guide sticks to an even 1/4 inch (6 mm). Thinner slabs look delicate but are more likely to warp and chip.
2. Cut a circle by pressing the cutter straight down, or trace around a jar with the craft knife held upright.
3. Run a barely damp fingertip around the cut edge to round it over. A rounded edge takes a painted line far better than a sharp one.
4. Lift the circle with both hands and lower it into the bowl lined with plastic wrap. Press gently from the center outward so it takes the curve without trapping air underneath.
5. Shape the rim in your chosen style. For scallops, work around the dish like a clock face: make marks at 12, 6, 3 and 9 first, then fill in between them so the spacing stays even.
6. Wipe away fingerprints with a lightly squeezed sponge. Use very little water; a wet surface is weaker and more prone to cracking as it dries.

If this is your first dish of any kind, the plainer trinket dish tutorial walks through the same molding method at a slower pace. For stubborn marks on the surface, see the techniques in how to smooth air dry clay.

Dry It in the Mold, Then Out of It

Leave the dish in the bowl at room temperature, away from direct sun and drafts, until it is firm enough to hold its shape. That is often about a day, though it varies. Then lift it out by the plastic wrap, peel the wrap away and set the dish upside down on a wire rack or a clean cloth so the underside can dry too. Turn it over once or twice a day.

A small dish of this thickness is often dry in two to three days. Humidity, airflow and the type of clay all affect that, so follow the instructions on your clay’s package and wait until the color is even and the base no longer feels cool. Do not use heat to speed it up. Slow, even drying reduces the risk of warping and cracks, though no method rules them out.

Sand the Dry Dish

Smooth the rim and any rough patches with fine sandpaper, using light pressure and following the curve of each scallop. Sanding makes fine dust, so do it outdoors or in a well-ventilated spot, and wipe the dish and your work surface with a damp cloth afterward. Let the dish dry again for a few minutes before painting; paint does not grip a dusty or damp surface well.

Paint the Rim

You can leave the body of the dish bare white or give it one or two thin coats of white acrylic craft paint for a more even tone. Let that dry fully before you touch the rim.

1. Load the fine detail brush with a small amount of metallic or mustard-gold paint and wipe the excess on the edge of the pot.
2. Rest the dish on the table and steady your painting hand against the surface.
3. Lay the side of the bristles on the top of the rim and turn the dish slowly with your other hand, keeping the brush still. Moving the dish instead of the brush gives a steadier line.
4. Let the first coat dry, then add a second. Metallic paints are often sheer and usually need two or three thin coats.

Seal the Dish

Rings and earring posts scuff paint, so a sealed surface is worth the extra step. Brush on a thin coat of water-based acrylic varnish, let it dry as the label directs, then turn the dish over and seal the underside as well. Two thin coats are usually better than one heavy one. Some varnishes dull a metallic finish slightly, so test on a scrap piece or the base first. Finish types and their limits are covered in the guide on sealing air dry clay.

Wrap It as a Gift

Dried clay is hard but brittle, so pack the dish snugly. Wrap it in tissue paper, set it in a small box with crumpled paper underneath and around it, and check that it does not rattle when the box is shaken.

Slip in a short care note so the dish is used the way it was made to be used. Something like this covers it:

• Handmade from air dry clay; decorative, for dry jewelry only.
• Keep dry and away from sinks and steamy rooms.
• Wipe with a soft dry cloth. Do not wash or soak.

For someone who wears several rings, a matching cone ring holder painted in the same color makes a natural second piece for the set.