How to Make Air Dry Clay Trinket Dish (DIY Ring Bowl)

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How to Make Air Dry Clay Trinket Dish (DIY Ring Bowl)

Learn how to make gorgeous air dry clay trinket dishes, ring bowls and home decor.

Sparkly, glitter, and a touch of gold flashing on brightly colored painted dishes--perfect effect for a ceramic like finish.

Make one clay dish or make several for handmade gifts.

Air Dry Clay is not just for kids--it's so much fun for high quality clay projects too.

These little dishes are perfect for a conversation piece on the coffee table or on a vanity for easy jewelry safe keeping.

Get ready for a ton of pictures, a video and a few varieties demonstrated so you can make them yourself.

Air Dry Clay is not just for kids--it's so much fun for high quality clay projects too. These little dishes are perfect for a conversation piece on the coffee table or on a vanity for easy jewelry safe keeping. Get ready for a ton of pictures, a video and a few varieties demonstrated so you can make them yourself.

Do you use ring dishes?

A DIY ring dish is convenient for placing rings while washing hands, so having one near the sink is a great idea.

They are also perfect for a catch-all, holding keys, wallets or even loose change after a days work.

Learn how to make air dry clay hibiscus and monstera leaf ring bowls

These little dishes are the perfect size for a ring or 2, although you can make them whatever size you want.

Starting with little bowls is a great way to get used to crafting with clay and then you can feel confident doing a large scale project.

These are for decorative purposes only, as the paint and finish is not food safe.

These are ceramic-like, but not glazed and heat set in a kiln, so don't make a coffee cup for your daily coffee.

Instead, go to a paint your own ceramic pieces place for that.

Bright, sparkly and metallic gold edges on air dry clay ring dishes, easy DIY ceramic pottery class.

Here's some more air-dry clay project templates that can be used to create gorgeous trinket dishes.

Find a big maple leaf, cookie cutter shapes, small items to imprint into the clay...get creative making your ceramic like dishes.

If you homeschool or do a co-op, this is the perfect way to host a pottery class without a pottery wheel.

Here's some more air-dry clay project templates that can be used to create gorgeous trinket dishes. Find a big maple leaf, cookie cutter shapes, small items to imprint into the clay...get creative making your ceramic like dishes. If you homeschool or do a co-op, this is the perfect way to host a pottery class without a pottery wheel.

Supplies Needed for Air Dry Clay Dishes:

affiliate links

Air Dry Clay (I'm using Crayola)
Cling Wrap
Shallow Dishes (just pull some from the cupboard)
Rolling Pin
Clay Tools
Background Rubber Stamps (optional)
Acrylic Craft Paint
Glitterific Gold Paint
Gold Metallic Paint
Paint Brush
Mod Podge Iridescent Sealer Spray
Craft Knife
Small Bowl of Water

(Get supplies online or in the craft store)

Definitely watch the video tutorial!

Supplies Needed for Air Dry Clay Dishes: affiliate links Air Dry Clay (I'm using Crayola) Cling Wrap Shallow Dishes Rolling Pin Clay Tools Background Rubber Stamps (optional) Acrylic Craft Paint Glitterific Gold Paint Gold Metallic Paint Paint Brush Mod Podge Iridescent Sealer Spray Craft Knife Small Bowl of Water (Get supplies online or in the craft store)

Step 1: Air Dry Clay Prep

Begin with a small handful of clay, squeeze it until it is soft and form it into a ball of clay.

I'm using Crayola air dry clay, but there are all kinds of air dry clay, so if you use something different, follow the directions specific for the type of clay.

Make sure to work on a clean work surface, no cat hair, lol.

You can work on a piece of parchment paper so the clay won't stick on the work surface.

Begin with a small handful of clay, squeeze it until it is soft and form it into a ball of clay.

Smooth out the clay and roll it to about a quarter of an inch thick.

If you make the clay too thin, it will break easily.

You can use a regular wooden rolling pin to roll it out into a flat surface.

Smooth out the clay and roll it to about a quarter of an inch thick.

Step 2: Shaping Template Technique

Making a Hibiscus Flower and Monstera Leaf Ring Bowl

Now I'm going to step you through a variety of shaped dishes.

If you are excited about a flower or a leaf, you can print off or draw a shape on paper, cut it out and use it as a clay template.

Just place the paper on the rolled out air dry clay and then cut around it with a craft or hobby knife.

Making a Hibiscus Flower and Monstera Leaf Ring Bowl

Use a simple clay knife or a metal craft knife and cut out the shape.

I was not too careful with all the little details, just cut out the rough shape.

Remove the leftover clay and put it back in the container to use later.

Now add additional details to the flower, I'm placing a stamen on my hibiscus.

It's a good idea to use a clay tool to make some rough edges on the dish and the stamen and then combine them with a little bit of water.

This technique will make them connect firmly.

Remove the leftover clay and put it back in the container to use later. Now add additional details to the flower, I'm placing a stamen on my hibiscus. It's a good idea to use a clay tool to make some rough edges on the dish and the stamen and then combine them with a little bit of water. This technique will make them connect firmly.

Then lift the flower and place it in a shallow dish covered in cling wrap, this will help the clay dry with a curved dish shape.

Dip your finger in a small bowl of water and rub a little water on all the edges of your dish, creating a smooth rounded edge.

This will make your project much more professionally finished.

Use water to make the edges of the clay smooth

The smooth finish is easily achieved with a little water.

Then the clay is ready to be set aside to dry.

Do not speed up the drying process by baking or heating, just let the air dry clay dry naturally until it is completely dry.

Heating can cause little cracks and brittleness.

The smooth finish is easily achieved with a little water. Then the clay is ready to be set aside to dry. Do not speed up the drying process by baking or heating, just let the air dry clay dry naturally until it is completely dry. Heating can cause little cracks and brittleness.

Here's another simple example of the template technique, using a print out of a monstera leaf.

I cut a bunch of slits and then realized I needed it to actually be a useful bowl, so I filled a couple of them back in and I actually like the indents that remain.

Then use a little bit of water to make the rounded shape around the edges, including all the cut parts.

Step 3: Rubber Stamping Technique

This technique is a fun part of clay making, especially if you aren't confident in your own artistic skills.

I got this rubber stamp a decade and a half ago, and I really like it.

Find a big patterned background stamp to give texture, any stamp will work.

This technique is a fun part of clay making, especially if you aren't confident in your own artistic skills. I got this rubber stamp a decade and a half ago, and I really like it. Find a big patterned background stamp to give texture, any stamp will work.

It makes me glad that I hoard craft supplies!

Okay, just press the stamp (or multiple stamps) down into the clay and roll over it with a rolling pin or press it with your hands.

Remove the rubber stamp from the clay and see the awesome impression!

Cut the clay into a circle by setting a bowl or dish on it and then cutting around the bowl.

Remove the excess clay and put it back in the bucket for future projects.

The remaining clay is easy to cycle through if you are making more than one ring bowl.

Pick up the clay, place it in a shallow bowl covered in cling wrap and mold it to fit the inside of the bowl a little...there is a little bit of squishing involved, just try to keep as much of the pattern in tact as possible.

Again, use water to round the edges and then set the bowl aside to dry slowly--check on it the next day.

The remaining clay is easy to cycle through if you are making more than one ring bowl. Pick up the clay, place it in a shallow bowl covered in cling wrap and mold it to fit the inside of the bowl a little...there is a little bit of squishing involved, just try to keep as much of the pattern in tact as possible. Again, use water to round the edges and then set the bowl aside to dry slowly--check on it the next day.

Step 4: Dry and Demold

After the clay has hardened and dried completely, gently lift them from their dishes.

There is a possibility of small cracks, like my monstera leaf, completely broke.

If this happens, use a little super glue to put the pieces back together and paint as usual, really, no big deal.

Check out all the pictures of my monstera leaf ring dish and see if you can tell where it broke.

The type of clay can make a difference, but super glue on clay breaks is a great fix.

After the clay has hardened and dried completely, gently lift them from their dishes. There is a possibility of small cracks, like my monstera leaf, completely broke. If this happens, use a little super glue to put the pieces back together and paint as usual, really, no big deal. Check out all the pictures of my monstera leaf ring dish and see if you can tell where it broke. The type of clay can make a difference, but super glue on clay breaks is a great fix.

After removing the clay from the dishes, make sure they are dry underneath.

If not, give them some additional drying time.

The color of the wet versus dry clays is also an indicator.

Step 5: Painting Time

I love using acrylic paint to paint clay.

You can totally use spray paints too, but they require ideal weather and acrylic craft paint is great any time of day.

So pick out about 5 colors of paint that you love.

I love using acrylic paint to paint clay. You can totally use spray paints too, but they require ideal weather and acrylic craft paint is great any time of day. So pick out about 5 colors of paint that you love.

Start by painting the flower all pink!

I love bright pink hibiscus flowers, so I knew that my trinket dish needed to be bright pink and yellow.

I painted my monstera leaf all bright green.

See, after painting it, there is barely any way of telling that the top of the leaf broke off.

This is soooo important to teach kids...that we can fix things instead of just throwing them away.

Now for the patterned dishes.

I am going to just add lots of thick acrylic paint to them, cautiously mixing the colors and then wipe away the surface color before it dries completely.

Begin by painting some sections of turquoise paint.

Now for the patterned dishes. I am going to just add lots of thick acrylic paint to them, cautiously mixing the colors and then wipe away the surface color before it dries completely. Begin by painting some sections of turquoise paint.

Now add splotchy areas of baby blue paint.

It does not have to be precise or perfect.

Then add some yellow...remembering that everywhere it touches the blue it will make green!

Finally add some pink to the dishes wherever it needs to be painted.

The splotchy painted dishes look really cool and could be left just like this if desired.

Next, take a baby wipe or a damp paper towel and gently wipe the surface paint off the bowl.

This will make the raised stamped impression white again and really pop out.

There are still large sections of the clay dish pattern that has been smoothed out during crafting, but they look great.

Step 6: Gold Leaf Details

Now it's time to use the gold metallic paint to give the dishes a little shimmer.

You'll need a small detail paintbrush for this step.

Just paint around the edges of the ring dishes with the paint brush, no worries if it is a slightly wavy edge, that just adds character.

I love it when things are uniquely mine and not just clearly manufactured.

These ring dishes look fabulous just after a gold edge but we are going to keep going to make them even more fabulous!

Plaid's Glitterific paint is chock full of different sizes of shimmery glitter and a clear thick glaze. I love the Glitterific paint and want to use it on everything, always.

Here's a link to Glitterific paint in case you can't resist.

Just paint on a generous amount of glaze and glitter.

I painted it in clusters rather than all over the entire dish.

This is the absolute BEST way to use glitter--it doesn't become airborne, it doesn't get everywhere and it's still super glittery.

On the pattern dishes, I just filled the plain spaces--or the places I had to smooth out too much, with glittery gold paint.

This adds an intentional feel to the glitter and the plain spaces.

The glitter paint just adds those perfect little finishing details to the ring dish.

They are just about finished, just one final step, the finish sealer.

Step 7: Iridescent Sealer Spray

Finish off the trinket dish or dishes with a high glossy finish.

I am using Plaid Iridescent Sealer spray.

It's just more gorgeous fine, sparkly glitter in a high gloss spray.

The sparkle and shine on these ring dishes is brilliant!

I love this sealer, seriously, highly recommended and worth the price!

There are so many fun air dry clay ideas that you could be crafting forever!

Whatever thing is your favorite...a mushroom, a flower, an animal, etc...transform it into a template shaped ring bowl.

These are vibrant and shiny and look great as home decor.

There are so many fun air dry clay ideas that you could be crafting forever! Whatever thing is your favorite...a mushroom, a flower, an animal, etc...transform it into a template shaped ring bowl. These are vibrant and shiny and look great as home decor.

Put a little diy ring bowl near every sink in the house for you or guests to place their rings as they wash their hands.

Put a trinket tray on your nightstand for those earrings you forgot to take out before bed.

Place one on the coffee table to hold other scatter or just to look amazing.

Put a little diy ring bowl near every sink in the house for you or guests to place their rings as they wash their hands. Put a trinket tray on your nightstand for those earrings you forgot to take out before bed. Place one on the coffee table to hold other scatter or just to look amazing.

An awesome handmade clay bowl is a great project to make and one of the easiest things to create.

It's a great way to start an interest in pottery without masses of expensive equipment and ultimately much more pottery than you could ever need.

Begin with a 5 pound bucket of air dry clay and create a plethora of fun knick-knacks.

An awesome handmade clay bowl is a great project to make and one of the easiest things to create. It's a great way to start an interest in pottery without masses of expensive equipment and ultimately much more pottery than you could ever need. Begin with a 5 pound bucket of air dry clay and create a plethora of fun knick-knacks.

I would love to have a pottery wheel, a billion tons of clay, every color of glaze and finish and a huge kiln.

I would love to make all my own clay bowl, dish, plate, mug, and teacup for every occasion...but alas, I cannot justify that expenditure yet and so simple clay craft projects are the solution.

I've got a few more fun ideas in mind, so I'll keep sharing my air dry clay journey with you.