If you’re after fun things to make with air-dry clay, then look no further. Anything teeny tiny is having a moment, and creating fun mini foodie figures with air-dry clay is a lot simpler than you may think. Girl Talk magazine has put together these creative ideas for your next family 'crafternoon'.
Looking for more crafting inspiration? Check out our guides on how to make salt dough, playdough, slime, paper mache, bubble mixture, bath bombs, oobleck and moon sand with affordable ingredients and easy steps.
What is air-dry clay?
Air-dry clay is a mouldable, easy to use and mess-free material. It hardens without needing to pop in a kiln or oven, so is perfect for crafting gifts with your kids.
Where can you buy air-dry clay?
Air-dry clay is widely available in craft shops and online, and it comes in a rainbow of colours. Look out for key words such as ‘silk’, ‘light’ or even ‘magic’ clay. It’s easy to mould and great for beginners.
How long does air-dry clay take to dry?
Most air-dry clay projects take about 24 hours to fully harden, but some can take a little longer. If you want yours to dry more quickly, put your craft in a warm, well-ventilated area - but keep away from direct sunlight as this could cause cracks.
How to store air-dry clay
To keep your air-dry clay soft and ready to use, wrap it well and store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
What paint to use on air-dry clay?
Acrylic paint is the best choice, as it’s fast-drying and stays on well – just double-check your clay is fully dry before painting.
How to glaze air-dry clay
Seal and shine your air-dry clay projects by covering them with clear nail polish or Mod Podge craft glue to give them a glossy look and help protect them over time.
How to make air-dry clay
What you will need to make your own clay:
- 1 cup bicarbonate of soda
- ½ cup cornflour
- 1¼ cup water
- microwave-safe bowl
- spoon
- paint and brush
Instructions:
- Mix the bicarb, cornflour and water together in a bowl.
- Microwave for 10 seconds, than mix again. Repeat this process until the mixture resembles mashed potato.
- Leave to cool, then squish into a ball and wrap well.
- Leave for 15 mins before moulding, drying and painting.
Air-dry clay ideas
1. Marshmallow twists
Create an adorable marshmallow model that will look sweet on any shelf or desk. This is the perfect craft for air-dry clay beginners.
Materials:
- paint (we used pink, black and white)
- small paint brush
Instructions:
- Make your air-dry clay as directed above.
- Break off a piece of clay and roll it into two sausage shapes. Twist these together and cut off the ends.
- Leave to dry completely (this may take one or two days), then paint half the twists pink. Paint or draw on faces using black and white paint.
2. Sweet like chocolate
Mould a sweet snack that looks good enough to eat – but please don't be tempted!
Materials:
- lolly stick or ruler
- paint (we used blue, brown, black and white)
- small brush
- glue
Instructions:
- Make your air-dry clay as directed above.
- Break off some clay and mould into a rectangle.
- Score chocolate squares into the top half of the rectangle using a lolly stick or ruler.
- Leave to dry completely (this may take one or two days), then paint and add the face.
- If you like, glue a scrunched-up piece of foil across the middle.
3. Mallow mates
Transform your air-dry clay into this cute confectionary combo.
Materials:
- paint (we used pink, white and black)
- small paint brush
Instructions:
- Make your air-dry clay as directed above.
- Break off a small piece of clay (about the size of a ping pong ball) and roll into two balls, one slightly smaller than the other.
- Gently press each end down so they're flattened with rounded edges, like a marshmallow. Leave to dry completely (this can take one or two days).
- Paint one pink and one white. Leave to dry, then add a cute face using paint or a felt tip pen.
4. Mmm macaron
Create a stack of colourful macarons using light, silk or magic clay for a fun DIY decoration.
Materials:
- silk, light or magic air-dry clay (we used purple and white)
- cocktail stick
Instructions:
- Knead a plum-sized amount of coloured air-dry clay to soften it, then divide into two pieces.
- Remove about a quarter and set aside. Roll the remaining bigger piece into a ball, then slightly flatten.
- Roll the smaller reserved piece into a ball, flatten, then press it together with the bigger piece. It should be the same width, but much thinner.
- Use a cocktail stick to roughen the thin edge of the smaller piece, then repeat steps two and three using the other half of your clay.
- Roll a small amount of white air-dry clay into a ball and flatten. Sandwich this between the two coloured halves so it looks like a macaron. Leave to dry completely.
5. Foodie fun pencil toppers
No chewing the end of your pencil when these teeny toppers have it covered! With silk, light or magic clay, the cute character options are endless.
Materials:
- coloured air-dry clay (we used red, green, pink, brown, yellow, white, cream and black)
- pencils
- white gel pen
- needle
Instructions:
APPLE
- For the leaf, roll a little ball from green air-dry clay, then flatten and pinch it at both ends to make a leaf shape. Use a tool or cutlery knife to score veins.
- Roll out a small, thin piece of brown air-dry clay for the stalk.
- Roll a small piece of red air-dry clay into a ball, push onto the top of a pencil, then reshape back into a round.
- Poke the top of the apple with a needle to make a hole, and press in the stalk and leaf. Add a face and leave to dry completely.
BURGER
- Roll out two light brown or orange balls. Flatten one on both sides and one just on the bottom (these make the base and top of the bun).
- Roll out a piece of yellow clay and cut out a square to make cheese, then repeat with a green piece for lettuce. Make a flattened brown circle for the burger and a flat square of red clay for the ketchup.
- Stack the bun base, burger and toppings together, except for the bun top, and push it onto the pencil. Pop on the top and use cream clay beads to make sesame seeds. Add a face and leave to dry completely.
MARSHMALLOW
- Roll pink or white clay into balls, then flatten both ends.
- Push into the top of a pencil, then add the face and leave to dry completely.
CHERRY
- To make a cherry, repeat the same process as the apple using pink clay, and don’t add a leaf. Add the face and leave to dry completely.
FACES
- Roll out a thin piece of black clay and curve it round to make a smile.
- To make some eyes, roll out two small black balls, then flatten them.
- Repeat with two pink balls for cheeks, then gently press all the pieces into your finished clay shapes.
- When dry, use a white gel pen to add a dot into the top corners of each of the eyes.
6. Avocado charm
Adorable avocados make brilliant BFF necklaces to wear and share.
Materials:
- air-dry clay (we used a dark and light green, pink and brown)
- paper clips
- necklace chains
- glue (optional)
- paint and brushes
Instructions:
- Start by rolling out a ball of dark green clay, then flatten one side of it so it looks like a little dome.
- Squeeze one side of the dome to form an avocado shape. Push a paper clip into the top.
- Flatten a small amount of light green clay and make a little pear shape that will fit onto the flattened side of the avocado. Press it on.
- Press a tiny ball of brown clay on one half to create the stone, and make a dent in the middle of the opposite half. Leave to dry.
- Finally, paint on faces and leave to dry completely.
7. Cookie charm
Be a smart cookie and craft a bag charm with bite.
Materials:
- air-dry clay (we used white, orange and brown)
- paper clips
- necklace chains
- glue (optional)
- paint and brushes
Instructions:
MILK CARTON
- Mould a piece of white air-dry clay into a rectangle, then pinch the top to make a milk carton shape.
- Push a paper clip into the back of the milk carton. You might need to neaten up the carton shape again.
- Leave to dry completely, then paint or draw on a cute face and write 'milk’ on the carton.
CUTE COOKIE
- Roll a small ball of orange clay and push a paper clip into it, then flatten the clay into a cookie shape.
- Roll tiny balls of brown clay and squish them onto the cookie to make chocolate chips. Leave the cookie to dry for about 24 hrs.
- Paint or draw on a cute face.
7. Mini drip cake
Paint onto light, silk or magic air-dry clay to give this drip cake an amazing glaze. Decorate with teeny tiny macarons and you’re on your way to building your own perfect patisserie characters.
Materials:
- air-dry clay (we used green, pink and purple)
- acrylic paint (we used pink and black)
- PVA glue
- black marker
Instructions:
- Make a cake shape out of any colour clay you like, and leave it to dry for 24 hrs.
- Paint dripping icing on top and add a cute face using black marker.
- Make a macaron by squashing two mini balls of clay, then repeat with a slightly smaller ball of clay in a darker shade.
- Sandwich them together, with the darker colour in the middle.
- Roll small balls of clay at different sizes for the sprinkles and pinch the top of one of them to make a meringue.
- Glue them on and leave everything to dry completely.
8. Victoria sponge cake
Build a beautiful sponge cake using light, silk or magic clay. Pop it into a box and you’ve created the sweetest gift.
Materials:
- air-dry clay (we used orange, white, pink, red, and green)
- PVA glue
- black marker
Instructions:
- To make the sponge, squish two equal-sized circles of orange clay until they're about 1cm thick.
- To make the jam and cream, squish smaller balls of white and pink clay to about the same size as your sponge, but only 1mm thick.
- Layer up the cake with the jam and cream between the two sponges, and leave it to dry for about 24 hrs.
- To make the strawberries, roll tiny balls of red clay and mould one end into a point. Add little strips of green clay to make the leaves.
- Pinch the top of a few small balls of white clay to make your meringues.
- Once dry, glue them to the top of your mini victoria sponge.
9. Ice cream cake
Use acrylic paint on light, silk or magic clay to make this super-cool dropped ice cream cake.
Materials:
- air-dry clay (we used pink, brown and light brown)
- acrylic paint (we used brown, yellow, purple, white, green and pink)
- PVA glue
- black marker
Instructions:
- Make a pink cake shape and leave to dry completely.
- Mould a mini cone shape and paint waffle lines on it, then glue it to a ball of brown clay. Once it's dry, glue it to the cake.
- Cover the ice cream and cake in brown paint and drip it down the side. Once that's dry, paint on colourful sprinkles.
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source https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/air-dry-clay-ideas
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