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Seasonal, Tutorials

3 Ingredient Air Dry Clay

December 14, 2019

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A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

A few years ago I decided to be crafty and make my own clay ornaments for our Christmas tree. They turned out even better than I expected they would… a beautiful bright white matte finish, perfectly held shapes once dry, and they have stood the test of time with not a single one broken after several years of unpacking and repacking each Christmas. I finally decided to do a tutorial on them this year after getting a ton of questions, so today that’s what I will be sharing! A simple 3 ingredient “recipe” for making air dry clay that can be used for ornaments, garlands, gift tags, and so much more!

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

You may have heard of or even tried homemade salt dough recipes before, and while the two mediums are similar, I definitely prefer the air dry clay. The salt dough browns slightly when baked, while the air dry clay stays a bright pure white, and I think the clay also holds the shape of the cookie cutter much sharper and more defined without any shrinkage. But what I love most about this project is how simple and how affordable it is to make. You probably already have these ingredients in your pantry!

AIR DRY CLAY

SUPPLIES:

1 cup cornstarch
2 cups baking soda
1 1/2 cups water

STEP 1

Add all three ingredients in a large pot or pan over medium-low heat and stir until completely smooth.

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

STEP 2

Continue stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan so none of the mixture hardens or burns. Heat the mixture low and slow until it begins to bubble and thicken. Keep moving the liquid around the pan, and don’t worry if it starts to clump as it heats. Once all the moisture has evaporated, the entire mixture should come together in a big ball of “dough” that somewhat resembles a really stiff pile of mashed potatoes. Once all the dough is solid and pulls away from the pan, remove it from the heat.

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

STEP 3

Transfer the dough to a bowl to cool, and cover with a damp paper towel so it doesn’t harden.

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

STEP 4

Once the dough is cool, roll it out to about 1/4″ thickness. I find it easiest to roll the dough in between two pieces of wax or parchment paper to avoid it sticking to the rolling pin. Use any size or shape cookie cutter to cut the dough into pieces, and if desired use a straw or skewer to poke a hole in each cut-out so they can be hung later.

Tip: You can also make a design on each clay piece by pressing something with a lot of texture into the clay before it starts drying. For the ornaments I made for my tree, I pressed a sprig of evergreen into the clay, and I bought some lace ribbon that I’d like to press into heart shaped ornaments as well. 

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

STEP 5

Let the clay air dry for 2-3 days until they are completely hard, flipping them over after the first day to allow them to dry evenly. After that, they are ready to be used!

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

I made the sweetest little garland out of mini clay stars by tying a double knot around each star and leaving about 3″ of space in between each piece.

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

And the tree shaped ornaments I made a few years back are such a special homemade touch that I love adding to our Christmas decor each year. This project is so inexpensive, a lot of fun to make with kids, and would also be a great gift idea if you’re wanting to give something from the heart for not a lot of money. And the possibilities of what you can create are endless!

A simple 3 ingredient air dry clay recipe that you can use to make homemade ornaments, garlands, and more

Thank you so very much for being here, and I hope this tutorial is helpful and inspires you to create something beautiful! From the bottom of my heart, I wish you a very Merry Christmas, sweet friends. xoxo Liz


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Comments

  1. Lori says: December 14, 2019 at 2:18 pm

    Can these be painted?

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: December 30, 2019 at 1:07 pm

      Yes, they can absolutely be painted!

      Reply
  2. Dawn Fortier says: December 15, 2019 at 6:36 am

    Hi Liz
    Love your blog.
    Thank you for this recipe. Do you have any idea how long unused clay can be stored? If so, how?
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: December 30, 2019 at 1:09 pm

      Thank you so much, Dawn! I’ve always used mine as soon as it cools, so I’m not positive. But I as long as you keep the cooled dough in an airtight container, you should be able wait a little while before using it. I would maybe recommend wrapping the dough in a damp paper towel inside the container just to be safe!

      Reply
  3. Reiko says: December 18, 2019 at 10:26 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing how to make the ornament! I will make it tomorrow!!! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Kennah says: January 10, 2020 at 2:55 am

    I love these! What kind of string did you use to tie them together. I like how the string doesn’t look bulky. So lovely on your mantel!

    Reply
    • Liz Fourez says: January 10, 2020 at 2:52 pm

      Thank you! I used jute string that I found in the jewelry section of Hobby Lobby. I love how thin it is for projects like this!

      Reply

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W E L C O M E

Welcome, sweet friends! My name is Liz, and I started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.
Here you’ll find simple project tutorials, holiday and entertaining ideas, and my journey renovating a 1940’s farmhouse that I live in with my two boys and French bulldog.
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Liz Fourez started Love Grows Wild in 2012 with a passion for interior design and homemaking and a dream to help others create a home they love.  From simple project tutorials, to holiday and entertaining ideas, to her journey renovating a 1940’s farmhouse, Liz demonstrates how to create a beautiful and inviting home with a handmade touch. She turned her signature cozy, neutral style into a best-selling book in 2016 and continues to inspire readers with her captivating photography and easy decorating ideas. Read more about Liz > > > >

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The perfect example of design on a budget. I feel The perfect example of design on a budget. I feel like kids go through so many phases of what they do and don’t like as they get older, and we’re often changing the boys’ bedrooms to make them function better as they grow out of each phase (way too quickly, I might add 🥺).

I’m a big believer in teaching kids to be mindful of taking care of their belongings and their home from the time they are little, which is why I don’t worry so much about light colored couches in the living room or white walls throughout the house. BUT kids are also kids, and I design their bedrooms with a much more frugal budget so that if anything gets old & worn or needs to be replaced/repurposed... I don’t sweat the money that was spent!

In this room we used inexpensive pieces from IKEA, Target and Walmart to create a cozy teenage boy’s room, but it definitely doesn’t skimp on style. We’re planning a little makeover again in this room soon, and I’m excited to show you what we have up our sleeves for my now 15 year old... good grief, where does the time go?

You can find all the details of this room here:
link in my profile

https://lovegrowswild.com/2018/11/boys-bedroom-makeover-part-1/
A weird side angle of the living room as proof tha A weird side angle of the living room as proof that a giant TV does in fact exist in here, and we are just a normal family who loves movie nights snuggled up on the couch with the dog & football Sundays with all the yummy food during the game (one benefit of having an open concept living/dining room). I purposely placed the TV in a spot where it isn’t the main focal point of the room and designed the space to draw your eye to other much prettier things like the big picture window just to the left of this photo.

Want to try something like this in your living room? See if you can arrange the furniture so the TV isn’t the main focal point in the room, but still has visibility from the majority of your seating. Try making the focus a fireplace, window, or create a gallery wall with pretty artwork if you don’t have any standout architectural elements!

Just a little tidbit of advice I’ve learned & loved & wanted to pass along... Happy Monday, sweet friends!

LIVING ROOM DETAILS: 
link in my profile 

https://lovegrowswild.com/2020/08/designing-around-a-tv-part-1/
A little bit of work & a whole lot of relaxing wit A little bit of work & a whole lot of relaxing with my favorite humans this weekend. I have some fun things to share with you on the blog this week & several house projects going on (the dining & living room are looking SO good!!), but I need to recharge and spend some quality time doing my most important job on this Earth... taking care of my people. 🤍

What are your plans for the weekend? Whatever they are, I hope you have a chance to laugh, rest, eat something delicious, and enjoy a little sunshine (even if it’s sitting indoors because it’s very brrrr outside)!

OFFICE DETAILS:
link in my profile

https://lovegrowswild.com/2020/04/office-update/
If you’re going to share one single bathroom wit If you’re going to share one single bathroom with two adolescent boys, you might as well make it pretty... because Lord knows it’s not always going to be clean. 🥴

Happiest Friday, sweet friends

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https://lovegrowswild.com/2017/10/vintage-photo-artwork-in-the-bathroom/
Quite possibly my favorite view in the house. And Quite possibly my favorite view in the house. And also quite possibly the best place for morning snuggles, second cups of coffee, and the occasional Netflix binge. This room was “shiplapped” over 5 years ago now, but it has never felt like a passing fad or overly trendy with a mix of other vintage & traditional elements in the room. These big, wide planks have my whole heart just as much as the day we installed them back in 2015.

What’s your opinion on shiplap? In? Out? Vertical? Horizontal? Focal wall or the entire room? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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https://lovegrowswild.com/2020/09/new-in-the-master-bedroom-rug-curtains-bedding/
NEW! THE ARMSTRONG HOUSE LIVING ROOM REVEAL Last NEW! THE ARMSTRONG HOUSE LIVING ROOM REVEAL

Last time I shared an update on Mom’s house, I had just revealed the completed renovation, and you were able to see all the freshly painted white walls, new carpet & flooring, and a very stark blank canvas. We intentionally made this space light, bright, & neutral since 1) it’s a rental home, and we want it to appeal to a variety of styles. And 2) it’s VERY small, so the light paint makes it feel much more open & spacious than dark paint would! But all those white walls were in desperate need of a warm, cozy touch, and that’s exactly what Mom and I did…

a completely new living room design
in the prettiest beachy cozy cottage style
all on a small budget
in a very small rental home!
➡️ Tell me your favorite thing about this space in the comments!

Head over to the blog now to get all the details:
link in my profile

https://lovegrowswild.com/2021/01/the-armstrong-house-living-room/
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