Handmade gifts - Clay decorations

A friend came over one day in December and helped me make these clay decorations.  It was a simple job on it's own, but with friendly chatter and a sleeping 2 year old, it was even easier.

If you know how to roll out cookie dough, then you'll be able to pull these off.

To make about 60 pieces, 4-6cm each, you will need:

300gms of air-dry clay
one rolling pin (I bought a cheap one for rolling the clay)
one big cutting mat (I used the back of my single-sided quilting mat)
several cookie cutters
one thin straw
two or three crocheted doilies (only one is necessary)

All up, the cost was probably about $15 for the clay, the rolling pin and the cookie cutters.  We made about 60 pieces all in one go and left them to dry.  They took a couple of days, every so often I would turn them over so the other side dried evenly.

There were no cracks, but they weren't very strong.  I could break them in my fingers - I tried one to see just how strong they were.

After they were completely dry I divided them into groups of differing shapes and differing amounts and put coloured string on them.

Some I strung together on a crocheted string, like bunting, others I left with individual strings so they could be Christmas decorations or other house-hold decorations.

They can soak up essential oil and be used to lightly scent any room.

I really enjoyed making these, knowing they were going to be gifts for my family, made with love.  You know, all sentimental-like.  I'm a bit that way inclined.

And... it was a good excuse to use up all of the clay in my stash, pre moving overseas.

xx