DIY Clay Ornaments That Make the Perfect Personalized Gift (When You're Broke During the Holidays)

What is it about the holiday season that inspires us to dust off our craft table and make gifts by hand, despite knowing full well that our family and friends will accept them with awkward smiles and then bury them in a kitchen drawer? Well don’t fret. We’ve found a DIY that’s not only super simple and inexpensive, it also looks chic. No more re-gifting of our handmade treasures.

Published October 29, 2019, Updated November 12, 2020

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Here’s What You’ll Need to Make DIY Clay Ornaments

You’ll need: Sculpey oven-bake clay, clay carving tools (optional), cookie cutters, acrylic paint, paint pens and brushes, a rolling pin, a sanding block, a straw and ribbon or baker’s twine.

materials for diy clay ornaments on table

Carole Bezuidenhout

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DIY Clay Ornaments: Getting Started

Gather all of your materials and arrange them on a big table, leaving lots of space for rolling out your clay. You can also get a jump start on the holidays with with these DIY leather gift tags.

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step One: Knead Your Clay

Knead and roll out the clay on a clean, flat surface covered in foil or wax paper.

Carole Bezuidenhout

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DIY Clay Ornament Tip: Don’t Roll Your Clay Too Thin

Be sure to keep the piece of clay you are working with under 1/2 inch in thickness for easy baking!

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step Two: Cut Your Clay Into Shapes

Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes in your clay. Speaking of cookies, try these classic Christmas cookie recipes that will spread holiday cheer.

Use a straw to punch a hole into each piece of clay

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step Two Continued: Punch a Hole in Your Clay

Use a straw to punch a hole into each piece of clay. Punch the hole about a quarter of an inch from the edge of your shape.

Place clay pieces on an oven-proof glass dish or metal tray and follow the baking instructions on the package

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step Three: Bake Your Clay Ornaments

Place clay pieces on an oven-proof glass dish or metal tray and follow the baking instructions on the package. Most oven-bake clay products advise baking for 15 minutes at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1/4 inch of thickness. Once baking is complete, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step Four: Sand the Edges of Your Clay Ornament

Gently smooth and round the edges of your clay ornament with a sanding block.

Paint or stencil patterns, words or initials on each clay piece

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step Five: Paint or Stencil Designs on Your Clay Ornament

Paint or stencil patterns, words or initials on each clay piece. Once complete, allow your ornaments to dry completely (you’ll be handling them when adding the ribbon, and you don’t want to smudge your design!).

Finish by threading a ribbon or baker's twine through the hole

Carole Bezuidenhout

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Step Six: Tie Your DIY Clay Ornament with a Bow

Finish by threading a ribbon or baker’s twine through the hole. Knot the ribbon or twine leaving an inch or so of space (this will allow your ornament to hang nicely off of tree branches). Looking for a place to hide your craft materials? Check out our favourite storage solutions to stash all your stuff around the house.