What is better salt dough or 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.

How do you make clay with two ingredients?

This simple 2 ingredient recipe for modelling clay needs cornflour, bicarbonate of soda (and water). Mix all the ingredients in a pan and stir over a medium heat. Keep stirring! ... After 3 – 5 minutes the mixture will come away from the sides of the pan and form a soft dough. More items... Nov 26, 2015

How to make homemade pottery clay?

Fill a bucket with clay-rich soil and water and let it sit overnight. The sand and silt will sink to the bottom of the bucket, while the clay will be suspended in water. Next, filter out the clay from the water using a fine mesh or piece of cloth. You can let this dry in the sun for a few hours until it is workable.

What is the best clay to make ornaments with?

Is there a clay that's best to use for clay ornaments? As long as you are using a clay that eventually hardens, you should be fine. But choosing a firmer oven bake clay over the texture of a soft air dry clay will give you the ability to roll it out smoother and get cleaner edges with your cookie cutter.

What is the best clay for handprint ornaments?

Polymer Clay : Polymer clay is known for its versatility and vibrant colors. It's baked to harden, creating durable handprint keepsakes. This clay type allows for intricate detailing and can be sanded and painted after baking, giving a polished look to your creations.

How do I make clay ornaments?

Steps: 1 On a piece of wax paper, roll out a 1/2” thick, medium-size ball of air dry clay. 2 Place an old winter hat on top of the clay. ... 3 Use cookie cutter on the clay to create the ornament shape. 4 Use straw to create a hole close to the top of the ornament. ... 5 When dry, paint ornament with watercolors. More items...

What is a substitute for clay?

Salt Dough : Salt dough is a simple mixture of flour, salt, and water. It can be easily made at home and is commonly used for crafts and ornaments. Salt dough creations are air-dried or baked to harden. Plasticine: Plasticine, also known as modeling clay or plastilina, is an oil-based, non-drying clay-like material.

How to make clay no cook?

How to make the Air-dry clay: Mix 4 cups of flour & 1 cup salt in a large bowl. Add 1 ¾ cups of warm water to the flour/salt mixture. ... Mix the water & flour/salt mixture with a wooden spoon or use your hands. Knead the clay dough for 10-15 minutes. Have fun making stuff! Oct 25, 2021

How do you permanently harden clay?

To harden modeling clay that's polymer-based, start by placing the clay on a ceramic baking dish. Then, bake the clay in the oven for 10-30 minutes at 215-300 degrees Fahrenheit , depending on what the packaging your clay came in says.

What is the easiest clay to make?

Earthenware Clay [6] It is very easy to work with and shape earthenware and, therefore, is a great type of clay for those making pottery for the first time It is very versatile, so can be used both on the wheel and to practice hand building.

How do you make clay with Elmer's glue?

1 cup (250 ml) all purpose flour (= plain flour) 1/2 cup (125 ml) Elmer's Glue/ Wood Glue. 1 tsp olive/ cooking oil and gradually add it up to 1 table spoon (if needed) 1 tsp or more (as needed) moisturizer/ hand & body lotion.

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (2024)

Published: November 13, 2015 | Updated: July 31, 2023 | 14 Comments Jump to Recipe

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These Stamped Clay Ornaments are easy to make starting with this 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe. Stamp, paint & Mod Podge & you have beautiful tree decor.

I love making homemade ornaments for the tree each year. I have this habit of wanting to completely change the theme or colors of the tree year after year.

It’s definitely too costly to buy all new decorations each year so I make the majority myself. Then I find special ornaments at the store to fill in & give it a finished look.

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Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (1)

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Homemade Clay Ornaments

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (3)

The best part about this is that I always have the kids helping me out. It’s great for having a little craft time with them where we can be creative & talk about anything & everything.

So when I decided I wanted to do a neutral look for the tree this year I started brainstorming on how I would create decorations.

I went through all my supplies & decided that a simple, stamped clay would be great. Then I could use Mod Podge Pearl & great Folk Art paints to make them really sparkle.

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (4)

These are all the ingredients you need to make the clay – water, baking soda & corn starch. Cook the mix, roll, cut, stamp & bake.

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (5)

Once baked & cooled you can paint. I used a toothpick to get in those small designs.

I used Folk Art multi-surface paint in 2969- White Pearl, 2963- Disco Crystal, 2959- Sequin Silver, 2968- Charcoal Black & 2964- Sterling Silver. All of these have a metallic shimmer to them which was perfect.

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (6)

Then once that paint dried I added a coat of Mod Podge Pearl – a water-based sealer, glue & finish. I love it because it not only seals but added a beautiful iridescence to the ornaments.

If you scroll down you can see how I added a bit of brown food coloring to the recipe when making these Stamped Clay Ornaments. They look like gingerbread – without having to have actual gingerbread cookies on the tree.

You can tint this homemade clay recipe to any color you desire.

recipe for homemade clay

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (7)

I’m loving my new ornaments. They were so simple & fun to make!

HOW DO YOU MAKE 3-Ingredient Homemade Clay?

Combine all of the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
Heat over medium stirring constantly until the mixture starts to resemble mashed potatoes.
Remove & transfer to a glass bowl.
Cover with a damp towel & allow to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Once cool, preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
Place the clay on a sheet of parchment paper & roll out flat. (if it’s still sticky you can add a little more cornstarch)
Cut into desired shapes, stamp with any stampers you choose & transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes – flip over & bake another 30 minutes.
Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours before painting.

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (8)

What is the best way to store extra clay?

I have not tried to store the remaining clay, so I can’t say if it will work out as well as if you used it when fresh. But you can try wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and storing in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it again. Let it come to room temperature before using.

Can this recipe be doubled?

Absolutely. If you want to make this in bulk, you can use a larger pan and double this recipe. However, I would recommend rolling the clay in batches and wrapping whatever portion you aren’t working with at the moment in some plastic wrap to keep it from drying out before you get to it.

Stamped Clay Ornaments with 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe (9)

To make 3-ingredient homemade clay you will need…

cornstarch
baking soda
water

best homemade clay recipe

Products I love when making homemade clay ornaments…

This homemade ornament project with easy 3-ingredient clay is SUPER EASY and fun – and if you’re like me, then you maybe already have some of these items on hand OR maybe you have never made homemade clay before, & you might be a bit nervous – but you’re going to love it. I have made a list below of the things I absolutely can’t live without when it comes to making this project.

mixing bowl
saucepan
baking soda
cornstarch
rolling pin
small metal cookie cutters
spatulas
White Pearl Acrylic Paint
Crystal Glitter Paint
Silver Bling Glitter Paint
Charcoal Black paint
Shimmering Silver Acrylic Paint
Acrylic Paint Brushes Set
Hand-Carved Wooden Stamping Blocks
Mod Podge

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4.75 from 4 votes

Homemade Clay Recipe (for homemade ornaments)

These Stamped Clay Ornaments are easy to make starting with this 3-ingredient homemade clay recipe. Stamp, paint & Mod Podge & you have beautiful tree decor

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Cooling & Resting1 day d 30 minutes mins

Total Time1 day d 2 hours hrs

Servings: 20 ornaments

Author: Gina Kleinworth

Ingredients

2 cups baking soda
1½ cups water
1 cup cornstarch

Instructions

Combine the baking soda, water, and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. If you are going to tint the dough to the color of your choice, now is the time to also add the food coloring.
Heat over medium stirring constantly until the mixture starts to resemble mashed potatoes.
Remove & transfer the mixture to a glass bowl.
Cover with a damp towel & allow it to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Once cool, preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
Place the clay on a sheet of parchment paper and roll it out into a flat layer – about 1/4" thick. (if it's still sticky you can add a little more cornstarch)
Cut the dough into the desired shapes, stamp with any stampers you choose, and transfer the cut shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake approx 30 minutes – gently flip them over & bake another 30 minutes.
Let stand at room temperature for at least 24 hours (or until completely dried out) before painting. (this may take longer depending on the humidity and temperature of your home)

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Tamar says
November 13, 2015

So simple to make and so pretty!
Reply
Line says
December 8, 2019

Lovely! I’m trying these today (or tomorrow) to help for the college Xmas market.
I have one question though: do you know if we can put a fewdrops of essentiel oil on the back (I’m planning to let the white, no paint, & seal only the front) without risking some marks on the long term?
Thanks in advance for your advice.
Reply
- Gina Kleinworth says
  December 8, 2019
  
  I have never tried that. I can’t say how it will last over time or if there would eventually be a mark that shows up on the back or eventually even seeps through to the front.
Khayroe says
August 8, 2020

The internet says it will last indefinitely if you seal it. Can’t wait to try it for Christmas 2020!
Reply
Susan says
October 4, 2020

Very elegant. How thick did you roll out the clay?
Reply
- Gina Kleinworth says
  October 5, 2020
  
  about 1/8″ – 1/4″
Jasmine says
November 19, 2020

Hi! I am trying these today and just wanted to confirm it was 175 degrees F or C? I can’t tell if this is a Canadian site :):):)
Reply
- Gina Kleinworth says
  November 19, 2020
  
  That would be Fahrenheit for this recipe. Thanks for checking.
Kim says
March 30, 2021

Do you think they would hold up outdoors if using outdoor mod podge?
Reply
- Gina Kleinworth says
  March 31, 2021
  
  I’m not sure that even an outdoor mod podge would keep the elements from making the clay crack and break over time. I’m sure they might last for acouple of months depending on the weather, but the long term is questionable. If you do give it atry, I’d love to know how they hold up.
Maggie says
December 9, 2021

Is there a way to make sure that these don’t crack? Am I making them too thin or waiting too long to roll them? I had better luck with my second batch but I was just wondering if you had any pointer. Thanks!
Reply
- Gina Kleinworth says
  December 10, 2021
  
  I’m sorry to hear that. A lot of that can be attributed to the climate where you are and the type of clay (if you aren’t making your own with this recipe). I didn’t have issues with this batch cracking until after they had been stored for several years. But I have had other similar projects crack when baking. If you can find a way to keep it more humid in the kitchen while you work, that might help. Also making sure your ingredients are super fresh and haven’t been sitting in the back of the pantry for a couple of months can help too. You can also try a couple of extra drops of water in the mixture to make the clay moister – that can help too.