Sculpey Clay: DIY Projects and Easy Craft Ideas That Make Great Gifts
Sculpey is the king of crafts. A three year old and a ninety three year old can do cool things with it; you don’t have to have a professional kiln to bake it (some of it actually doesn’t bake at all!), and the possibilities - large or small, simple or intricate - are endless.
A few years ago I got a few packs of multi-colored Sculpey clay and mixed it together and made sets of pretty marbled coasters that I gave out as gifts to friends. I took the smaller scrap pieces and made little ring holders and jewelry catchers, too; and with both the coasters and the jewelry holders I painted the edges with a waxed crafting gold (somewhere between a paint and gold-leafing) that gave them a really fancy look.
More recently I made a cool moon phase wall hanging for my fiancé. Just Sculpey, black and white acrylic paint, and jewelry hardware (brass chain pieces about a half inch each and brass eye pins that I pushed into the top/bottom of each moon — to give something to connect my chain to). A coat of Mod Podge to give it some gloss when I was satisfied with the paint. Then I added a little rose quartz crystal pendant to the bottom to give it a little bohemian vibe. I was super pleased with how it turned out and he loved it too! We’re big space geeks and have lots of spacey inspired art throughout our house.
Take a few minutes and think of your favorite people — where are their interests? Maybe for their birthday or this holiday season you can make them a little something out of Sculpey or polymer clay.
Are they an avid gardener?
A voracious reader?
A hip fashionista?
Whatever they’re into, there are dozens of easy ideas that don’t take too much time to make but send a big message. They’ll love that you made it yourself - those are always the most meaningful and fun gifts!
Here are some of our favorite ideas and even some pieces that are ready to buy:
For The Fashionista:
Inspiration Source: A Beautiful Mess
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So dreamy! Something Turquoise
Inspiration Source: Oh Joy
Source: FIMO DIY
for the nature lover + gardener:
Inspiration Source: Cathie Filian
Watch the tutorial video above to learn how to make these several different styles of agate.
We’re big rock-collectors. These agate slices have such fun funky colors, the detail is amazing and they have such a cool vibe!
Braided clay pot. Inspiration source: Fall for DIY
These are too sweet. Here’s the DIY tutorial from Journey Into Creativity
Read the tutorial on these adorable DIY planters here! Inspiration source: Burkatron
Clay barnacles?! Obsessed. Read about the DIY process on What’s Ur Home Story
If you’re gifting to an avid green thumb or gardener these itty bitty garden + herb markers are PERFECT! Inspiration source: Garden Decor Trends
For Your Cool Hip Friends:
Read more about making this clay bells wall hanging. Inspiration Source: Hunker
Here’s the lunar wall hanging I made as a gift for my space-loving fiancé. Source: my own photo
Shop this gorgeous lunar phase hanging from DreamSol - I love the little bit of gold!
So fun!! Faux funky animal heads from:
Love the simplicity of this lunar phase mobile, too! Check it out here by The Merry Thought.
These darling hamsa hands are made with air-bake clay, so no oven required!
Inspiration source: My Poppet
This rose marbled moon clock is SO SO dreamy. Read the DIY article to make your own at The Lovely Drawer
How cute is the speckling on this incense holder? Read about it here on Curbly.
I love the look of the handmade sculpey clay pink moon clock shown above here. (Makes me want to go listen to Nick Drake’s “Pink Moon”)
I also love the black and white splatter speckling of the incense holder. DIY clock making kits are available at most local craft stores if you want to give it a go!
I would flip out if someone gifted me a little clay gemstone crystal cluster like these little guys! They look so real!
Source: Craft Gossip
Source: Life Of Making
Little Ghost Tea Lights by The Decorated Cookie
Good Luck Charms from Handmade Charlotte
for the book worms:
I would have cried if I’d gotten this as a kiddo! Read the tutorial to make your own Harry Potter wand here!
These sweet little bookmarks shown above are right up our alley and would be totally doable for a starter project! And if you don’t have a chain, like shown on the fox bookmark, you could always use a long piece of ribbon or some heavy card stock.
Source: Eazy Glam
How amazing is this polymer clay covered journal? This is just begging to have an epic story written in it.
We’ll admit… this one definitely looks a bit more intensive, but you could go as detailed or as simplistic as you wanted and embellish it like they’ve done here by layering in beads, glass marbles, chains. . . you name it!
Check out tutorials for polymer clay journal making here.
For The Friend Whose House Is Always Cute:
There’s really no such thing as too many little nesting bowls, jewelry and trinket trays, planters, ring holders… they make the perfect little gift! When I did this in the past I went for a colored marble clay effect but I really love the simplicity and boho-modernity of these next few bloggers’ ideas! The splatter pattern below kind of reminds me of terra cotta or classic speckled camping enamelware even! And I love the DIY tutorial from Dossier blog of the painted and raffia-wrapped bowls too. So pretty! I definitely wouldn’t have thought of adding a textile to it!
Source: Think Make Share Blog
Source: Think Make Share Blog
Source: Dossier Blog
Love these two ideas below from Alice and Lois - they’d be such perfect gifts for your favorite hostess!
Place Card Bowl Holders by Alice and Lois
Classic Enamelware inspired dishes. Source: Alice and Lois
Stamped Bowls. Source: Gathering Beauty
Faceted Tea Light Candle Holder. Source: Gathering Beauty
you might like these posts too:
These mushroom ornaments from Paper n Stitch blog are so so so magical!
For the Holiday lover:
Gift Tag tutorial right here!
Such a cute idea for a gift tag or making your presents look pretty! Source.
Love these! Source.
Shop Sculpey + Supplies:
Are you feeling inspired yet?
There is nothing you can’t make with polymer and sculpey clay! Air-dry no bake clay is a great solution if you’re working with little kiddos, too. Whatever kind you’re looking for you can pick up at most any craft store. Toothpicks are helpful for adding texture and detail to smaller projects, so grab some of those as well if you’ll be making smaller stuff.
The average recommendation for Sculpey clay is to bake it 15 minutes per every 1/4 inch thickness of clay. So try and measure your projects to get a good ballpark idea of how long to bake them for. I usually bake my creations on an aluminum foil lined baking tray, and let them cool for a few hours before doing any painting or decorating.
Hope you’ve found some good eye candy and added some new project ideas to your Sculpey list. If you make anything exciting tag me on instagram @fireflyandfinch so I can see your creation!
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Originally posted 02/07/2020. Updated 11/24/2020