Clay is always one of our girl’s favourite activities. These Clay Tree decorations can be made with Air drying clay as well as Kiln dried.

If you decide to give this craft a go then please share your creation using the hashtag #wiltshiregiftschristmas
To find out what we create this year watch out for the Children’s house going up on Wiltshire Gift’s Instagram and Facebook social media pages.

Clay Tree decorations

Requirements:

  • Air dry Clay
  • Assortment of christmas shaped cookie cutters 
  • Homemade Glaze (PVA and water)
  • Paint brushes
  • Paints (poster works just as well if using acrylic you won’t need the Glaze)
  • Old straw or small leather hole punch to make a hanging hole.
  • Rolling pin or other to roll out the clay
  • Natural twine, Ribbon or other to make a hanging hoop

Technique:

  1. It is so simple roll out the clay 
  2. Use cutters to make the shapes (if making these with younger children you may want to do most of these yourself and let them do the painting)
  3. Make hole using straw and make a hole in the top of your piece.
  4. Allow to dry 
  5. Paint as desired again allow to dry
    Glaze (you can add paint to your glaze if you want to do same colour all over)
  6. Allow to fully dry 
  7. Cut twine to short lengths (10cm-15cm is normally enough) and thread through the hole and knot to make your hanging hoop

You can use these as gift tags too!!! (Those pictured are kiln-fired clay done with the wonderful Kim from the Nunney pottery as part of our children’s course with her however Air dry creations come out just a well)

You can also use leaves, material, scrunched paper, texture plates etc to make patterns on the clay before cutting into shapes.

To check out more of our Christmas activities we have posted for Wiltshire Gifts you can find them all listed here.