How to Make Air Dry Clay Earrings | DIY Clay Project

Earrings are a favorite decoration for many girls. They are small and cute and add a lot of charm when hung on their ears. Today we are going to make a pair of air dry clay earrings.

Air-dry clay is soft and easy to shape, so both adults and children can use it to make decorations or crafts. This blog will teach you step by step how to make a pair of cute strawberry earrings through pictures and text.

Let’s Begin!

Air Dry Clay Earrings Project Step By Step

Prepare Materials

Air-dry clay: red and green
Accessories: a pair of earring hooks

You can find earring hooks in grocery stores or removed from old earrings.

The air-dry clay we chose here is the color of strawberry. If you have a unique idea, pick your favorite color.

Step 1

Take some red air-dry clay and shape it into a small ball as shown on the right.
Cut the balls in half with a plastic knife.
Use your palm to round both balls of clay into a round shape.

Step 2

Place the ball of clay in the palm of your hand and use your index finger to shape it into a cone.
Use a tool (a toothpick or an unused pen) to poke some small holes in the clay.

In this way we have made the body of the clay strawberry.

Step 3

Take green air-dry clay and roll it into a long and thin strip on the board.
Use a knife to evenly cut the long clay into 12 small balls.
Flatten 10 of the small balls into droplets and shape the remaining two into small cylinders.

Step 4

Stick the clay leaves to the top of the strawberries like flowers.
Stick the petiole to the center of the leaf.
Just hang the earring hooks and you’re done!

Pros and Cons of Air Dry Clay

Pros:

Light, suitable for making jewelry (such as earrings) and decorations
Rich colors
Easy to shape
Both children and adults can play
Safe, non-toxic, non-flammable
Air dry naturally, no need to bake
Won’t crack when dry

Cons:

Longer drying time (usually 24 hours)
Not waterproof, must be sealed when stored

Tools for Air Dry Clay

When making air-dry clay earrings, you will use a few tools (a knife and a pointed pen). In fact, we use them a lot, and, among other tools. Now we will introduce them one by one.

Ball tool + Roller: The balls at both ends are used to press out smooth curved surfaces. For example, when we are making a cute clay octopus, we will use a ball tool to make its mouth. The middle roller part is used to flat the clay.
Knife: This is the most common tool used when making air dry clay crafts. We use it to cut clay into different shapes and sizes.
Pointed pen: This tool has a pointed end, like a pen. We use it to poke holes, like the strawberry clay earrings above. The other end of the tool is in the shape of a saw, which can press out sawtooth shapes on the surface of the clay. The “washboard” in the middle can press out regular striped textures on the clay.

Usually, when you buy an air-dry clay set, the merchant will give you these tools as a gift. Don’t underestimate these simple tools, they can help you make the details of your clay crafts. Moreover, with the help of tools, it is easier for us to make clay crafts.

Tips for Beginners

If you are a beginner, congratulations, you have found the right tools and products for you. Air-dry clay is beginner-friendly and anyone can make great creations!

Here, we will give you some tips to help you better enter the art world of air dry clay!

Air-drying clay can dry no matter where it is. You don’t need an oven or microwave.
Use a hairdryer or fan to help the air-drying clay dry faster.
Spray some water on the surface of the clay if you feel it is a little hard.
Store air-dry clay in sealed boxes or bags. This prevents the water in the clay from drying out.
You can replace the tools mentioned above with anything you can find at home. For example, you can use a ruler instead of a knife, a toothpick instead of a pointed pen, a pencil instead of a rolling pin, etc.
When the air-dry clay hardens, you can color it if you don’t like its original color.
You can mix different colors of air-dry clay to get a new color. It conforms to the principle of the three primary colors, for example, mixing red and yellow will turn orange.

Conclusion

After completing the above steps, we need to wait for the air-drying clay earrings to harden. Usually, you need to place clay earrings in a ventilated and cool place. Wait 24 hours for it to dry.

Once the air dry clay is completely dry you can try hanging them on your ears, that will be fun. Of course, this can also be a surprise Mother’s Day gift!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use air dry clay for earrings?

A: Of course you can! Air-dry clay is light and you can use it to make small and attractive earrings. In fact, not only can you make clay earrings, but you can also make clay rings and necklaces!

Q: How do you seal air dry clay earrings?

A: After you place the earring hook into the air-drying clay, press the clay around the earring with your finger to seal it. Once the clay dries, it will prevent the earring hooks from falling off. Alternatively, you can seal the earrings with glue.

Q: Is air dry clay good for Jewelry?

A: Yes, air dry clay is good for jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, and rings. This air dry lightweight clay comes in a variety of attractive colors that can be combined to create beautiful decorations. And air-dry clay hardens as it dries, which can last a long time.

Q: Is air dry clay and modeling clay the same thing?

A: No, air dry clay and modeling clay are not the same thing. However, sometimes people think they are the same. In fact, air dry clay is a lightweight modeling clay, while the latter is a larger concept that includes different products, such as polymer clay, pottery clay, paper clay, etc.

Q: Can you use a hairdryer to dry clay?

A: Yes, we recommend that you use a hairdryer to dry the air-dry clay rather than putting it in the oven. The gentle temperature of the hairdryer allows the clay to dry and harden evenly, reducing the risk of cracking.

Q: Is air dry clay strong?

A: Well, air dry clay is not strong. Because of its light mass, when it dries out and the water in it disappears, it becomes even lighter. Moreover, the texture of air-dry clay is soft, and even after hardening, it is not as strong as normal clay.