How to Personalize Ornaments and Charms

In the following video, Glenn & Debi from Deb & Co show you how to personalize Christmas ornaments with simple, easy to learn techniques to give your ornaments a professional look.  The lettering techniques are demonstrated on cured polymer clay ornaments, however, personalizing air-dry-clay ornaments and charms would be done the same way.    

They also show a few ways to correct errors when working with permanent inks.    I haven't tested these correction methods with air-dry clay, so I recommend doing a test on a cured sample of your own favorite brand.   The various types/brands of air-dry clay may react differently.   You also might try top-coating & sealing the ornament first, then write your personalization ....and then seal again!

Make a Clay Poppy

Make some of these colorful Poppies with air-dry clay. Step by step instructions, with photos, are provided by SifBeth. Although this demonstration shows how to make flowers using gumpaste, the techniques are very similar for air-dry clay and cold porcelain flowers. One difference is, if tutorial calls for edible glue, you can use regular glue with air-dry clay flowers. Gumpaste and cold porcelain are both used to create cake toppers....one is edible, one isn't!

If you don't have the proper petal cutter for this tutorial, you can make your own.   See some previous posts for Making Your Own Cutters  and a video with Free Cutting Tool Ideas.

Clay Recipes to Make for Kids

Today I came across a collection of homemade air dry clay recipes at "Crafting a Green World" that are kid-friendly and earth-friendly.   Recipes include basic natural play dough recipe, aromatherapy play dough, gluten-free cornstarch dough, edible play dough and modeling beeswax.  See Five Natural Modeling Materials You Can Make Yourself.

Author says:  "I tend to choose to make our modeling materials for a few reasons. I’m much happier spending a hour in the kitchen every few weeks mixing up several batches of natural play dough than I would be spending that hour driving to the store and back for Play Doh."

How to Photograph Your Clay Jewelry for Online Sales

Homemade Photo Studio

How to Make a Homemade Black Ice Photo Kit.  Desired Creations share tips for photographing your hand-crafted jewelry.  Professional photographers often use a black background with a very soft bright spot highlighting the jewelry.    Author says:  "....not being a professional photographer, I saw no justification to spend lots of money for the special kit."  Read article to learn  how to create, at a low cost, the photographic lighting style used in better quality publications.

Make Miniature People with Darwi or Paperclay

This French artist (Lauren) has created a whole village of miniature people from Darwi air-dry clay.   These are uncomplicated little dolls with painted features and clothes made of paper.  Creative Paperclay would work well for this project also.