Clay and Lace Bowl

Have you seen all the pics on Pinterest for the Clay bowls that are DIY? I’ve wanted to try it for awhile now and I am really hoping it turns out, because if it does than I can give them for Christmas gifts! Which would be pretty cool right? I have a bunch of Doilies that my Grandma Charlotte (aka Granny) made and I decided to use one of them to make the lace imprint on the clay.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 cup Cornstarch

1 cup Glue

2 TBSP Baby oil

2 TBSP lemon juice or vinegar

Non greasy moisturizer

Ziploc bag (to store clay)

Saucepan (although none of the ingredients are toxic, it is recommended that you use a dedicated saucepan/bowl for crafting so as not to risk any cross contamination)

Here’s how you make it:

Place the measured Cornstarch and Glue in the pan and mix together.  Stir in the baby oil and lemon juice. Gently heat until it forms a solid ball, It will gradually go lumpy, then clump together to form a ball. The clay will get quite tough to stir as it thickens.  Spread a small amount of moisturizer on your work surface, tip the clay out and knead until cold (it will be hot to start with so be very careful) - fill your pan/bowl with hot water to soak. Put a little moisturizer in the plastic bag and rub it around so the sides are covered. Place the ball of porcelain clay in the bag, squeeze out all the air from the bag, twist to seal and leave for 24 hours before using. Your clay is now ready to make the lace bowl.

*To color the clay just add a drop of acrylic paint to a small amount of clay and knead thoroughly just before you are about to use it 

I don't love the way this dried! But I love the blue one!

Roll out your Clay to the desired thickness, I did about 1/4inch. Press the lace into the clay and then remove it. Place the clay into a bowl and let dry. A finished item can take anywhere from several hours to a few days to dry out completely depending on its size, thickness and the humidity in your area. To protect your finished item you need to coat it with a water based sealer such as Mod-Podge or a clear acrylic varnish

*To color the clay just add a drop of acrylic paint to a small amount of clay and knead thoroughly just before you are about to use it  

Enjoy