Use Fall Leaves as a Template for a Decorative Air-Dry Clay Dish

I love working with clay, all types, so when I was asked to guest post something crafty for Fall I immediately thought of using air dry clay. There are a few different brands that sell it, but I bought a tub of air dry clay from Crayola. It’s even available at Walmart, so, for the most part, a project doesn’t even require a separate trip to a craft store.

How I made this Clay Leaf Dish

• I kneaded a lump of clay and then rolled it with my rolling pin until it was the desired thickness. Make sure to roll your clay lightly, if you press too hard it will stick to the table. Consider using a piece of wax paper or foil to roll your clay on.
• Then I used a fall leaf from the yard and pressed it onto the clay. I cut the clay out into the shape of the leaf with a butter knife and then removed it. The leaf left an impression of it’s veins in the clay when I peeled it off. Then I curled up the edges and shaped the clay leaf into a dish. I rolled out a small piece of clay and pushed it onto the dish to look like a stem.
• To attach pieces, simply use a little bit of water and smooth the edges so that the pieces are attached securely. I also smoothed the edges of the leaf that were rough from being cut with the butter knife. I used a toothpick to enhance some of the vein lines. You can also scratch your name and date into the bottom.
• Allow the finished dish to dry for 1-2 days. Then you can paint it with acrylic craft paint. For this project I used a mix of espresso with gold nugget. I also added in a bit of terra cotta and finished off with a bit of glitter. After the paint dries, you can seal it with an acrylic gloss sealer.

For another fall favorite try making this Candy Corn Dish.

My kids love working with clay too, but at 2&4, their projects are a bit more abstract. Still, clay projects are a fun and easy art activity you can do together and the finished product makes a great decor item for your own house or a gift for grandparents. Think outside the typical ornaments and you can make small plates to hold rings and even spoon or candle holders.

Instead of using leaves as a template, try seasonal cookie cutters for smaller dishes that you can use as a spoon holder near your coffee pot.

The possibilities are endless.

This is a guest post from Amy Pessolano from Umbrella Tree Cafe.  Thanks Amy!