There’s nothing quite like handmade Christmas decorations to make your house feel extra special and this year, we’re excited to share something truly magical. The talented Lydia Rowley has created a set of beautiful Rockahula-inspired air-dry clay decorations just for us, and they’re incredibly easy to recreate at home!
You'll need: air dry clay, cutters, rolling pin, acrylic paint, mod podge or clear varnish, glitter, coloured ribbon or twine.
1. Knead the clay with your hands for a minute or two until it’s soft and smooth. This will prevent it from cracking later.
2. Use a rolling pin to roll the clay to about 5 mm thick. Make sure you don't roll it too thin.
3. With our handy template as a guide (download here), use a modelling tool to cut out some designs. Alternatively, you can use some Christmas cookie cutters. Once you have cut out the shapes, dip your finger in water to smooth out the rough edges.
4. Using a straw, poke out a small hole at the top of the decoration. This needs to be big enough for the ribbon.
5. Carefully lay the decorations on baking paper and leave to dry for 24–48 hours. Make sure you flip them over half way through as this stops them curling at the edges.
6. When completely dry, its time to get creative and paint your decorations - we used acrylic paint and glitter. To make the decorations more durable, you can add a final coat of Mod Podge or clear varnish.
7. To finish, thread some coloured ribbon or twine through the hole … and they’re ready to hang on the Christmas tree!
Advent Gifts!
Once you've made your Christmas Tree decorations, why not use them for beautiful advent calendar gifts! There’s nothing more thoughtful than a handmade gift!
