Here's how you can easily make your own clay items any time

Magnets

I am a serial Pinterest scroller - I see so much cute stuff on there and I almost always want it. But it's difficult to find the stuff you see on Pinterest anywhere, and I've resorted to DIY-ing whatever I can - more specifically, DIY-ing the clay stuff I see on there.

My star trinket tray in its initial stages, before I painted it (right) A later stage of my tray, complete with red paint. All that was left to do was to glaze it

The first thing I ever made was a star-shaped trinket tray with my best friend. I was new to the world of clay and didn't really know how to go about it, so obviously, my end product was not perfect. But I still love it so much. It's one of my favourite things on my desk now, and I use it to store my everyday jewellery.

Jewellery stands and Trinket Trays

Since then I've tried making a bunch of other stuff: a jewellery stand (that I failed miserably at), a matching ring with my friend, and fridge magnets. I find it to be a very relaxing and fun process, while also being rewarding at the same time. It reminded me of my childhood and how much I loved creating something with my own two hands. And, by the end of it, you get a product that you can use in your everyday life.

Clay Rings and Tic Tac Toe Boards. PICS/PINTEREST @SKIFULL PIC, @KENNASSCORNER, @ALYSSAGUZ, @ATENO_K, @HURDLER2004, @ELLEMDEE, @SRZZDAVI

Watching YouTube tutorials is a smarter way to begin, instead of blindly doing whatever you think is right, like I did. It helps you work through problems like how to prevent cracks while the clay dries, or how to get the shape right.

Having the right materials (modelling tools, cutters) works wonders, because there's only so much that you do with just your hands. These tools add perfection, shaping your almost exactly like the Pinterest inspo.

One more thing that I really like about this is that it's a great way to make gifts for your loved ones. It's inexpensive and, because your gift is handmade, you get to personalise it. It's also a great hang out idea - gather your loved ones and some clay, and set out to make things you find on the internet together.

Materials Required

>> Clay: The simplest to start with is air-dry clay
>> Water
>> Modelling Tools
>> Gesso Primer: Optional; it helps the paint stick better to the clay
>> Paints: Any kind will do
>> Paintbrushes
>> Resin or Lacquer for glazing the end product and sealing in the colours