Polymer clay is a versatile, malleable and easy-to-work medium you can use to create many small DIY holiday crafts to decorate your home, Christmas tree or gift to loved ones. All you need to get started on your polymer clay holiday crafts is the clay, your hands and an oven. For the perfect finish, you can paint your crafts using mica powders or acrylic paint in festive colors such as green, red, blue, silver and gold.
Add some holiday sparkle to your creations with chunky or fine glitter. You can also use everyday household items like toothbrushes, combs or knits to add texture to your polymer clay holiday projects. Making clay crafts is a family activity kids and adults can all enjoy and is a great way to unwind and get into the holiday mood. Below, we share some fun holiday crafts you can make using polymer clay.
1. Assorted Christmas Tree Ornaments
You can spruce up the look of your Christmas tree with authentic polymer clay holiday craft ornaments. Create 2D ornaments like stars, ribbons, hearts and gingerbread men to decorate your tree. These ornaments are easy to create. Here are some steps you can follow when creating assorted ornaments to hang on your tree using polymer clay:
- Remove the polymer clay from the packaging and knead until soft and malleable.
- Roll out your clay on parchment paper to about 3-millimeter to 5-millimeter thick.
- Use cookie cutters or clay sculpting tools to cut out precise shapes and designs.
- Peel away the clay before it dries.
- Use a straw to make a hole about a quarter of an inch away from the edge of your design. Don't make it too close to the edge to prevent the clay from snapping easily.
- Before popping your ornaments into the oven, add detail and texture by embossing them with wool, greenery or texture sheets.
- Bake according to the packaging instructions.
You can also use your ornaments as personalized gift tags. Make them more special by stamping names, initials and special messages. Start from the last letter when imprinting with words to ensure you have enough space for all your writing.
2. Cute Polymer Clay Figurines
3D polymer clay figurines, including Santa Claus, mini-Christmas trees, penguins, snowmen and reindeer, add some volume to your tree and bring holiday cheer. You can create these and more figurines and mini items in varying shapes, sizes and colors using polymer clay in a few easy steps:
- Start by rolling small bits of the clay into different-sized balls. These are for the body parts and accessories.
- Stick the pieces together, starting with the main body parts, followed by the small parts such as the nose, eyes, ears, mouth and then the accessories.
- To make the spot to hang your snowman ornaments, hook a few inches of galvanized wire at the top of the ornaments.
- Place them in the oven on a baking tray lined with parchment paper while standing upright and let them dry completely.
- Thread a ribbon or twine through the hook, tie a knot, then hang your figurines on your Christmas tree.
If you don't want to hang your figurines on the tree, craft a design that stands on its own for a cute mantle piece or shelf decor.
3. Polymer Clay Canes
Canes are cute, round, candy-like clay crafts you can use as holiday ornaments or coasters. They typically have detailed color images built into the clay instead of being painted. Crafting clay canes involves assembling different colors of clay on an image template and surrounding this with a larger portion of clay in a different color. You'll then blend together the various strips by rolling the clay to create the desired patterns
Keep rolling until you achieve your desired size and the image you envisioned. You can put your cane in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes to let it firm up before cutting it into candies using a clay cutter. Some fun and easy images you can have on your holiday clay canes include trees, wreaths, dreidels, stockings and patterned baubles.
You can use a similar method to make cane-shaped stick candies using polymer clay. Take thin strips of clay in two or more colors and roll these together, rotating them in different directions to create a rope. Roll it on a flat surface to end up with a smooth rope with swirled colors. These will look good as embellishments on your Christmas tree that draw attention.
4. Polymer Clay Diffuser
Polymer clay diffusers are a creative way to have your home smelling like the holidays and double as beautiful decor items. Crafting a polymer clay diffuser involves forming the clay around the glass jar you want to use and ensuring you have an open space at the top to add the essential oils and diffuse the scent.
Use your polymer clay diffuser to hold reed diffuser sticks or cotton wool infused with your favorite scents. Some essential oils to consider during this season include warm or spicy scents, such as cinnamon blends, peppermint, orange and sandalwood. Baked polymer clay is porous, so you can infuse other holiday crafts with a few drops of essential oils to make your whole house smell like the holidays.
Buy the Highest Quality Polymer Clay for Your Holiday Craft Projects from Sculpey
Sculpey is the clay brand everyone loves and trusts for all their DIY needs, including home decor, jewelry-making and holiday crafting. Our premium-quality clay is available in various formulas that are suitable for use by everyone from kids to artists and sculptors.
Our polymer clay stays soft as you craft and only dries into strong and durable clay items once baked in the oven. We also have a line of tools to use with our clay to help you roll, shape, mold, cut and detail your polymer clay holiday projects.
Don't know where to start with your holiday clay crafts? You can seek inspiration on our seasonal projects page. We share unique polymer clay holiday craft ideas you can create using our Sculpey clays, additional supplies you need and detailed project instructions.
