With a big batch of clay in the house, we decided to shape some into charm necklaces – they’ll make the perfect gift for the upcoming September birthdays of several relatives!
You can shape your charms in one of two ways. First we tried a butter knife to cut out simple squares or rectangles. This was definitely Travis’s preferred method.
Alternatively, you can use cookie cutters to fashion your charms into circles.
We found a bunch of old buttons in our craft box, which made perfect imprints into the clay, like flowers or hearts.
Once you’re happy with your designs, let the clay set. If you have oven-dry clay, bake according to package instructions. Ours was air-dry clay, so we left it out overnight. While the clay is still soft, poke a hole through each with a toothpick or wooden skewer so you can string it onto a thread later on.
The next day it was time to paint! Watercolor works very well on clay, but you could also use acrylic paint.
After a swipe or two with a paintbrush, Travis decided it would be much more fun to do watercolors by hand. I laughed and decided why not! The results were surprisingly beautiful.
Let the charms dry again, then thread twine through the hole in each charm. Voila! A charm necklace.
