15 Cute Things to Make with Air Dry Clay

Adorable Air Dry Clay Crafts for Adults

Air dry clay is a fun and versatile material to create fun projects. It’s affordable, and you don’t need special tools or equipment for making awesome stuff like pottery, sculptures, decor, vessels, and more. It’s perfect for beginner crafters!

In this post, I’ve collected cute air dry clay projects for adults. I hope these ideas will inspire you to try air dry clay!

What can you make with air dry clay?

The list is endless! But to name a few, you can make jewelry holders, containers, earrings, plates, art, flower pots, decor, sculptures, pencil holders, votives, bowls, trinkets, etc.

For more inspiration, check out my other article on things to make air dry clay.

I wanted to make this post a little different from the regular ‘things to make with air dry clay.’ So, I only gathered the cutest air dry clay tutorials I could find.

Here are my top picks for adorable clay creations.

1. Air Dry Clay Gnome

I love gnomes! These super cute air dry clay gnomes would fit every occasion or all year long in our home. Check out Crissy’s tutorial from First Day of Home.

If you also adore gnomes, I have another post on how to make gnomes in 7 different. Or you can also check out my recycled egg carton gnome tutorial.

2. DIY LLama Vase

Llamas are adorable! And this llama vase by A Beautiful Mess is no exception. It’s a fun way to revamp a boring glass vase and turn it into a fabulous home office accent piece. The super-simple tutorial also has a clever hack for hiding cracks that appear while the clay is drying.

3. Bunny Cactus Planter

I always wanted an animal planter. Maybe now is the time to make it. This sweet bunny cactus planter by Fall for DIY is so easy to make. Pop a dyed egg in it for the perfect Easter table decoration.

4. Cactus Ring Holder

This super easy and lovely little cactus by Little Red Window is an adorable and stylish way to display your rings. Make it taller, so you can also hang some bracelets and short necklaces.

5. Whale Phone Holder

Create this fun whale phone holder. You can find this simple and awesome tutorial on Doodle and Stitch.

6. Ice Cream Cone Vase

This ice cream cone vase by Demetres is the perfect Summer vase! But be aware that you can’t pour water into the vase. Air dry clay will disintegrate when exposed to moisture. So, You should either build a glass cup or tube into the vase or put fake flowers in it.

7. Easy Air Dry Clay Bird

With my tutorial creating an air dry clay bird is easy-peasy! The best part? They are easy to replicate and lightweight! So, you can incorporate them into wreaths!

8. Clay Pencil Toppers

These DIY pencil toppers by Auburn Artisan are so much fun. They bring a little joy and color to the boring office days. They would make the perfect stocking stuffers too!

9. Bunny Bowl

This sweet decorative bunny bowl by Alice & Lois is perfect for Easter. I would leave them on the shelf all year long and keep my rings in it.

10. Rainbow Decor

I love this rainbow decor by Fall for DIY. It gives a pop of color to the nursery room. If your child is older and can handle the clay parts carefully, he can also use them as toys. They are like the DIY version of the Montessori Rainbow Stacking Blocks.

Search this cool blog for other air dry clay craft ideas. She has a ton of amazing clay craft projects.

11. Cactus Candle Holders

Another cool and colorful DIY clay craft by A Beautiful Mess. The cactus candle holders add a pop of color to any room. They are so easy to make.

You can also turn them into fake cacti. ‘Plant’ them in small terracotta pots with stones. Voila! Now you have plants that you don’t have to water!

12. Clay Animal Heads

Do you need modern wall art? Create these amazing clay animal heads by Delineate Your Dwelling.

If you want to make larger faux animal head taxidermy, create an armature with tinfoil or styrofoam. Large solid clay pieces are heavy. Glue won’t hold them on the canvas.

13. Fairy House with a Twist

I’ve seen several DIY fairy house tutorials. I love this clever and unique air dry clay witch house by Nerdy Mamma! This tutorial will also teach you the basics of how to create a base with tinfoil for your air dry clay crafts.

14. Mini Macarons

This is such an awesome craft! You’ll not only learn how to make macarons, but how to color air dry clay while it’s still wet!

This mini macaron would make such a cute keychain and also fabulous earrings for those who like fake food jewelry. Check out the video tutorial.

15. Mountain Photo Holder

These mountain photo stands by Doodle and Stitch are the perfect beginner clay craft project. If you only have 10 minutes of creative time, make these photo holders! This could be an awesome weekend family program.

Final thoughts about adorable air dry clay crafts

As you could see, you can make tons of fun and cute crafts with air drying clay. With some paint and creativity, you can turn a piece of clay into amazing home decor items, accessories, and more.

Beginner crafters who would like to make pottery should try air dry clay first. You can use the same sculpting techniques. Some brands also work fine on a pottery wheel.

You don’t need a kiln or oven to bake your projects. Small defects like cracks or uneven surfaces can be fixed with easy hacks. Sandpaper and paint will become your best friends in mending or hiding imperfections.