This pile of air dry clay supplies has been sitting in my office for about six months, quietly judging me.
I bought everything with the full intention of learning how to use air dry clay, making cute little projects, and becoming the kind of person who casually whips up handmade ceramics for fun. And then… it just sat there.
So today is the day.
I’m finally opening it up and attempting to make some little fridge magnets – things like tiny food shapes that look a bit like the cute ones you see all over social media. The only problem? I’ve never actually worked with air dry clay before.
But honestly, that’s kind of my favourite way to learn anything creative. I firmly believe most crafty things are easier to figure out by doing them than by studying them first. So instead of waiting until I “know what I’m doing”, I’m just jumping in and seeing what happens.
Hopefully there are more wins than disasters – but either way, I’ll share what I learn along the way so you can skip some of my mistakes if you try it yourself.
Supplies Used
- Air dry clay (I used Das air-dry clay, which is the one I kept seeing recommended everywhere)
- Rolling pin
- Parchment paper or another non-stick surface
- Plastic wrap or an airtight covering to keep unused clay from drying out
- A small spray bottle or bowl of water
- Clay tools (optional, but helpful for shaping and details)
- Ruler or straight edge for cutting clay
- Strong glue
- Small magnets (to attach on the back once the pieces are dry)
You definitely don’t need fancy tools to start, but a few simple ones can make shaping and detailing a lot easier.
Rather watch than read? Check out the full video by clicking the video below!
Let’s Get Started: A Few Things I Learned Before Starting
Even though this was my first time actually using air dry clay, I had watched enough social media videos to pick up a few basic tips.
First – apparently Das clay is the one everyone loves, so that’s what I grabbed. It’s not the cheapest option, but it seemed like a safe bet.
Second – a rolling pin is really helpful for flattening the clay evenly. I actually thrifted one a while ago specifically for crafty projects like this, so today it finally gets its moment.
Third – it’s best to work on parchment paper or another non-sticky surface. Clay can cling to tables and work surfaces, so the parchment makes everything a lot easier to move around.
Another important tip is that air dry clay… well… dries in the air. Which means if you leave the unused clay exposed, it starts hardening pretty quickly. Since the packaging doesn’t reseal well, I kept plastic wrap nearby so I could cover the parts I wasn’t using.
And finally, water is your friend. A little bit of water can help smooth the clay, rehydrate it if it starts drying, and even help pieces stick together.
With all that in mind, it was time to just start playing.
My Plan: Four “Test” Magnets
Instead of diving straight into a huge batch of magnets, I decided to treat this like a little experiment and start with just four.
The idea was to make a few simple shapes first, learn from any mistakes, and then make more later once I had a better feel for the clay.
Here’s what I chose:
- A fried egg (very simple shapes – basically level one difficulty)
- A few olives (still simple, but slightly more detailed)
- An ice cream cone (definitely the most complicated)
- A hot dog (I added this one after I stopped filming)
If I could successfully make those, I figured I’d be ready to start making a whole bunch more.
First Impressions of Air-Dry Clay
The first thing I noticed when I opened the clay was… it’s way wetter than I expected. Like, genuinely kind of goopy.
So lesson number one happened immediately – roll up your sleeves and take off your rings before you start working with this stuff.
Once I cut off a chunk using a ruler (another trick I saw online), I started kneading it a bit to soften it up. Then I rolled it out with my trusty thrifted rolling pin.
Everything I had read said you don’t want the clay to be too thick because it won’t dry evenly in the middle, especially if you’re making small decorative pieces. So I aimed for something fairly thin but still sturdy enough to hold shape.
From there, it was just a matter of shaping the little food pieces and experimenting as I went.
Why I Loved This So Much
One of my favourite parts of trying new art supplies is that moment where you stop overthinking and just start playing. This project was exactly that.
I didn’t know the “right” way to do things. I wasn’t trying to make perfect pieces. I was just testing shapes, smoothing edges with water, experimenting with tools, and figuring out what worked.
And honestly, that’s when creativity feels the most fun. Instead of worrying about whether something is technically correct, you just explore and see what happens.
That’s a Wrap – Final Thoughts
Trying air dry clay for the first time was messy, a little unpredictable, and honestly really fun.
Even just making a few small magnets taught me a lot about how the clay feels, how quickly it starts drying, and what kinds of shapes are easiest to make. Now that I’ve done a test round, I feel way more confident making a bigger batch.
And that’s kind of the whole point.
You don’t need to master a new craft before you start. Sometimes the fastest way to learn is just to grab the supplies, make something slightly chaotic, and figure it out as you go.
Which means my office pile of unused craft supplies might finally start shrinking.
Or… more realistically… it might just get replaced by a new pile of clay projects.
And if you’re looking for crafts, check this out.
And finally, your dad joke…
Did you hear about Karma, the new restaurant?
There’s no menu: You get what you deserve.
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