Clay Dog Bone Ornaments // DIY Gift

Last Christmas, I made several gifts from sculpey clay, including these chalkboards. The dog bone ornaments were one of my favorites because they were simple and inexpensive, but sentimental, celebrating the dates my sister-in-law took home her puppies.

It’s kind of like a “Baby’s First Christmas” Ornament, but for fur babies, instead.

Supplies

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1. Knead a handful of clay in your hands. It may seem crumbly at first; but will smooth as it warms up in your hands.
2. Flatten with a rolling pin.
3. Use the cookie cutter to cut out each dog bone.
4. Press the alphabet stamps into the clay for the pet’s name.
5. Press the number stamps into the clay for the date.
6. Poke two holes in the clay with an embossing stylus, or other rounded tip.
7. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the ornaments onto the foil.

8. Bake at 275 for approximately 25 minutes {check it every 10 minutes to make sure the clay isn’t yellowing}.
9. Remove when the ornaments are “hard” — but not yellow. It will never become rigid. It is more of a “flexible hard” that feels firm, yet still a bit “bendable.”
10. Let cool.
11. Use a fine tip marker to highlight the stamped name and date.
12. Tie off with string to hang.

These are great as a Christmas tree ornament; but I could also see them used as a tag on a coat hook where the pup’s leash is hung.

I hope to have some more DIY gifts to share with you over the next few weeks. Do you make many handmade gifts? If so, have you started crafting yet and what’s on your “to-make” list?