Make this easy DIY Wavy Terracotta Bowl (using air dry clay!)
A wavy terracotta bowl you can easily make at home without baking, glazing or firing? Yes please! A little while ago I was at Bunnings stocking up on craft supplies for the kids, including two packets of non-toxic terracotta air drying clay. I've been wanting to make a wavy bowl for ages and when I realised I could use the terracotta clay myself I got straight to work. Sorry kids!
Earlier this week I set about giving this idea a try using materials I already had at home - a chopping board, baking paper, a rolling pin, a knife, cling wrap and a bowl. I may have felt totally uncoordinated and completely out of my depth the entire time, but that's never deterred me before. Read on to learn how to make your own DIY Wavy Terracotta Bowl at home. This is the perfect holiday project for when you are looking for some "me time". Happy making!
Materials
2 x Boyle Terracotta Air Dry Clay from Bunnings
Chopping board
2 sheets of baking paper
Rolling pin
Sharp knife with a pointy end
Cling wrap
Large salad bowl
Cooling rack
Aluminimum foil
Important:
The Terracotta Air Dry Clay used in this project is non-toxic, but it is still porous when dry and will absorb any oils or residues from food. Please remember to line the bowl with a sheet of aluminium foil or baking paper before putting citrus in it. Personally, I would only put citrus in the bowl as they have thick skins - never fruit. It is your responsibility to use the clay appropriately. If you have any questions, please contact Boyle Industries.
How To
Line a chopping board with a sheet of baking paper. Roll the terracotta clay into a sphere using your hands and shape it into a thick disc.
Place the clay disc onto the lined chopping board and place the second sheet of baking paper on top. Using the rolling pin, roll the clay out until it's about 1cm thick (or a bit less).
Smooth out any creases by placing a small amount of water onto your hands.
Place the large salad bowl on top and using the knife trim the edges. Lift the clay off and set aside.
Wrap the salad bowl in cling wrap. Place the clay on top and using your fingers, shape the wavy edge. Using the knife, stencil your initials onto the bottom. Set aside to dry for at least 12 hours before turning it over and allowing it to dry completely on a cooling rack.
Notes:
I dried my bowl indoors as I felt the temperature was better suited than the super hot air outside (it's summer at the moment).
I found drying the bowl (after the initial 12 hours of drying) on a cooling rack usually used for baking helped circulate air underneath the bowl, and therefore sped up the drying process.
The Terracotta Air Dry Clay used in this project is non-toxic, but it is still porous when dry and will absorb any oils or residues from food. Please remember to line the bowl with a sheet of aluminium foil before putting anything in it. Personally, I would only put lemons and limes in the bowl as they have thicker skin (never fruit) and only for a day or so at a time.
It is your responsibility to use the clay appropriately. If you have any questions, please contact Boyle Industries.
Ta daaaa! A beautiful wavy terracotta clay bowl.
While this DIY wavy terracotta bowl has some baking paper creases and mended cracks, I honestly cannot believe this actually worked! I love the rustic organic, far from perfect wavy edge - it makes it look more genuine and real. The colour is beautiful and I am excited to use it for styling purposes around our home.
