Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I couldn’t resist sharing this sweet little project with you. We’re going to make DIY air dry clay heart tray, and honestly, they’re the perfect mix of cute, easy, and totally affordable.
You can use these trays as handmade gifts for someone special (because who doesn’t love a gift made with love?) or keep them adorable decorations for your home. They’re great for holding jewelry and candies, also as a very special someone reminded me today…peanuts (hey, each one to its own) or even just sitting pretty on a shelf.
The best part? You don’t need to be an expert crafter to pull this off. You only need a little clay, some basic tools, and a dash of creativity.
So, grab your supplies, and let’s make something beautiful together! This is going to be fun, I promise.
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Other Candy Heart Projects
I’m so obsessed with them that I’ve already done a project inspired by this candy: a set of beautiful conversation heart pillows! If you haven’t seen them yet, there’s a free sewing pattern for them up on the blog. (Go check it out—they’re one of my favorite projects!)
But this time, I wanted to do something different. I’ve recently fallen in love with air-dry clay—it’s my new hobby, and I’ve been having so much fun with it. I decided to create these heart-shaped trays as a cute, personal touch for my coffee table.
DIY Air Dry Clay Heart Tray For Valentine’s Day
Materials Needed
To create your charming heart-shaped trays, you’ll need the following supplies:
- Air-dry clay: This will be the main material for your trays.
- Alphabet letter stencils: These are used to imprint messages onto your trays. You can find reusable alphabet templates suitable for baking and crafting.
- Paint: Choose soft pastel colors like pink, purple, green, and yellow to mimic conversation heart candies, or select your favorite hues.
- Clear sealant or white glue: This will give your trays a shiny, finished look and protect the paint.
- Fine-grit sandpaper: For smoothing the surfaces and edges of your trays after they dry.
- Paintbrushes: You’ll need a variety of sizes, including one with a fine tip for detailed work.
Gathering these materials will set you up for a fun and creative crafting session!
Step 1: Choose Your Heart Shape
Before we start molding the clay, we need to settle on the perfect heart shape. You have two options:
- Freehand Your Heart
- If you’re feeling creative, grab a pencil and paper and draw a heart shape in any size you like. It doesn’t have to be perfect—hand-drawn hearts have a charming, personal touch!
- Use My Free Templates
- For a more precise and consistent look, you can download my free heart templates (details on how to get them are at the end of this post). I’ve created them in three sizes—3 inches, 4 inches, and 4.5 inches—which are perfect for crafting a cute little set of trays.
I made these sizes with the idea of creating a set of three or more DIY Air Dry Clay Heart Tray that look so cute grouped together. But if you’re planning to make just one or two trays, you might prefer a slightly larger heart for more impact.
Once you have your heart design ready, cut it out of paper or cardstock to use as a guide. This will help you shape your clay in the next step!
Step 2: Roll Out and Shape the DIY air-dry clay heart tray
Alright, let’s get to the fun part—playing with the clay! Grab a chunk of your air-dry clay and roll it out into a flat sheet, about 1/4 inch thick. This thickness is perfect because it’s sturdy enough to hold its shape but still looks delicate and cute.
Here’s a little pro tip: I always roll my clay out on a plastic sheet. It makes it soooo much easier to lift the shapes later without them sticking or tearing. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself for this step when it’s time to move those hearts!
If you’re new to air-dry clay, don’t worry. I’ve got you covered! Check out my DIY ghost tutorial, where I share all my best tips and tricks for working with this magical material. It’ll give you a head start, and you’ll feel like a pro in no time.
Now, take your heart template (the one we talked about earlier!) and lay it on your rolled-out clay. Using a cutter, a butter knife, or even clay tools, carefully cut around the template to shape your heart. Take your time here—it’s worth it to get those edges nice and smooth.
Step 3: Smooth and Add Your Message
Now that you’ve got your hearts cut out, it’s time to smooth them out and give them some personality! Before the clay starts to dry, dip your fingers in a little water and gently run them along the edges of each heart. This will help get rid of any rough spots or uneven edges.
If you notice a thin area or need to fix something, don’t be shy—add a tiny bit of extra clay and smooth it in. The goal here is to make those hearts look as polished and pretty as possible!
Once everything is smoothed out, it’s time to add your message. Grab your alphabet stencils and decide what sweet or fun words you want to imprint on each heart. Think of classic conversation heart phrases like “BE MINE,” “LOVE YOU,” or “XOXO,” or go for something totally unique—whatever speaks to you!
To print the words, locate the center of the heart, line up your stencil, and gently press it into the clay.
We’re getting so close to making these hearts Valentine’s Day-ready!
Step 4: Create Depth for Your Trays
Now, let’s take these hearts from being just flat cutouts to looking like actual trays! This is where we’ll add a bit of depth so they can hold all those little goodies you plan to put on them.
To do this, grab some thick twine or ribbon and shape it into a heart. Use your heart template as a guide so the size matches your tray perfectly. Once you’ve got the heart shape, tape the ribbon down onto your cutting mat to keep it in place. (It’s super helpful to have the ribbon secured so it doesn’t move around while you’re working.)
Take your cutout clay heart and carefully place it over the ribbon heart frame. Because the ribbon has that hollow space in the middle, it creates a guide for gently pressing into the clay. Using your fingers, press down lightly on the center of the clay heart to create just enough depth to make it look like a tray.
Once you’re happy with how your trays look, leave them on your plastic sheet to dry. Air-dry clay usually takes 24 to 48 hours to fully harden, so be patient and let them dry completely before moving on to the finishing touches.
Step 5: Paint and Finish Your Trays
Now for the most exciting part—bringing your trays to life with some color!
To capture that classic conversation candy vibe, I went with soft pink, purple, and yellow, but feel free to use whatever colors make your heart happy. Use a medium-sized brush to paint the surface of each heart, and don’t forget the edges! This is where your trays will really start to look like little candies.
For the letters, I used red paint to make them pop, carefully painting inside the imprinted words with the finest brush I could find. If you’re nervous about keeping your strokes neat, go slow—it’s totally worth the extra effort to make those letters crisp and cute.
Once the paint is completely dry, it’s time to seal everything up and add some shine! I used white glue (yes, the kind you probably have in your craft drawer) as a sealant, but you can also use Mod Podge or any shiny clear coating you prefer. Apply a thin, even layer over the entire tray to protect your paint and give it a nice glossy finish.
And that’s it! Your adorable heart-shaped trays are complete and ready to use. Whether you’re gifting them to someone special or setting them out as part of your Valentine’s Day decor, these trays are bound to make hearts melt!
DIY Air Dry Clay Heart Tray Templates Download
To make this project even easier, I’ve created free heart templates for the DIY Air Dry Clay Heart Tray in a variety of sizes just for you!
Simply click the link below to download them and get started. These templates range from 3 to 4 inches, making them perfect for creating a set of adorable candy-inspired trays. Happy crafting!
Hello!
I am new in your blog. I love this project, and I would like to do it!
How much estimated time is needed to complete it? (I want one for peanuts too, nice idea! haha)
Congratulations on your blog
Hi Edgar!
Well, this project took me about 2 days to complete (minus the time I had to use to remake the yellow one because of a paint oopsie!).
I am so glad you liked it. Please let me know if you make it so I can see it! Happy Valentine’s day.