How to Make Polymer Clay Christmas Ornaments (Easy NZ Guide)

Handmade decorations are one of the nicest parts of a Kiwi Christmas, and polymer clay makes them easy. It stays soft while you work, then bakes hard in your home oven, so the ornaments you make this year can come out of the box every December.

This guide covers what you need, three easy projects for beginners and kids, and how to bake and finish your pieces so they last.

What you need

• Polymer clay. We use Mont Marte Make n Bake 60g. For a classic Christmas palette, choose Titanium White, Rouge, Emerald, Gold, Silver and Black. Buy any 6 colours and save 16%.
• Modelling tools for cutting and adding detail, such as the Modelling Tools 6pc.
• A sealer to protect the finish, such as Natural Finish Clay Sealer.
• Baking paper, a baking tray, a straw or skewer (for hanging holes) and ribbon or twine.

Short on time? Our Polymer Clay Starter Kit – Christmas Colours puts the six colours, the tools and the sealer in one box.

Before you start

• Condition the clay. Knead each colour in your hands for a minute or two until it's soft and smooth. Warm hands help.
• Work on baking paper. You can shape directly on the paper and slide it straight onto the tray.
• Keep it clean. Wipe your hands between colours, especially going from Black or Rouge to White.

Project 1: Star and bauble tree ornaments

1. Roll a colour out to an even thickness of about 5mm.
2. Cut out stars, circles or bauble shapes with a craft knife or a small cookie cutter.
3. Press in a pattern: dots with the tip of a tool, stripes with a blade, or thin rolls of Gold and Silver laid across the top.
4. Use a straw or skewer to make a hanging hole near the top.

Project 2: Personalised gift tags

1. Roll White clay to about 4mm and cut small rectangles or circles.
2. Scratch a name or initial into the surface with a fine tool, or add a tiny holly leaf in Emerald with Rouge berries.
3. Make a hole for ribbon. After baking, these double as tree ornaments next year.

Project 3: Mini figures and keepsakes

• Snowman: three White balls, a Black hat and an orange-toned nose.
• Candy cane: twist a thin White roll and a thin Rouge roll together, then bend the top.
• Pudding: a ball of Black or brown, a White “custard” top, and an Emerald and Rouge sprig.

Keep figures small and chunky. Thin parts can break once baked.

How to bake

Bake Make n Bake clay in a standard home oven at 130°C for around 20 minutes per 6mm of thickness. Always check the instructions on your clay pack. An oven thermometer is worth having, because many ovens run hot or cold.

• Bake on baking paper on a tray.
• Let pieces cool completely before handling. They firm up as they cool.
• Adults should handle the oven step for kids.

Finishing

Once cool, brush on a thin coat of sealer for a protective finish. Natural Finish Clay Sealer goes on milky white and dries clear and matte. Thread ribbon or twine through the holes and they're ready to hang or gift.

Tips for kids and groups

• Give each child a small piece of every colour rather than whole blocks.
• Pre-roll slabs for younger kids so they can go straight to cutting shapes.
• Write names on the baking paper next to each piece so everyone gets their own back.

Get started

Everything in this guide is available in the Polymer Clay Starter Kit – Christmas Colours, or pick your own colours from our 32-colour Make n Bake range. Free NZ shipping on orders over $75.