Christmas Ornaments

Create handmade ceramic ornaments that bring warmth and character to your holiday décor. These delicate keepsakes are perfect for gifting, collecting year after year, or personalizing with meaningful designs and messages.

Difficulty: Beginner

Time: 30-45 minutes

Technique: Handbuilding

What You Need

Clay

Rolling pin

Pin tool

Stencils or cookie cutters

Hole cutter or straw

Sponge & water

Plastic sheet (for drying)

Making the Ornaments

Roll Out a Thin Slab

Roll your clay to 5-7mm thick using a rolling pin. Aim for consistent thickness throughout to ensure even drying and prevent warping. Flip occasionally for better results.
Cut Your Shapes

Use a pin tool to carefully trace around your stencils.
Remove Excess Clay

Peel away the excess clay surrounding your ornament shapes. Save scraps in plastic for future use. Let shapes sit until leather-hard—this won't take long due to their thinness.
Smooth the Edges

Once leather-hard, gently smooth all edges with a damp sponge. This creates clean, refined edges and prevents sharp spots.
Cut the Hanging Hole

Use a hole cutter or straw or even your pin tool to punch a hole near the top of each ornament. Position it at least 5mm from the edge to prevent cracking during firing.
Decorate

Add your personal touch — stamp text, attach small charms with score and slip, or paint designs with underglaze.
Dry Slowly

Place ornaments under a loose piece of plastic to dry gradually until bone dry. This prevents warping and cracking. Once dry, they're ready to bisque fire or finish with air-dry gloss.

Decoration Ideas

Stamped Patterns: Press letter stamps, texture tools, or lace into the leather-hard clay for an extra personal touch.

Underglaze Painting: Paint festive designs with underglaze while leather-hard, bone dry or bisque. Perfect for names, dates, or simple illustrations.

Natural Impressions: Press leaves, pine needles, or dried flowers into the clay surface before it dries for organic textures. Note: dont leave organic matter in the clay, just an impression.

Cutout Details: Use small cutters to remove shapes from the center — stars, hearts, or snowflakes create unique negative space.

Layered Elements: Attach small clay shapes with score and slip for dimensional designs like holly berries, snowflakes, or winter scenes.

Studio Secrets

→ Batch production: Roll and cut multiple ornaments at once while the clay is fresh. This saves time and ensures consistent thickness across your collection.

→ Use guide sticks: Place wooden slats or guides on either side of your clay when rolling to maintain uniform 5-7mm thickness throughout.

→ Prevent sticking: Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with cornstarch to prevent clay from sticking during rolling.

→ Dry flat on drywall: Place ornaments on pieces of drywall or plaster bats to absorb moisture evenly from both sides and minimize warping.

→ Larger holes for glaze: Make hanging holes slightly larger than needed—glaze will reduce the opening size during firing.

→ Keep it lightweight: Avoid heavy decorations or thick attachments—ornaments should be light enough to hang without straining branches or breaking the hanging hole.

→ Date your work: Stamp or carve the year on the back of each ornament to create meaningful keepsakes that mark time.

Helpful Fixes

Ornaments warping during drying

Clay was rolled unevenly or dried too quickly. Ensure consistent thickness when rolling, and dry slowly under plastic. Placing ornaments on drywall helps draw moisture evenly.

Hanging hole tears or cracks

Hole was cut too close to the edge or while clay was too soft. Position holes at least 5mm from edges and wait until leather-hard to cut them cleanly.

Edges crack during drying

Thin edges dry faster than the center. Cover ornaments loosely with plastic and extend drying time. Smooth edges with a damp sponge at leather-hard stage.

Clay sticks to stencils or cutters

Work surface or tools need lubricating. Dust surface lightly with cornstarch or use a piece of canvas cloth under the clay.

Decorations falling off during firing

Attachments weren't secured properly. Always score and slip both surfaces when adding dimensional elements, and compress joins firmly.

Glaze pooling or running

Glaze was applied too thick or ornament surface wasn't level during firing. Apply thin, even coats and ensure ornaments lay flat in the kiln.

Quick Checklist

Roll clay 5-7mm thick

Cut shapes cleanly

Wait until leather-hard

Smooth edges with damp sponge

Cut hanging hole 5mm from edge

Add decorations with score & slip

Dry slowly under plastic