This Clay Mug Pencil Holder craft project is perfect for kids make as a great gift for Mom or Dad on Mother’s Day.
The entire Clay Mug Pencil holder project will take a few hours, so do it when the kids are ready to sit still.
You should be able to complete the entire craft project for around $15 per child. Cost will depend on the type of materials you decide to purchase.
To Make Clay Mug Pencil Holder Craft Project Your Kids Will Need:
Air Drying Clay Product (Recommendations at the end of the article)
Tempera or Acrylic Paint
Clear Acrylic Spray Paint
Paint Brushes (In a variety of sizes)
Clay working Tools (Recommendations for homemade ones at the end)
To start making your Clay Mug Pencil holder break off a chunk of clay. Have the kids work the clay in their hands until it becomes softer and easier to work with.
The first step is to roll this air-drying clay into a coil. The longer the coil the more you will have to work with. I like my coils to be about ½ inch thick. A little thinner won’t hurt.
Start making the base to your Clay Mug Pencil holder by working the coil around in a tight circle. Work out until you have a circle the size or diameter you would like. Use your fingers and clay tool to rub and spread the clay together. You can also use a little water on a paintbrush to help loosen the clay and make it stick. Don’t go over board with the water though.
When you have finished the base cover it with a piece of plastic wrap and set it aside. You need to keep it moist so you can attach the sides of the mug.
Have the kids break off more clay and make coils again. Use the coils to work up the sides of the Clay Mug Pencil holder. Place the first coil on the base and keep adding to it. Work higher and higher. Use water, clay working tool, and your fingers to smooth the clay and make sure it is firmly attached to the base.
Now, add a handle made out of a coil as well. You can attach this by scratching X’s into the side of the mug where you want the handle to attach. Use a little water to make glue on the surface. Press the clay together with your fingers.
Once you have made your Clay Mug Pencil holder the height you want it to be you can add embellishments like designs carved into the clay. You can also stick buttons, rocks and almost anything into the clay. Air-drying clay does not have to be fired, so be adventurous with your embellishments.
Let you air drying lay dry according to the directions on the package. Once your craft project has completely dried you can let the kids paint it.
Allow the paint to dry thoroughly and then spray the Clay Mug Pencil holder with clear acrylic spray paint. This will seal all if the hard work you kids have put into the craft project. Make sure you spray the inside of the Clay Mug Pencil holder as well.
Homemade Clay Working Tools:
Spray bottle with water (to keep clay damp)
Pencils (or anything with a fine point for details)
Popsicle sticks or plastic butter knifes for smoothing and spreading
Plastic wrap (to drape over the clay and keep it moist)
Quality air drying clay products can be bought at almost any art supply store. Check out ww.dickblick.com, www.pearl.com, and www.michaels.com. Type in “air drying clay” in the search box. They have a nice selection of air drying clay perfect for this craft project as well as many others.
Tip: Always hand wash this Clay Mug Pencil holder craft project to clean it. Do not drink coffee out of it. Your dishwasher will be too harsh for the clay utensil holder.
