DIY Clay Envelope Wall

One of the most special places the Home and Family house is our mailbox wall. It is a place where we get to connect with our viewers and show the power of sending a card in the mail. If you haven’t seen our show, I highly recommend it! It’s a cup of sunshine in the morning and I promise you will walk away feeling happier and having learned something new.

In honor of our mailbox wall, I made a DIY envelope wall out of clay. This is something you can do in your own house!!

Video coming soon!

Materials

• White sculpting clay (oven-bake)

• Pre-existing paper envelope

• Knife

• Straw

• Wax paper

• Rolling pin

• Aluminum foil

• Twine

• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

• Hammer and nails

• Optional:

• rubbing alcohol

• Decorative element to hide nails

  Instructions:
  1. Gently take apart the paper envelope, when laid flat, this is your pattern.
  2. Place a generous sized piece clay of on wax paper and roll the clay out into a slab about ¼” thick. The slab should be big enough for one envelope pattern.
  3. Place your envelope pattern down on the slab and trace with your knife. Once you have your general shape extend each corner point an inch to compensate for the thickness of the clay. 
  4. Cut the envelope shape out of the clay using the knife.
  5. Next form some aluminum foil to support your envelope’s pocket while it bakes, this should be about 1-2” thick and the size and shape of your center rectangle.
  6. Fold the side flaps inward, resting on the foil form.
  7. Fold the bottom flap up, leaving the top of your clay envelope open.
  8. Take a straw and poke a hole about ½” down from the center of the top “flap” of your envelope. 
  a. *You can use the rubbing alcohol to smooth any imperfections in the clay at this point. *
  9. Place on cookie sheet with wax paper and bake according to clay packaging instructions. We baked ours at 275 degrees for 20 minutes.
  10. Once all your envelopes are cool, string the twine through the hole at the top of your envelope and hang as desired!
  11. If you don’t like the appearance of the nail heads, feel free to glue a decorative element on and enjoy!