DIY Clay Letter Gift Tags with Sculpey

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Thank you @Sculpey for sponsoring this post and providing the #fromscratchsquad with 20% OFF during the month of August. All opinions in this post are my own.

Hands down, without a question, one of my absolute favorite craft supplies is oven-bake clay!! I have been using Sculpey clay for years in projects like these jewelry dishes, charms, drink stirrers, terrazzo boxes, and even a giant envelope wall… just to name a few. I am excited to be working with Sculpey to share with you their Souffle clay to make these gorgeous and personalized DIY Clay Letter Gift Tags.

Sometimes giving a gift becomes overwhelming to the point that it takes the joy of the gift-giving away. We focus on how much we are spending, if they are going to like it, but in reality, it really is the effort put into the thought. My most cherished gifts are ones that are not only thoughtful but also very personal. I came up with an idea to do homemade personal DIY Clay Letter Gift Tags because I have been trying to figure out gifts for so many people. We just moved and I wanted to bring something to our new neighbors, my mother-in-law has been so helpful with our move to the new house that I wanted to give her something as a thank you, my mom has been sending me so many things to help decorate my new house, I have friends who have helped watch my kids while we were moving. I’m telling you, it takes a village. What do you get for people who already have everything AND don’t want to store more “things?”

My solution is actually in the gift tag. Whether you decide to buy some flowers, a bottle of wine, or practically any gift, I have come up with a way to outshine any gift by making the gift tag even more special. This gift tag is not only personal because it’s the letter of their name but you can add your own artistic touch, or for those who aren’t so crafty, you can keep it simple.

Make it meaningful! There is something so beautiful and sacred about handwriting. I love adding the personal touch of signing your name on the back of the letter or even writing your favorite quote! It makes it so much more special.

The best part about this craft is that it’s super customizable! It all starts with Sculpey Souffle Clay. This clay is soft and flexible, so it’s easy to work with but it’s also strong and will hold detail. If you like making beads then this is definitely one to try out! The Souffle clay has a beautiful faux suede finish once it’s baked, so it will make your gift tag look extra fancy. I also love that it will stay soft until you bake it and you don’t have to worry about it getting dried out. PLUS it’s safe and non-toxic. Basically we just checked off all the boxes with everything we are looking for in a perfect oven-bake clay for a number of projects.

Supplies:

Sculpey Souffle Clay in desired colors

Wax paper

Rolling Pin

Letter cookie-cutter; mine is 3”

Paint Pen

Acrylic craft paint

Paintbrush

Straw

String or Ribbon

x-acto knife; optional

How To:

Work the Sculpey Souffle Clay into your hands to form a smooth ball

Place the ball of clay in between two sheets of wax paper

Use a rolling pin to roll the clay into a disc that is about ¼ inch thick

Use the cookie cutter to cut out the desired letter

Place the letter onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper

If you plan on hanging the letter then use a straw, or something similar, to poke a hole into the clay to create a place for string or ribbon to go through

Bake according to package instructions: 275 degrees for 30 minutes per ¼ inch thickness. Do not overbake, do not microwave, and make sure your oven is at the proper temperature.

Allow the clay to cool

Once it’s cooled, if you would like to add any additional detail you can use acrylic craft paint or a paint pen

Once the paint has dried, add your string or ribbon through the hole and attach it to your present

Make it meaningful! Add your own personal touch by writing your name on the back or a quote that you love. You can do this with a paint pen! If you want to write a lot, use a fine tip paint pen.

Tips:

If you do not have a letter cookie cutter OR you want to customize the letter you can print out your design onto a piece of paper, cut the paper out, place the paper onto the rolled out clay, and use an x-acto knife to cut out the shape, then bake!

I always highly recommend using an additional oven thermometer that you can place in your oven. Many ovens can run hotter or cooler than they say. Making sure your oven is at the correct temperature will prevent the clay from overbaking.

How to use the gift tag:

Use as a gift tag on an actual gift! You can do this by stringing some ribbon through the hole and tying it onto the gift box.

Wrap it around a bouquet of flowers. Elevate your store-bought flowers by wrapping them in some butcher paper with a bow. Add the letter gift tag with an additional string so it sits in the front of the bouquet.

Hang it on a bottle of wine! Wine is always a good gift idea but if you know someone who doesn’t drink you can always get them a nice bottle of olive oil (personally, I’ll take both!). String some ribbon or twine through the hole and tie it around the top of the bottle.

How to reuse it! The whole purpose of these gift tags is that they serve a bigger purpose than a simple gift tag. It is a gift to remind the person you are giving it to of your gratitude and support for them.

Hang it! The same way that the gift tag was attached to the gift can also be hung.

Turn it into a plant marker/decor in a plant. All you need to do is glue the gift tag onto a popsicle stick or dowel and you instantly have a decoration for your plant.

Attach to a vase or pot with proper adhesive. Turn any vase or pot into art by attaching the gift tag into it. You can do this with an industrial strength glue or a multipurpose glue. If you are attaching it to glass do not use a hot glue gun as it won’t stick.