Air-Dry Clay Heart Napkin Rings for Valentine’s Day

It’s Valentine’s week. If you are hosting a Valentine’s get-together, you may need a quick and easy DIY idea to give your table a colorful boost. I have the cutest air-dry clay heart napkin rings for Valentine’s Day.

If you don’t have time to create a new and fun accent for your table, then still read and save this napkin ring idea for next Valentine’s Day.

What better way to add a personal touch to your romantic dinner (or Galentine’s brunch!) than with handmade decorations?

Embrace your creative side with a charming and super easy DIY project: air-dry clay heart napkin rings!

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Today is our monthly Creative Craft Blog Hop, this month hosted by Donna of Modern on Monticello. She is a great hostess and has created some nifty ornaments made with travel decals.

I love seeing what other creators make. If you also like to get ideas for creative crafts, then this blog hop is for you.

If you are joining me from Sara of Birdz of a Feather, then welcome to Bluesky at Home.

Add Some Love: Crafting Clay Heart Napkin Rings

These adorable napkin rings are not only a fun and engaging craft, but they also bring a heartwarming, handmade touch to your table setting.

You’ll enjoy the smiles on your guests’ faces when they see these little tokens of affection adorning their napkins. My guests thought they were super cute.

I love crafting with air-dry clay. It is incredibly easy to work with, making this a perfect project for crafters of all skill levels – even the little ones can get involved!

So, gather your supplies, and let’s craft some love-filled napkin rings that will make your Valentine’s Day celebration extra special!

This post contains affiliate links to products used to create this project. If you should order any item from this site, I may receive compensation, but you do not pay a penny more. Your purchase is greatly appreciated as it helps support the continued publication of this site.

Supplies for your Valentine Heart Clay Napkin Rings

Here’s what you need to craft charming air-dry clay heart napkin rings for Valentine’s Day:

• Air-dry clay – I use DAS brand.

• Rolling pin – I used a glass bottle.
• Plastic cutting board, parchment paper or wax paper – for your work surface.
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter – mine was 3 inches wide.

• Craft knife or exacto knife – for cutting the amount of clay you need for the project.
• Large skewer, straw or pencil – to make holes for the ribbon
• Metallic paint – I used my favorite brand which comes with 20 different colors.
• Paint brush or foam brush – I used two sizes
• 1/8-wide satin ribbon – I had this ribbon already on hand.

The only thing I had to buy was a new package of air-dry clay, but I only needed a small amount.

Steps to Making the Air-Dry Clay Hearts

Making these air-dry clay hearts is very easy. Once you know the process, you can make almost any kind of air-dry clay project.

Making the Air-Dry Clay Hearts

• Step 1 – Prepare the clay: Cut off an amount of clay to make the number of hearts you want. Roll the clay into a ball, softening the clay.

• Step 2 – Roll out the clay: Use your glass bottle as a rolling pin. Roll the clay and flatten it into a circle or rectangle. The clay should be less than a quarter of an inch thick.

• Step 3 – Shape the heart: Place your heart-shaped cookie cutter on the flattened clay.

• Step 4 – Place the heart cookie cutter to allow for maximum number of hearts for the size of clay you have. Press down on the cookie cutter, then lift up to create the heart shape. Continue on the clay until you have cut as many hearts as possible.

• Step 5 – Remove the excess clay from around the hearts. Roll the excess clay into a ball and reroll to make more hearts. Repeat cutting out hearts until you have the number you need. Lay the hearts on a piece of parchment or wax paper or a clean plastic cutting mat.

• Step 6 – Use the skewer, pencil or straw to make a hole on both sides of the top of the heart shape. Make sure that the hole goes through the clay heart.

• Step 7 – Dry the hearts: Place the finished hearts on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a plastic cutting board. Allow time for them to dry overnight. The next day, turn over the clay hearts and allow the other side to dry. Ensure the hearts are completely dry and firm before using.

NOTE: Allow 24 – 48 hours for your clay to completely dry, depending on the thickness and the size of your project.

• Step 8 – Use a piece of sandpaper to smooth the edges, and tops and bottoms of the hearts.

• Step 9 – Clean off the clay dust from the hearts with a slightly damp paper towel. Place the hearts on a new piece of parchment, wax paper or clean plastic cutting mat. Discard the accumulated clay dust.

Painting the Air-Dry Clay Hearts

• Step 10 – Choose the colors of metallic paint you want to use. I used three colors: pink, white, and gold.

• Step 11 – Paint the back of the heart in white.

• Step 12 – Paint the front of the heart in pink. I used two coats.

• Step 13 – Paint the edges of the hearts in gold with the small brush. I painted two coats.

• Step 14 – Allow the paint to dry thoroughly. This metallic paint is very fast-drying.

Using the Hearts as Napkin Rings

• Step 15 – Thread the ribbon through the holes in the heart, starting at the front and then from the back to front. Roll or fold your napkin and place through the ribbon on the back of the napkin ring heart. Allow enough ribbon to tie a bow on the front of the heart. Repeat with all the clay hearts and ribbon.

Display Your Napkin Rings

Add your napkins and napkin rings to your place setting. Isn’t that pink heart napkin ring a pretty addition to the place setting? Enjoy the compliments.

Want to see the complete pink tulip Valentine’s tablescape? < Click right here.

Other Ways to Use These Air-Dry Hearts

The morning after my Valentine’s dinner, I found the Valentine’s heart napkin rings stacked on the kitchen counter, thanks to one of my guests. I forgot to tell the ladies to take one. I wanted to use them in some way.

I decided to hang them from my four sets of kitchen cabinets. I think they add a special touch to the kitchen.

These clay hearts can be used in other ways. A few weeks ago I made larger clay hearts to use as trinket dishes.

• These napkin rings can also be used as gift toppers, like this cute gift from It All Started with Paint.

• If you have a Valentine’s tree (yes!), use them as ornaments. You can opt to make one hole in the center top of the heart.
• Use long ribbon to hang them on a light fixture over the dining or kitchen table.
• String them as a garland or banner.

Did you like this easy Valentine’s Day clay heart project? Valentine’s isn’t the only holiday to make air-dry clay decorations. I made these for other holidays:

• pumpkin napkin rings
• fall leaf coasters
• cutest Easter eggs

Want to keep this air-dry clay project for future crafts? PIN this post to your Pinterest Boards. Check out my Pinterest Boards, Air-Dry Clay Projects and Valentine’s DIY Projects.

I hope everyone has a delightful Valentine’s week with friends and loved ones.

Now please visit the creations of my Creative Craft blogger friends. Start with Cecilia of My Thrift Store Addiction and her pretty thrift store drawer liners.

The Painted Apron – Rosy Check Gift Tin
Decorate and More with Tip – Cute Easter Wreath
Modern on Monticello – DIY Christmas Ornaments With Travel Decals
Birdz of a Feather – Knitting Needle Necklace
Bluesky at Home – Air-Dry Clay Heart Napkin Rings for Valentine’s Day
My Thrift Store Addiction – DIY Dollar Store Drawer Liners
Tea and Forget-Me-Nots – Painted Valentine’s Candles
Patina and Paint – Cute Easter Bunny
Creatively Beth – Easy Buffalo Plaid Heart Valentine Decor