Polymer Clay

Fimo and clay tips and tutorials

Artist Spotlight: Emma Ralph

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claricebeadcloseup.jpgUK artist Emma Ralph has branched off into many mediums in her beadmaking explorations over the years, but she is still best known for her work in polymer clay.  Collected by jewelry designers around the world, Emma’s work has appeared in numerous publications and in her own polymer clay books, Get Creative with Polymer Clay and Step by Step Polymer Clay in a Day. 

In today’s artist spotlight Emma shares a little bit about her creative journey and inspiration.

What was your first polymer clay project?

I first used Fimo when I was a kid, around 8 or 9 years old. I used it to make a brooch, wrapping some black clay around a “bouquet” of beads on headpins. It looked quite funky as it happens! I must re-create that project one day. But I didn’t really start to use Fimo in earnest until my teens when I started to use it to make beads.

Besides a pasta machine, what polymer clay tool can’t you live without? Wooden toothpicks are my most used tool I think. I use them for piercing beads, supporting beads if I am varnishing them and so on. I also would have a hard time living without my tissue blades and my Kato marxit tool!

What inspires your polymer clay creations?

I have always been inspired by art, craft and the history of design. So really, living in the UK its hard to find something that doesn’t inspire you creatively. With polymer clay though, it is colour that does it for me. I find clay such a perfect medium to explore colour that really I can’t see beyond that these days. My beads are all about playing one colour against another – I never seem to get bored and find myself dreaming up the perfect “Holy Grail” colour combinations!

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Would you share a color recipe with us?

I love to mix custom colours to use as the base of my beads or as canework accents. Particularly I like to mix my colours with a fleshtone base – it creates the most wonderful muted colours. Another favorite trick is to mix a touch of a colour’s complementary colour in with it. It somehow breathes a bit of life and soul into the colour. Try mixing just a touch of orange into apple green – delicious! Just like the leaves of a beech tree in Spring.

You can view more of Emma’s beautiful work on her website.

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[tags]polymer clay, beads, art beads, Emma Ralph, jewelry[/tags]

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Air-Dry Clay Sunflower Trinket Dish Tutorial

There’s something about sunflowers that just makes a house feel happier. Maybe it’s the colour, maybe it’s the fact they’re never trying to be perfect, or maybe it’s just that they remind me of slower afternoons when the kids were little and craft projects actually stayed on the table instead of migrating all over the house. Either way, this air-dry clay sunflower trinket dish has become one of my favourite “gentle crafts” – the kind you make with a cup of tea nearby and no pressure to rush.

This is not a precision project. In fact, the slightly uneven petals and hand-shaped edges are what make it lovely. If you’ve ever avoided clay because you thought it had to look professional or kiln-fired to be worth making, this project might just change your mind. It’s simple, forgiving, and genuinely useful once it’s finished.

Air-Dry Clay Sunflower Trinket Dish Tutorial

This sunflower bowl works beautifully as a ring dish, bedside catch-all, or even a small decorative bowl on a hall table. It also makes a gorgeous handmade gift – especially for someone who appreciates things that look handmade rather than factory-perfect.

What You’ll Need

  • White air-dry clay

  • Rolling pin or glass jar

  • Craft knife or butter knife

  • Simple sunflower petal template (paper)

  • Small bowl (for shaping)

  • Toothpick or skewer

  • Acrylic paints (yellow, brown, a little white)

  • Small paintbrush

  • Clear matte or satin sealer (optional)

Step 1: Prepare the Clay

Start by kneading your air-dry clay until it’s soft and pliable. Roll it out on a smooth surface to around 5–6 mm thick. You want it thick enough to hold its shape, but not chunky.

Cut a rough circle for the base of your bowl. Don’t worry about perfect edges – you won’t see them once the petals are added.

Step 2: Cut the Sunflower Petals

Using your simple sunflower petal template, cut out enough petals to go around the edge of your base circle. Slight variations actually help the finished bowl look more natural, so don’t stress if they’re not identical.

Lightly smooth the edges with your fingers and gently pinch the tip of each petal to give it that sunflower shape.

Step 3: Attach the Petals

Lightly score the edge of your clay base and the bottom of each petal with a toothpick. Press the petals around the edge, overlapping them slightly. Use your fingers to blend the joins so everything feels connected.

This part is quite therapeutic – I usually lose track of time here.

Step 4: Add Texture

Using a toothpick or skewer, gently press fine lines into each petal to create natural-looking veins. Keep the pressure light and irregular.

For the centre of the sunflower, press small dots all over the middle area to mimic sunflower seeds. This texture really comes to life once painted.

Step 5: Shape the Bowl

Place the entire sunflower over an upside-down bowl to give it a gentle curve. Adjust the petals so they sit naturally and don’t fold in awkwardly.

Leave it to air-dry completely. This usually takes 24–48 hours depending on humidity. Turn it carefully halfway through drying so the base dries evenly.

Step 6: Paint the Sunflower

Once fully dry, paint the petals with yellow acrylic paint. I like to add a touch of white to the edges for highlights and a slightly darker yellow near the base of each petal.

Paint the centre brown, then dry-brush a little lighter brown or white over the top to bring out the texture.

Let the paint dry thoroughly.

Step 7: Seal (Optional)

If you want a bit of extra durability, seal your trinket dish with a matte or satin sealer. This is especially useful if it’s going to live near a sink or get daily use.

How to Use Your Sunflower Trinket Dish

  • Ring or jewellery dish by the sink

  • Bedside bowl for earrings and hairpins

  • Entryway catch-all for keys

  • Decorative piece on a shelf or coffee table

Air-dry clay isn’t food-safe, so keep it for trinkets rather than snacks.

This is one of those crafts that looks impressive but doesn’t require special tools, expensive materials, or artistic confidence. It’s approachable, calming, and genuinely satisfying to finish in an afternoon. The end result feels personal and warm – exactly the kind of craft I keep coming back to.

If you’re looking for an easy air-dry clay project that feels cheerful and handmade in the best way, this sunflower trinket dish is a lovely place to start.