DIY Air Dry Clay Flower Frogs

DIY Air Dry Clay Flower Frogs. Looking for a fun craft project, and a simple way to display flowers? Then you’re going to love making these air dry clay flower frogs. You won’t believe how easy it is to create small arrangements using these little vase topper frogs.

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DIY Air Dry Clay Flower Frogs

I have a small collection of traditional flower frogs from glass, to cage, to the pincushion variety. However the only one I actually use to aid in flower arranging from time to time is the glass frog. The rest I have out on display.

With the vase topper frog, I now have the option of creating small container arrangements with all types of small flowers. Are you ready to make some air dry clay flower frogs too? Let’s get to it!

Supplies And Shopping Links

• • white air dry clay
  • assortment of clay tools
  • flower cookie cutters
  • acrylic roller
  • clear gloss spray sealer
  • pen caps and straws
  • small bowl of water and sponge
  • fine sand paper
  • plastic bag or plastic wrap
  • acrylic craft paint and small paintbrush

Instruction For Air Dry Clay Flower Frogs

1. Remove a small amount of clay from your package or tub and form it into a ball. For this project I’m using Crayola Air Dry Clay which you can find here. (Be sure to store your clay in an air tight plastic bag or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.)
2. Place clay on your work surface, and roll it out with an acrylic roller to your desired thickness.
3. I’m using two flower shaped cookie cutters to create my smaller flower frogs. For the larger flower frog you can use a small plate or bowl as your cutting guide depending on the size you want.
4. To make holes I’m using the cap off a Tide to Go stick and plastic straws. You can also use large pen caps to make a variety of hole sizes to create a pattern or just make random holes.
5. Carefully lift your clay frog off your board, so you can clean up the edges.
6. I like to keep a wet sponge in a bowl next to my work area. That way I can dampen my fingers with water to smooth out the clay and fix imperfections.
7. Carefully lay your clay pieces out to dry. Turning them over every few hours or so to help in the drying process. I placed the larger round flower frog over a bowl to give it a slight curve.
8. Allow clay to dry 24 hours or longer depending on the thickness of the clay, before painting or sealing.

Painting Your Flower Frogs

Since I was pretty much experimenting with these flower shaped frogs, I decided to try different paint designs. The easiest option is to paint your clay frog a solid color. Be sure to paint the top and bottom and inside the openings to help seal the clay.

I painted one with a solid green acrylic craft paint, and the other two a solid white. Then I went back adding little light blue dots using the handle point of my paint brush. The smallest flower shaped frog has some very simple pink petal squiggles.

Painting designs is completely optional, since not much of the design is going to show anyway. Plus you may not want other colors to distract the eye from your pretty flowers. That’s why I’m leaving the round clay frog in it’s natural clay color.

After you finish creating your air dry clay frogs, and the paint is completely dry, you will want to seal them. I’m using Rust-Oleum Painter’s Touch 2X in clear gloss which you can find here. Apply two coats to the top and bottom of both the natural clay finish and painted finish frogs. Be sure to follow the manufacturers directions, and use in a well ventilated area.

Creating Small Flower Arrangements

The flowers in these mini arrangements have mainly straight slender stems. I have freesia, dianthus, ranunculus and a few greenery stems.

For the kitchen table centerpiece I’m using a variety of containers on a bread board. My favorite is the pressed glass mug that I’ve had since childhood. I’ve always loved using it to hold marbles, pennies or other found objects.

On three short glass containers I’m using the air dry clay flower shaped frogs. It’s by far the easiest arrangement I’ve ever created and with just a few flowers. The overall look is rather sweet and airy with these delicate looking flowers. Don’t you love it?!

What I like best about using the flower frog topper is that it prevents the top heavy blooms from falling over.

The glass vase with the natural clay flower frog is a simple arrangement too. This one is made up of pink and purple freesia with more of the greenery stems. When arranging this bouquet I’m using all the openings in the frog to space out the stems. I can’t wait to try zinnias, daisies, small dahlias and experiment with different greenery.

More Air Dry Clay Projects

• Bird Trinket Dishes With Air Dry Clay
• How To Make An Air Dry Clay Garland
• DIY Clay Flower Garland

Be sure to follow Thistle Key Lane on Pinterest, where the boards are up to date with my favorite seasonal inspiration!

Thank you so much for visiting today. I hope you will have fun experimenting with this project too.

Cheers!

©2024 DIY Air Dry Clay Flower Frogs post first appeared on Thistle Key Lane.