DIY Air Dry Clay Incense Holder
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I love burning incense. It freshens up my home and helps me unwind after a long day. But I will be honest in saying that I always have a hard time finding an incense holder. Most of the time, I use a plate or stick it in the soil of potted plants to burn my incense.
And that’s why creating my own incense holder made perfect sense. And besides, an air-dry incense holder is so much more practical and stylish.
In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through how I made this fun, artsy incense holder at home.
Tools & Materials
- air-dry clay – you can use any brand but we like using Crayola
- Rolling pin
- Ruler
- Knife
- Round clay cutter (3.5 inches or 9 cm in diameter)
- Needle or toothpick
- Sandpaper
- Acrylic paint (we used white paint)
- Paintbrushes
- Sealer
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Clay
Knead the piece of clay thoroughly, then shape it into a ball.
Step 2 – Roll the Clay
Roll out the clay using the Rolling pin until it is about 1/4 inch (7 mm) thick and approximately 8 inches (20.5 cm) long.
Step 3 – Cut the Clay
Use a knife and ruler to trim the long side of the clay into a 3-inch wide (7.5 cm) strip.
Step 4 – Trim the Short Edges
Use the round clay cutter, or, in our case, a bowl, to trim the short ends of the strip to make them rounded. Smooth out any sharp corners with the knife.
Step 5 – Roll Leftover Clay
Gather any leftover clay and knead it again. Roll the clay into a thin rope about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch (3-5 mm) in diameter. You will use this to create the abstract-shaped face.
Step 6: Create an Abstract Face
With the rope, create an abstract face on the surface of the rolled air dry clay, using water to help attach the clay. Use a needle or toothpick to make a small hole in the upper part of the face to hold the incense stick. Be careful not to pierce the bottom of the dish.
Step 7: Dry and Sand
Allow the dish to dry for about 72 hours. Once dry, use fine sandpaper to smooth the edges.
Step 8: Paint and Seal
Paint the dish as desired. I recommend white for an abstract design but feel free to choose any color. I gave mine three coats of paint.
After the paint dries, seal the dish with your chosen varnish.
Your handmade incense holder is now ready to use!
