Whether you are newly engaged or have been married for a while (or just have a special piece of jewelry!), trinket dishes are inexpensive, beautiful, and fun to make. Make our DIY engagement ring bowl for yourself or as a gift for someone else. It’s so practical and pretty!
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Supplies for a DIY Engagement Ring Bowl
- Clay in various colors (available here)
- Metallic gold acrylic paint (available here)
- Paint brushes
- Knife
- Rolling pin or another device to flatten clay by rolling
- Circular cookie cutter
- Bowl of the size and shape you would like your bowl to be
- Oven to bake bowl
- Cookie sheet or pan for baking
- Nonstick, clean surface
How to Make an Engagement Ring Bowl
First, decide how much of each clay color you’d like to use. The clay comes with striations for easy cutting, and for this dish, I used:
- One full stripe of white clay
- Half stripe of gray clay
- Half stripe of beige clay
- Quarter stripe of black clay
I like a more natural look for the bowls, so I like to concentrate on the more neutral colors as the bulk of the clay. Then, for this bowl, I added the following colors:
- Half stripe of green clay
- Quarter stripe of yellow clay
After portioning the clay, I used the “snake” method of rolling it in my hands—you know, the one we all learned in preschool? It’s kind of fun, actually! I randomly created segments of about the same length and laid them out.
Once laying them out, I squished them together and then twisted them. This is a process, and the more you twist, the more “marbled” your bowl will look.
I suggest doing this 2-3 times. Once you are done, you can roll the whole bit of clay up into a ball. Mixing will help your ring bowl look naturally marbled.
Then, use a rolling pin or round object to flatten out the clay to about 1/4″ thick.
Depending on the size of the dish you’d like, use a cookie or biscuit cutter (or another object) to press out a circular shape in the rolled-out clay.
This next part was a bit hard to photograph, but basically, take the existing bowl and use it as a template for your own dish. Depending on the one you choose, you can use the inside or outside of the bowl as a guide.
You can also try to freehand your engagement ring dish. If you want to bake the bowl in the oven along with your clay, please be certain that it is made of a substance that can withstand oven temperatures.
Then, bake your engagement ring bowl!
The clay is recommended to be baked at 275 degrees F for 15 minutes per 1/4″ thickness of clay. Preheat your oven, and do not overbake.
Once your bowl is finished, let it cool, and finish off the edges with your metallic paint. I LOVE how this looks—it really gives it a polished edge worthy of your engagement ring.
Final DIY Ring Bowl Results
It would make a nice gift, and the variety of colors is endless. These dishes look so natural and difficult to make, but I promise they are really easy!
Craving more DIY inspiration? We have a ton!! Check some out here.
UPDATE: My daughter had a friend over, and I had leftover clay, so we made some extra bowls. I really love how these are turning out. Take a peek below!
FAQ About Making a Marbled Clay Ring Dish
How to make a ring dish?
Start by rolling out your clay to the desired thickness, then use a circular cutter to shape it. You can also use your hands to mold the clay into a dish shape if you prefer. Once you’re happy with the shape, let the clay dry completely (air or oven, depending on the clay) before painting or sealing it.
How much clay for a ring dish?
How much clay do you need to make a bowl? The amount of clay you’ll need for a ring tray will depend on the size marbled ring dish you want to make. As a general rule, you’ll need about 1/4 to 1/2 pound of clay for a small to medium-sized ring bowl.
How thick clay for jewelry dish?
Aim for a thickness of about 1/4 to 1/2 inch. This will provide enough sturdiness to hold your jewelry while still allowing for a delicate appearance.
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