I love making gifts for friends, and since most of have my friends are now the proud owners of stamped spoons or wood-burned cutting boards, I had to come up with another gift idea where I could still include a personalized, handmade touch.

When I was younger, I used to play with polymer clay to make super rad beaded jewelry to go with my Yaga and Stussy oversized t-shirts.  Just as my style has evolved [thankfully…], so has polymer clay and now it can be used for more sophisticated crafts!  These personalized ring dishes make the perfect gift for Mother’s Day, birthdays, and even bridesmaids’ gifts! They’re great to place on a nightstand or near a sink to ensure that jewels are kept safe–and look good while doing so.

Roll out your clay using your clay roller to approximately 1/4″ – 1/2″ thickness.

Using either a small bowl or a circular cookie cutter, cut out a circle.  I didn’t have a cookie cutter, so I used a small plastic bowl and cut around it with a dinner knife.

Smooth out any rough edges using either your fingers of the flat side of your knife.  Stamp your letters, pressing gently so that you don’t stamp all the way through the clay.

I then put the clay into a oven-safe bowl, so that it will take the form of the bowl.  I also made three small balls with extra clay to use as feet later.  I put the feet on a saucer and baked everything in a 275 degree oven for about 20 minutes.  Let the clay cool completely before handling.

Once the clay has cooled, I used a gold leaf pen to paint the edges, and then I traced the inside of each letter so that the monogram stood out.  You could also paint the dish with acrylic paint, make a design, the options are endless! After I finished embellishing the dish, I glued the feet I made earlier using E6000 adhesive.  Once the adhesive has dried, your dish is ready for use!