A few weekends ago I led a cheerful Mother’s Day workshop at Anthropologie where we made small, colorful trinket dishes. They turned out so cute I wanted to share the simple step-by-step tutorial. The secret material is Model Magic — the lightweight, non-messy air-dry clay many of us used as kids. It’s ideal for quick, fun projects and makes a charming little ring or jewelry dish.
Supplies
- Model Magic
- 4.5″ cookie cutter (or similar round cutter)
- Disposable bowl (to form the dish)
- Rolling pin
- Craft paint
- Wax paper
How to make the dishes
- Take a piece of Model Magic about the size of a little smaller than a tennis ball. Place it on wax paper and roll it with a rolling pin until the sheet is approximately 1/4″ thick.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out a circle from the flattened clay.
- Gently press the circle into the bottom of a disposable bowl, using your fingers to shape it to the curve and form a small lip around the edge.
- Allow the clay to dry in the bowl for about 24 hours, then carefully remove it and place it upside down to continue drying. Let it dry fully for another 24–48 hours. Model Magic dries to a lightweight, firm finish while remaining pleasantly light.
Once the dish is completely dry, decorate with craft paint. You can paint food motifs, emojis, abstract patterns, lips, florals — whatever suits your style. At the event everyone made a totally unique design, which was one of the most fun parts.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
Thanks to Anthropologie for hosting and to everyone who joined the workshop. These trinket dishes are quick, affordable, and great for gifts — perfect for a craft night or a relaxed afternoon project. If you try this at home, share your creation on Instagram with your preferred hashtag so others can see your design.