Muse & Schmooze: Clay Crafts for Cooler WeatherFall weather has me thinking about getting out my sweaters, making soup (it’s the beginning of crock pot season!) and clay. Why clay, you ask? Well, aside from the physically and mentally cathartic aspects of digging into a ball of clay, it’s a good art form once it gets colder outside since much of it requires baking in a hot oven or kiln. Intrigued, but not sure where to start? Check out these options:

Air-dry clay
This light-weight option is less intimidating than more “serious” clay because it’s super pliable and just needs to dry overnight, no kiln required. It’s the ideal material for stamping with leaves or other fall objects; try making a bowl, wall hanging or even your own pumpkins.

Polymer clay
There’s still no kiln required for polymer clay, which bakes in your home oven. (Try FIMO or Sculpey brands.) It’s the perfect malleable material to make your own dreidel as we head into winter and Hanukkah!

Pottery
You can take it to the next level with pottery, which is a fun way to make something more permanent. In fact, you can learn to use the pottery wheel and create your own food-safe chicken soup bowl with the New Center NOW DIY Arts Circle on Oct. 26 or Nov. 16 at Mudflat Studio.

Precious metal clay
This clay, which is pricier than most, comes in metallic colors and turns into metal in the kiln. (I wouldn’t try this one without taking a class first, though!) Known commonly as PMC, this clay is an amazing Japanese invention that you can use to make custom jewelry designs using a homemade mold, finger print or other texture you like (see my sample, above!). Interested in learning this technique? Let me know in the comments!

This post has been contributed by a third party. The opinions, facts and any media content are presented solely by the author, and JewishBoston assumes no responsibility for them. Want to add your voice to the conversation? Publish your own post here. MORE