DIY Clay Leaf Bowl & Leaf Accents for Thanksgiving Styling

In this tutorial, I’m showing you how to make a DIY clay leaf bowl and leaf accents for Thanksgiving styling. Using IOD and Redesign moulds, you’ll learn how to shape a maple leaf into a little bowl and create coordinating accents that can be tied onto napkins, wrapped around candles, or tucked into a fall table setting. These simple handmade touches add charm and warmth to any Thanksgiving gathering or cozy autumn display.

📽️ You can follow along step-by-step in the video below!

 

Supplies You’ll Need For Your Leaf Bowl & Leaf Accents

Here’s everything I used for this project (feel free to swap in what you already have at home):

• IOD Moulds – Oak Leaves & Acorns, Autumn Cottage
• Redesign Mould – Falling Leaves
• Air dry clay
• Fast dry resin
• Behr Wax – Clear, Dark, and White
• Rub ’n Buff in Leaf Gold
• Fusion Mineral Paint – Cashmere, Ironclay, Conservatory
• Paint brushes & wax brushes
• Baby wipes & paper towel

Step-by-Step: Making the Leaf Bowl & Accents

(This is a brief step-by-step — see the video tutorial for full details!)

1. Mould & Shape – Press air dry clay into your leaf moulds. For the bowl, shape a maple leaf into a small dish form. For the leaf charms, I used fast drying resin.
2. Dry & Refine – Allow the clay to dry fully or cure. I then drilled holes in the resin leaf charms so that they were easier to hang.
3. Paint Layers – Brush on your Fusion Mineral Paints, in your choice of colors. I used Cashmere, Ironclay, and Conservatory.
4. Wax Finish – Use clear, white, and dark Behr wax to highlight veins and textures.
5. Golden Touches – Add Rub ’n Buff in Leaf Gold for a soft shimmer.

How to Style Your DIY Leaf Bowl & Accents

These little handmade pieces can be styled so many ways for Thanksgiving and fall:

• At the table – Place a mini pumpkin or name tag in each leaf bowl at your Thanksgiving table setting.
• Napkin rings – Tie a ribbon through a clay leaf accent for a charming napkin holder, or just simple slide the stemm under your napkin ring like in the photos.
• Around the home – Hang leaf accents onto a vase, a candle, or tied onto a basket for a seasonal touch.
• As gifts – Add them to a hostess baskets for something extra special.

Watch the Tutorial

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Grace,
Kimberly