DIY Homemade Plate for My Grandma (made with Air-Dry Clay)

To start, it’s important to decide what size you want your plate to be.

I wanted my grandma to be able to serve medium-sized cakes on it, but at the same time I didn’t want it to be too big and inconvenient to handle. In the end, my plate measured 26 cm in diameter, which felt like the perfect balance.

Another important factor is thickness. After all, we want the plate to be sturdy — especially if it will be used for serving food and handled often. But again, I didn’t want it to be too heavy, so I designed the plate to be about 1.2 cm thick.

With the measurements decided, it was time to get to work!

An important step is working on top of something that allows you to move the plate later, especially if you need to transfer it somewhere else to dry. I used a sheet of parchment paper, but if you have a glass or porcelain base, that’s even better.

There are two reasons for this:

• it prevents the plate from deforming when you move it

• and parchment paper can wrinkle slightly with moisture, which may leave some small texture marks on the bottom of the plate

I cut a 26 cm circle of parchment paper to use as a template. Then I rolled out the clay until it reached the desired thickness, cut the circle using the template, and smoothed the edges with a slightly wet finger.

Since my plate is meant to look like a pie, it needed a pie-style crust border! I decided to make a braided design.

I started by making it separately. I rolled two clay “snakes” and twisted them together, trying to keep them tightly wrapped so the braid wouldn’t unravel. I even twisted them once more after braiding to help secure the shape. Then I gently smoothed it with a damp finger.

To attach it to the plate, I made small scratches all around the edge of the clay circle — this helps the pieces bond together. I then used slip as glue (a mixture of clay and water in roughly equal parts).

After that, I wrapped the braided border around the plate and sealed the join using more slip. A brush helps a lot in this step! I smoothed everything out with my finger.

At this point I had a small incident, because the clay I used for the border was slightly dry. This caused some cracks when I twisted the clay strands — but a crafty ladybug never panics!

I simply brushed some slip over the entire border to fill and seal those cracks, and in the end they completely disappeared.

And just like that, the pie — I mean, the plate — started taking shape!

I then left it to dry completely before painting (about 2–3 days). I know it can be very tempting to start painting right away, but it’s really important to let the clay dry fully.

Stay strong!

After what felt like forever, the plate was finally ready to come to life!

For painting, I used acrylic paint. It doesn’t need to be food-safe because the varnish will seal and protect the surface.

To start, I used a ruler to draw the classic pie lattice pattern — the little squares where the jam shows through. Since I wanted the plate to look natural, I didn’t measure everything perfectly and instead followed the general direction of the lattice pattern.

I painted each square a deep burgundy red, and to create a jam-like look I used a watered-down acrylic technique, almost like watercolor.

To make this paint, I mixed acrylic paint with water in roughly a 2:1 ratio. The goal is to create a slightly transparent paint that still keeps a vibrant color. If you want the color to be more translucent, just add more water.

I painted shadows in the jam the best I could (I have to admit my watercolor skills aren’t exactly advanced, but I followed my heart!) and at the end I added some shine using small strokes of a lighter red color.

Once the jam was finished, I moved on to the pie crust.

Same technique: I painted the whole crust with a base color first, and then added depth using the diluted paint. A helpful tip here is to pay attention to the direction of the pie strips when painting shadows.

If you’re unsure, you can always follow the reference photo of my plate.

Don’t forget to add a few darker touches to give the crust that beautiful golden baked look, like a pie fresh out of the oven.

And finally came the most stressful part of this entire process…

The varnish.

I had never used epoxy varnish before, and well… what a journey!

The thing is, applying this type of varnish can be quite delicate. There are several things to keep in mind while working fairly quickly, since you don’t want the varnish to start curing before you finish applying it.

With that said, I’ll walk you through what I did and share a few tips to make your experience a little less stressful:

• First things first, put on your gloves!
• Start by preparing the varnish, mixing both components (if applicable) according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• This entire process needs to be done fairly quickly, as epoxy varnish begins to cure fast.
• It’s best to pour the varnish into a disposable cup and apply it using an old brush that you don’t mind throwing away afterward. Epoxy is not easy to clean unless you have the proper solvent.
• Protect your workspace (for example, with a plastic bag or sheet) to avoid accidents.
• Apply thin layers, making sure to cover all the details and crevices of the plate.
• Let each layer dry for at least 24 hours before applying the next one.
• Elevate the plate using a small cup so you can varnish it without it sticking to the surface.
• If you notice air bubbles, try to remove them quickly with a toothpick before the varnish starts curing.
• And most importantly: be patient. This process can be slow and a bit frustrating, but it’s absolutely worth it in the end!

6. And the Plate is Ready!

Once I finished applying varnish to both sides, the plate was finally complete!

I let it dry for about 7 days before gifting it to my grandma. Ideally, the plate should sit for around one full month before being used, so the varnish can fully cure and there’s no risk of contamination.

Mistakes I Made So You Don’t Have To

As expected, I ran into a few struggles while making this plate — and of course I’m sharing them so you don’t have to go through the same thing!

Mistake #1 — Red Paint Bleeding Into White Letters

The red filling paint bled into my ivory “icing” letters after varnishing. It honestly broke my heart a little, because they looked so perfect before…

But after looking at the plate for a while, I realized it actually gave it a slightly more rustic, handmade look (trying to see the bright side!).

Moral of the story: if I were to make this plate again, I would seal the paint first with one or two layers of regular varnish before applying the epoxy.

Mistake #2 — Don’t Leave Resin Cups Outside…

As I said… epoxy varnish was an experience.

Besides the stress of applying it, the result wasn’t perfectly smooth — and that’s okay! It just proves that the plate is truly handmade.

That said, here’s what happened:

 And then… the real chaos moment:

I left a cup with leftover varnish on my balcony, and when I came back, it was on the floor. Of course it spilled, and yes — I had a mini panic attack.

But after a quick search, I managed to remove it using acetone, and it worked!

Lesson learned.

Mistake #3 — Measure Carefully

While mixing the varnish components, my scale turned off halfway through the process…

Getting the correct ratio is very important, because incorrect measurements can affect how the varnish cures.

Luckily, everything turned out fine in my case — but definitely don’t risk it!

Final Thoughts

The final step of this DIY was gifting it to my grandma — and of course, she loved it.

Yes, it’s not a factory-perfect plate, but it’s handmade, unique, and full of love… and that’s what truly matters.

This was definitely one of the most complex DIYs I’ve made so far, but it was also an incredible experience. A real journey, full of learning moments.

It’s when we step outside of our comfort zone that we grow, learn new things, and open the door to so many new possibilities.

Let’s Chat!

Let me know what you think of this DIY in the comments — and tell me if you would try it yourself!

If you have any questions or want to share your own experience, you are more than welcome. I absolutely love hearing your feedback!

See you next time! Ladybug out!