Time for DIY Rock Placecard Tutorial

Since I started The Violet Hours, my most linked-to post has been the air-dry-clay rock placecards that I made for my wedding. After many requests for a tutorial, here it is!

What you’ll need: white air dry clay, a sponge, cooking oil, small letter stamps, paper towel, q-tip, glossy varnish, sponge brush, parchment paper, rapidograph pen

1. Form clay into an organic rock shape, about 3" long x 2" wide x 1" tall. Smooth with wet sponge and let dry for ten minutes.
2. Dip your finger in olive oil and smear across the surface of the clay. Stamp letters into the clay to spell names (the oil allows for a clean release). Blot oil off with a paper towel, and smooth any dings or divots with a wet q-tip.
3. Let rocks dry completely on parchment paper, which may take a few days due to density of the clay.
4. Using a sponge brush, coat dry rocks with varnish just over the name. This will dry in less than an hour.
5. Using a rapidograph ink pen (the tip is very fine and almost functions like a syringe dispensing ink), fill in the letters with dark ink.
6. Let ink dry and coat entire rock surface with a final coat of varnish.

Comments

[Sandee]

mine sits proudly on my shelf of best loved things!!!

[SF]

What size rapidograph pen did you use?

[lila]

Just found your blog - amazing! Thanks for posting a tutorial for your place cards - I am seriously going to use this for my wedding! :D Do you think you could use a lighter-colored ink for the lettering fill-in? We have a pale pink/pale green theme going with our wedding and I would love your opinion on whether a green ink might be too non-descript against the white clay?

Thanks so much!

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[Alissa]

These look great! I am tempted to try!

[jackie]

I am trying to make these for my wedding and am having some trouble. I bought the metal 3mm alphabet stamps and they seem really small. What size were your rubber stamps? Also, what size rapidograph pen did you use? I am using a 0.25 3X0 and it seems to be ok but the clay is taking a few days to dry. Does this sound normal? Thank you so much for giving me such a wonderful idea that my guests will hopefully love!