Clay Wall Pocket DIY

This super easy wall pocket is made using air dry clay and a free template to create a handmade piece of home decor.

I was looking for a neat piece of decor to hang above my desk. And, I had seen wall pockets floating around the internet before, so I decided to create my own.

This handmade clay wall pocket is a win-win. It’s a pretty and vintage-inspired piece of home decor and is also functional. It can hold dried flowers, office supplies or even your glasses!

Did you know that wall pockets were invented in the late 1800s in Pittsburgh, PA by a glass artisan named Washington Beck. They were created to hold cut flowers and other small items. You can read more about that story here.

Now, it’s time we get to the tutorial on these pretty wall pockets that are easy peasy to create and can be made with inexpensive air-dry clay.

Wall Pocket Clay Supplies

I usually try to keep the supply list small, and this one seems rather long! However, many of these items you may already have in your home.

• Air Dry Clay
• Snack Container
• Free Template
• Flower Molds
• Butter Knife
• Scissors
• Parchment Paper
• Rolling Pin
• Plastic Wrap
• Jute Twine or String
• Straw

Roll Out the Clay for Template

First, cut out the template using your scissors.

Pull off a chunk of clay large enough for your template and place it on the parchment paper.

I flattened mine out with my fingers before getting my rolling pin out.

Next, get another piece of parchment paper, place it over the clay, and roll the clay out with the rolling pin.

You want the clay to be about 1/4 inch thick and as uniform as possible. Mine is looking a little lumpy here. 😅

Place the template onto the clay and cut out around it using a butter knife. Don’t worry about it being perfect, we’ll fix that in the next few steps.

I ended up turning mine over and using the underside since it was flatter and less lumpy.

Now dip your finger in a little bit of water and run it along the edges to smooth them out. You can also smooth out any lumps in the clay this way, so that your pocket is more uniform.

The back part of the clay wall pocket is complete!

Form the Front Part of the Pocket

Now it’s time to form the pocket part of your wall hanger.

Get out the snack container, this little container works perfectly to make the front pocket.

Roll out a clump of clay again to about 1/4-inch thickness. Then cut off the side to make a straight line for the top of the pocket.

Cover the snack container with plastic wrap. Then, place the snack container onto the front of the backside of the pocket.

Make sure you have some room on the sides and beneath the container to adhere the clay.

Put the other piece of clay over the snack container. Press the clay down around the sides and bottom of the container.

Trim the excess clay off the front of the pocket. Dip your finger in water and use it to adhere the clay to the bottom piece and smooth it out.

Using a straw, poke holes in the top of the pocket where you want to attach the string or twine.

Now onto the pretty step in this project!

Use Flower Molds to Pretty Up the Pocket

Now comes the fun part of the project!

Using the silicone flower molds, choose some flowers to place on the pocket. Press a bit of clay into one of the flowers on the mold.

Then using the little container of water, dip your finger into it and rub the water on the back of the flower. Place the flower on the pocket and make a cute design.

I placed a few at the top of the pocket…

And some on the front of the pocket. I love these little flower molds!

Allow Air Dry Clay Wall Pocket to Dry Completely

Allow the front pocket to dry for 1-2 days. Then gently remove the snack container, and the plastic wrap. Make sure it’s at least partially dry so it doesn’t crumble when you remove the container.

It will not be fully dry at this point and you may have to smooth the clay with a bit of water if there is a line from the container.

Apply 2 Coats of Mod Podge to Seal the Clay

Apply two coats of mod podge to the front and back of your wall pocket. Be sure to put two coats of mod podge on the inside of the pocket as well.

Allow the mod podge to dry for a day or two, then you can attach your string or twine to hang the pocket.

Attach Jute Twine or String to Hang the Pocket

Tie the jute twine to the holes in the pocket knotting them a few times.

Since the ends of the twine were sticking out, I applied a little mod podge to them and adhered them to the loop. Bread ties stabilized them while they dried.

However some of the plastic of the bread ties stayed put on my twine when I took them off, so I had to scrape that off with my fingernail.

Hang Your Newly Created Wall Pocket

Now its time to hang your original and unique wall pocket. What will you put in yours? ☺️

Final Thoughts on Clay Wall Pocket DIY

Well, is this a project you’d like to try? I plan to dry out a few sprigs of lavender and place them in my clay pocket.

This pocket is not waterproof, so only dried or faux flowers should go in inside. You could also place pens, glasses, office supplies etc in your pocket.

Mine is hanging above my little secretary desk. If you want to read about that project, check out this secretary desk redo post!

All in all, this was a simple project to complete, and the longest part was allowing the clay to dry.

Just be careful when you move it if it isn’t fully dry, since the top part of mine cracked a bit where it was connected to bottom portion. A little clay repair solved that!

I love that you can customize your pocket any way you like using the pretty silicone flower molds. Make different variations for family and friends and give them out for holidays!

If you have any questions, please post them down in the comment section. And, as always, thanks so much for reading!

Now it’s time to grab a package of air-dry clay, free printable, flower molds and a few other supplies to create a unique clay pocket perfect for pretty home decor.

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