My Hobby Journey (Part 2)
Next up on my hobby journey: air-dry clay kits. You couldn’t scroll Pinterest last year without seeing these adorable marbled trays and trinket dishes. Naturally, I had to try them.
Marbling Clay Kit – Etsy
This kit was impressive. It came with everything I needed — 12 blocks of Sculpey clay, a knife, glaze, roller, and even a metallic gold pen. The instructions were surprisingly fun and even included a marbling technique using pepper. Yes, pepper. Who knew kitchen spices were part of the crafting world?
Air-Dry Clay Kit – Amazon
You can find it here: https://amzn.to/4pUGK7k
This kit was also fully loaded with tools, paint, varnish, brushes, sponges, and enough clay to make 4–6 pieces. The instructions were good, but I definitely had to consult Google a few times to fill in the gaps.
So… Did I Love Air-Dry Clay?
Kind of. It was relaxing and fun in the moment—which is the whole point of a hobby—but once everything dried, I had several not-so-perfect clay creations staring at me like, “Now what?” And honestly, that’s my biggest struggle with crafts: What do you do with the stuff afterward?! (If someone has the answer, please, enlighten me.)
Then Came Punch Needle… And It Came for Me
I decided to try punch needle kits next, thinking it would be soft and peaceful—like embroidery’s cozy cousin. I was wrong.
My Experience
It was aggressive, my hands hated every second, and I immediately realized this was not my craft. If you have hand pain, arthritis, or any chronic condition—just skip this one. The kits themselves were beautiful, well packaged, and had everything I needed… it just wasn’t for me physically.
Where I Got the Kits
- The Urban Acres (no longer has the exact kit I tried, but they are a wonderful company!): https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheUrbanAcres
- Adjustable Punch Needle Kit – Etsy – lovely company, great products, beautifully put together.
Moral of the story: It’s not them—it’s me. 😉
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
