In line with the post I made about the homemade passport covers, I also decided that old-fashioned salt dough ornaments would be a really sweet gift for the more old-fashioned relatives. So I made some really cute ones with this pin from pinterest as my inspiration. Sorry this is after Christmas, but I didn't want to ruin a gift surprise for any family members.
So away I went, googling how to make salt dough ornaments, since I had no idea how. This is the BEST site, with the most thorough instructions and a lot of hints, if your batch doesn't turn out properly (although it isn't hard at all). A fool can mix flour and salt. Seriously.
Here is the recipe:
2 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup salt 1/2 teaspoon powdered alum 3/4 cup water Mix all ingredients completely with hands. (If dough is too dry, work in 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons water.) Form shapes as desired. Mark all details (facial features, clothing and the like) on surface of dough with wooden pick or sharp knife before baking. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours. Let them cool
completely before painting.
Some of the best advice from the site I linked above (that I found helpful) is:
- Complete ornaments one or two at a time (don't assembly line) because the dough will dry out. In my case I did 2 at a time. Tedious, but it made for perfect santas!
- A toothpick can help you get finer detail and clean up any "messy" handprints. Heck, getting a sleeping baby to do a perfect handprint is nearly impossible, so you can do touchups.
- A very sharp knife will make the edge very smooth when cutting around the handprint.
- Work right on the cookie sheet to minimize handling, don't try to do the handprint on the counter and then transfer to bake.
- Write the name and year on the back of the ornament so you don't forget what year it was (or in my case, write it on the front!).
- If your edges are still rough after baking, you can use sandpaper to smooth (or even a nail file). This works like a charm!
- Embed a piece of craft wire in the shape of a loop (or a snipped paperclip) so you can hang the ornament easily.
To get Millie's handprint properly, I rolled the dough as recommended and placed a small amount of dough on a cookie sheet. Then I brought the cookie sheet into her room when she was dead asleep and pressed her hand into the dough. Then I brought the cookie sheet back out to the kitchen to cut the shape out into the dough and round the edges a little bit. The only thing I wish I had done differently is really spend the time rounding the edges more and pressing them down instead of leaving them the way they were when I cut around her handprint with a knife.
Here are the steps I followed:
1) Mix the dough
2) Roll the dough to a thickness you like (mine was about .25" thick)
3) Make the handprints
4) Cut around the handprints with a knife to separate the ornaments
5) Insert a wire loop, or the end of a paperclip, so you have a way to hang the ornament (I didn't want to try to make a hole in the dough)
6) Bake per recipe
7) Paint ornaments
8) Repaint ornaments if required (I had to for my white to show evenly)
9) Thinly coat the ornaments with Modge podge, both front and back, in order to seal them (I don't want them to crumble AT all). If the coat doesn't feel like it covered, then use several coats to get a full glossy seal.
Following all the website's instructions helped me get these right the first time. And I sealed with Mod Podge, although I think my first coat was too thick and they are a bit sticky.
When I wrapped them, I made my own small boxes out of cardstock that fit the ornaments properly and then used tissue paper to fill them up so the ornaments would be safe. I also added a picture on the top of the box that has Millie and her first visit with Santa.
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Would this work with polymer clay and bake them for a more permanent ornaments.
ReplyDeleteYes I think polymer clay would work really well for this project! Let me know how it turns out :)
DeleteThis is so nice ….. memories
ReplyDeleteDid you bake your ornaments or let the air dry? If you baked, did you paint before or after baking?
ReplyDeleteI did bake, and I painted after they were baked. Then I coated with modge podge after painting to hold the look. I wonder if you painted before baking, whether the paint would look more vintage or would it discolor badly?
DeleteWhat temp did you bake it? And how long?
Delete250 degrees for two hours....I'll update the post with that...thanks!
DeleteHow do you SEAL the ornament?
ReplyDeleteI just coated the ornament with modge podge after the paint was dry, both front and back.
DeleteBut I bet you could also use a coat of clear spray paint to make them glossy.
DeleteHow much salt dough did the recipe make? I have 22 kids I'd like to do it with so am wondering how many batches I would need...
ReplyDeleteGreat question...I made six ornaments with one batch but probably had enough to make eight. I did throw dough away. So for twenty two kids,I would at least do three batches and perhaps maybe four. I would do each batch separately to ensure the salt is even throughout, rather than try to triple the recipe all at one time. Let me know how it turns out!
DeleteThanks so much!
DeleteWhere can I find the directions?
ReplyDeleteJenny,
DeleteI followed the instructions here: http://www.angelfire.com/mo/creativeclutter/saltornaments.html
The batch I made was perfect the first time around and she has all the specific information about how to make the dough itself. Then I cut to shape of my daughter's handprint, painted, and modge podged. Don't forget to imbed the metal loop before baking so that you can hang the ornament!
Hope you have a great time!
What kind of paint did you use?
ReplyDeleteI used acrylic craft paint.
Deletewhere can you find powdered alum? I've never even heard of it. I saw this on pinterest and went with how the poster said to make it and it turned out very soft like cookies almost, so i would like to try this original recipe. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI found it on the spice aisle of my store. McCormick sells it in their familiar bottles. I've also heard it is used for pickling and could be at a pharmacy or hardware store. I bet this recipe would be fine if you left it out as well.
DeleteOther websites have it without the alum -- just use equal amounts of flour and salt, then half of that water. I used that and it baked fine -- the recipe I found was at 200 for 3 hours, but it wasn't quite cooked though, so next time I'm going to try the 250/2 hr time.
DeleteAlso using "Model Magic" by Crayola might work very well too. I have done alot with that. You can buy the white, and I have painted it with acrylic paints and spray coated it with clear coat spray. I've made Easter baskets that way.
What about using black fabric paint? I'm not quite done with mine, so may try it on one. It might give it a 3D effect.
DeleteAt what temperature and how long do you bake these?
ReplyDelete250 degrees for two hours...sorry I didn't have that in the recipe! I'll update!
DeleteYou can use a straw to make a perfect circle and then thread a ribbon through instead of using the wire or paperclip. Mine are baking right now!
ReplyDeleteWe made these this past Saturday with 14 children.... It was so much fun. The hardest thing was getting them to bake right, I finally put a cookie rack on the baking sheet to get the heat flow all around. My daughter painted them, then we hung them on a board outside and used a clear acrylic spray.
ReplyDeleteWonderful, I'm so glad that you had a great time with them! I assume you mean that you put the cookie cooling rack on the baking sheet to lift the ornaments up so the heat could hit them bottom as well?
DeleteI would love to do this project with my grand daughter as a surprise gift for her mom and dad. Do you think that they need to be baked right away, or could you wait a few hours before baking?
ReplyDeleteI would think if you wrapped them in Saran wrap to prevent them from dying, it might work but you may have a tough time preventing the dough from rising during baking. You could try wrapping in Saran wrap and then refrigerating. Good luck and let us know what you find out!
DeleteDid you paint the whole thing white before you did the black and red?
ReplyDeleteYes I did two coats of white, waiting for the first coat to dry before starting the second. When they dried completely I did the red. When that dried, I used a Sharpie for the black. Then when it was all dry, I sealed with modge podge.
Deletecan you make this without alum?
ReplyDeleteYes and here is a link to someone who did it without.
Deletehttp://www.theimaginationtree.com/2011/06/salt-dough-footprint-keepsakes.html
Hi! I have mentioned you on my blog, and you can see some pics our our attempts too! Thanks for pinning it - have a great Christmas!
ReplyDeletehttp://thepolishedbutton.wordpress.com/2012/12/11/salt-dough-fun/
Hello how long do these ornaments last?
ReplyDeleteHello how long do these ornaments last?
ReplyDeleteMine did great the past year (I made them in 2011). However, I wrapped them in tissue paper, which stuck to the modge podge. It came off easily though.
ReplyDeleteMy husband, who is 43, has ornaments that are still perfectly fine although I don't know the exact recipe he used to make them. They haven't broken at all. It is very cute to see a little salt dough train he made, hung on the tree each year.
Awsome also my cookie sheet is i dk i guess not new has stains will it affect the ornaments? Should i use tin foil?
DeleteI doubt the stains will transfer, but I did use aluminum foil, I believe, because my old sheets had rust. I've since gotten rid of the cookie sheets. So yeah, I would just use some aluminum foil to make sure that they come out perfectly!
DeleteK thank u
DeleteThanks so much for the recipe and pointers! After doing our own handprint ornament, I used your recipe to make a different ornament. Check it out on my blog at www.thegohmans.blogspot.com. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWhat type of paint did you use because mine cracked
ReplyDeleteI used acrylic craft paint after it was completely cool.
DeleteMy paint cracked. What do you use? Acrylic or tempura?
ReplyDeleteAcrylic after the ornament was completely cool. I believe I did two coats of white.
DeleteThanks so much for all of your helpful information. I plan to do these with my 3 grandchildren tomorrow as they have 1/2 from school for conferences as a surprise for their parents.
ReplyDeleteJust reviewing your tutorial! LOVE IT! I used Crayola clay with my kids and nephews. Thanks for all the details!
ReplyDeleteI was looking for some handmade christmas decorations ideas, and I think this can also be used as such, thanks a lot for sharing wonderful ideas with us.
ReplyDeletehow many prints can you do before having to put them in the oven to bake? can you only bake 2 per time at 250 for 2 hours?
ReplyDeletehow many handprints can you do at a time before they have to go in the oven to bake? I am looking to do a batch of 16. can you only bake 2 at a time at 250 for 2 hours??
ReplyDeletebrysmumma - i made 6 and followed the 250 degrees for 2 hours. they all turned out well. let me know how they turned out. note that you should let them cool before doing anything with them. my second batch a year later didn't turn out as well.
ReplyDelete