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This post is by contributor Sammie!
Valentine’s Day can be a special time to put a smile on the face of family members with these adorable Valentine Salt Dough Keepsake Handprints! They don’t take long to make, but can be a wonderful keepsake to hold on to for years to come. You only need three ingredients to make them, and some paint.
To make salt dough, you will need:
1 cup salt
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
In a large bowl, combine the three ingredients, and mix until a firm dough forms. If it’s way too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. If the mixture is too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until the desired consistency is met. It’s not a picky recipe, and is quite forgiving on the measurements.
Form your design (we chose a heart for Valentine’s Day) using a large cookie cutter, or your hands. Keep in mind, you will need your dough to be fairly thick for the handprint to show up nicely in the salt dough.
After you’ve formed your dough, press your little one’s hand into the dough. If your baby is anything like mine, you will have to be fast, as they will want to grab the dough and squeeze it. Don’t worry about getting it perfect.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 2-3 hours (depending on the thickness of your design) at 200 degrees. Flip your design while cooking for best results. Once your design is dry (you will notice the dough will get lighter in color) remove from the oven, and allow it to cool.
Once the design is cool, paint the entire top of the design using acrylic paint. Make a smooth coat, and allow it to dry. Using a different color, paint only the indention of your baby’s handprint. This will help the important part stand out, and will help mask any imperfections as well. Once both paint coats are dry, coat with a layer of mod podge.
Allow to dry thoroughly before gifting to your loved one. Enjoy making this cute keepsake with your baby. Making and giving treasures that will be wonderful memories for years to come is definitely a rewarding project!
About the author:
Sammie is a wife, mom-of-two, and long-term lover of kids and hands-on activities! She loves learning through play, and allowing kids to learn without knowing they’re learning. She also believes that learning isn’t something boring, or something that fades with age, but is something that should happen every single day, for the rest of our lives!
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