Salt dough

[bunyip]

Help me please.

I'd like to make some handprints in salt-dough, which can then be made into little Mothers' Day gift plaques by hardening, painting and varnishing.

I've no idea where to start.

Is there a good recipe for salt-dough which will hold the print and dry hard? Do I air-dry the dough or bale it to harden it? How? (Bloke alert: if this involves an oven, I need to know the temperature setting, bake time, etc.)

Anything else I need to consider?

Thanks. :thumbsup:

[natlou82]

I have tried this a couple of times although I'm definitely still a novice so there may be better advice than mine. There's a few recipes on the net. I chose the easiest one - I'm pretty sure it was half a cup salt, half a cup flour and a quarter cup of water. Kneed it then do what idea you wish. I put a straw through mine at that stage to make a hole for a ribbon. Bake on a none stick tray at about 100c it's very low. Beware it takes ages though to fully bake. Good luck :-)

[moggy]

I find air-dry clay gives much better results and does not need the long baking.
I use the 'DAS White Modelling Clay 1kg'
If you seal the packet well it saves for another day too.

[Little Dots]

Salt Dough Handprints - The Imagination Tree (http://theimaginationtree.com/2010/10/salt-dough-handprints.html)

This is a good one with clear instructions, in general the imagination tree is pretty good and if ever in doubt i just search it on pinterest and itll send me to what I need. I second air dry clay though, ive used the white one for sdanta hand prints as christmas gifts although depends how much you want to spend, salt dough is lots cheaper! x

[natlou82]

Ooh thanks Moggy I put that modelling clay on my Amazon wish list a while ago. I think it's time to move it to my basket. I'd much rather air dry if possible :-). See Bunyip I knew there'd be better ideas than mine.

[bunyip]

Maybe I need fresh air-dry clay. I got some from a community craft store and it was extremely hard work. Rolled and kneaded it for ages and it simply kept crumbling apart. :( It wasn't vac-wrapped but came in an allegedly sealed plastic tub. Possibly the seal had gone?

[moggy]

Maybe I need fresh air-dry clay. I got some from a community craft store and it was extremely hard work. Rolled and kneaded it for ages and it simply kept crumbling apart. :( It wasn't vac-wrapped but came in an allegedly sealed plastic tub. Possibly the seal had gone?

Air-dry clay is harder to knead than salt-dough, more for the adult than a little child to do to get it started, but it shouldn't crumble apart so I think that tub you had was a bit dried-up.

[Kiddleywinks]

I tried baking salt dough - it bubbled
I tried again on a lower setting and for longer - it bubbled
I tried again on another setting for about 6 hours, turning over every hour to help stop the bubbling - yup....it bubbled

I tried 'air drying' - it took .....f..... o..... r..... e..... v..... e..... r......, but they didn't bubble :clapping:

Last year, I took to air drying them in the airing cupboard over a winter weekend - That worked! :clapping::clapping:

I also found rolling them a bit thinner than I thought they should be helped too (about 5-8mm)

I use 1 cup plain flour, 1/2 cup of salt, and up to 1 cup of boiling hot water (sometimes use all of it, sometimes less)

I mix the salt and half the cup of hot water together to dissolve the salt a bit, and stop it being so grainy.
Add all the flour, mix together and add more hot water if needed