Time seems to disappear in a blink of an eye these days! It's so important to have sentimental pieces like this because you'll never be able to re-live those cherished years of your child's life. To make these footprint keepsakes, you only need a few ingredients and its so easy! It's a great gift for grandparents and relatives. My husband is very mushy, so its a great gift for those kind of guys too ;)
Supplies
- Salt
- Flour
- Water
- Knife
- Rolling pin
- Acrylic Paint: White, Black, Red, Yellow and Grey
- Sharpie (if you want to add any wording to the back)
Directions
- Make Salt Dough
Salt dough recipe:
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup plain flour
- Half a cup of warm water
- Mix together in large bowl and knead it until smooth and stretchy. This last part is important otherwise the dough remains sticky and quite granular from the salt. If it is still too sticky add a bit more flour, if too dry and crumbly then add a tiny touch of water. A little bit of trial and error is needed but is easy to do!
2. Start out by making two small dough balls and then roll out dough on counter to create 2 separate circles (When I first made them the thicker ones were easier to make prints on but once they were baked they also rose the most. The thinner ones had the best indention of the print once baked- they will turn out fine either way because you will be painting them which will enhance the print).
3. Take the child’s foot and with even pressure create an impression in the dough. (Be careful not to press to hard or you will push through the dough)
4. With a knife carefully cut around the edges of the print. Once it's cut out, the edges will be harsh so with your finger softly mold the edges to a rounded shape. If needed, wet your finger with water to make the dough more workable.
5. Bake prints in the oven at 100 degrees for 3-4 hours.
6. After prints cool, paint around the edges with white to emphasize each foot print. Paint one print yellow and one red.
7. Once the first layer of paint has dried, turn prints upside down so that the heel is at the top and use black paint to create the details of the bumble bee and lady bug. I used both a paint brush and tooth pick to create details. (Small amounts of white and red paint were also used in detailing) Don't forget to write your child's name on the back of the footprint along with the date!
7. Once the first layer of paint has dried, turn prints upside down so that the heel is at the top and use black paint to create the details of the bumble bee and lady bug. I used both a paint brush and tooth pick to create details. (Small amounts of white and red paint were also used in detailing) Don't forget to write your child's name on the back of the footprint along with the date!
8. After pint has dried completely seal each print using any type of finishing spray or sealer. (modge podge, polyurethane etc.)
9. Place in a potted plant or an area of your garden. Of course, they would always look cute on a bookshelf too :) Have fun!
