How to Make a Cute Keepsake Ornament

Commemorate your child’s hand or foot prints (or your pet’s paws) with this fun and easy play dough craft. While some people only display ornaments at Christmas, I keep these cute keepsakes out all year round.  These make great gifts for grandma and grandpa! The following recipe is from Parenting By Nature.

Ingredients:

¾ cup flour (I used whole wheat flour for a grainy texture)
½ cup salt
1 ½ teaspoons powdered Alum (I didn’t have this ingredient and it can easily be left out)
1 ½ teaspoons vegetable oil
½ cup boiling water (I added a bit more water to make the dough softer)
1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or just add your favourite aromatic spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves come to mind)
Optional: Food colouring.

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix the flour, salt and powdered alum. Add the oil and boiling water.
2. Mix well and then add the spice and food colouring. (I skipped the food colouring for an au naturel look.)
3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth.
4. To make the ornament roll the dough out like you are making cookies. Cut out the shapes a little larger than your child’s hands or feet.
5. Press your child’s hand or foot (or your pet’s paws) into the ornament. (A child’s footprint is much easier to get than a handprint.)
6. Use a straw to put a hole in the top for a ribbon to hang.
7. Allow the ornament to dry for a full 24 hours on one side and then gently turn over to dry for another 48 hours. You can also speed up the drying process by placing the ornaments in a low temperature oven for a few hours.

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This post is featured on Make it from Scratch.