Craft time: Baked Clay project for the kids (and moms)!

.
This is a recipe for a baked clay project.  It's so stinking easy, and costs next to nothing.

I've been using the recipe for years to make handprint plates of my sons' hands.  I just roll out a circle with the dough, press their hand down in it, bake it and allow to cool for a day, then paint.  Viola, a permenent reminder of how small their little hands once were.  (This works best for ages one and up, little babies tend to ball up their fists when you try to press their hand into the dough).

I didn't spend much time on this one, I could have done much more embellishing with paint, but didn't have the opportunity.  Plain blue it is!

My 4 year old son wanted to paint his own and use glitter, so here you have it.  Rest assured, there is a handprint in there somewhere.

My 6 year old son wanted to make a clay bowl (guess he's too old for handprints now, *sigh*).  He decorated it in a fashion similar to his brother's handprint pictured above.  Luckily, he gifted it to Nana (my mother), so she can enjoy all the glitter. All over her floor.  Not my floor.

I've made so many things with this basic clay recipe over the years.  My oldest son and I did Christmas ornaments a few years ago.  We've also made animals and more.  If you want to make something that will hang (I've hung handprints and ornaments), just make sure to poke a hole to use for hanging before you bake it.  I've used the eraser end of a pencil to poke a hole through the dough where I want to hang it from later, and that worked great.


Baker's Clay Recipe
Mix together:

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup salt
• 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cup water

Knead until smooth. Add food coloring if desired. Make shapes and bake at 300 degrees until set and golden (1/2 hr to 1 hr). Seal with shellac, or for a more golden appearance, paint with a beaten egg. (I don't seal with shellac or egg because I paint them with acrylic paints after they cool for a day).