Salt dough and what you can do with it.

Salt dough can be more then just a fun activity for you and your little ones. I have never been ashamed of being frugal, and salt dough projects can be one of the cheapest and unique ways to make gifts for any occasion. I have made several things with the most recent being a picture frame for a friends baby shower. She was having a girl and decided on the name of Willow. So I googled Willow trees and found one I liked and used that for my inspiration. I made the dough and got to work. For a spacer where the glass was to go, I used cardboard and tinfoil. When the tree was done cooking, I took the spacer out and replaced it with glass. Since she wasn't born yet, I used the announcement I was given.
   I had most of my crafting items in storage so I had to improvise. After painting the tree I used tinfoil and rolled it up for sparkles in the branches. How durable is this craft? Will it stand the test of time? Let me just say....No Worries! This frame took a fall from about 6 feet high off my wall due to a faulty hook and the only damage that was done was a small corner breaking off. You may be able to see it. Now practice makes perfect, I could have spent even more time and got it to look better, but overall I was happy with this gift and it turned some heads at the shower. Overall cost for this project if you had to buy everything would be about 6 bucks. But I had everything on hand and had this done in an afternoon.

Salt dough recipe

1 cup salt
2 cup flour
1 cup water (maybe some more)

Mix this all together in a large bowl. Use it like clay or play dough to make your project. Try to stick with flat subjects. The more 3D you get, the more chance you have of bubbling, overcooking etc. Keep the thickness the same so it cooks evenly and you don't have molding inside. You want your items completely dried out and as hard as a rock. While you are molding your dough, have a glass or shallow bowl of water right next to you. You can use this to keep dipping your fingers in it to make everything more smooth. It helps with cracking too. I overdid the water when I did Christmas ornaments one year. Bake these guys at about 300-350 degrees. Keep an eye on them and make sure they are thoroughly cooked!! The more cooked they are the harder it is to break and less chance of mold. Think of it like paper mache. It's better to take the extra time while you are making it, then to regret it later.

 Tips

-store in airtight container
-add a touch of vanilla extract to keep mold away (and smell nice of course)

-the more you knead the dough the more pliable it becomes

 -for ornaments, use a rolling pin to roll out the dough and cookie cutters for the shapes...you can use a straw to poke a hole for the ribbon at the top.