Baking Soda Clay Handprint Keepsakes – Better Than Salt Dough!

This year when writing my post about my Salt Dough Recipe, I came across a recipe called “Better Than Salt Dough {Homemade Clay for Ornaments or Handprints}” by Annette on her blog called “Tips From a Typical Mom.” So of course I had to try it out!! And IT IS BETTER!!!! This baking soda clay has a much smoother texture and a much brighter white colour, compared to the slightly grainy, off white colour, that salt dough creates.

The only negative thing about the recipe that I found was that I didn’t have as much baking soda on hand, than salt and flour for the Salt Dough Recipe, (personal pantry problems). So, I had to half the recipe for the baking soda clay, which made less clay to work with. A little bit of a problem because my kiddos hands are getting bigger!! And… as my kids hands grow I need more clay! Say it isn’t so!!!!  Also the baking soda clay recipe needs to be cooked and cooled, when these steps don’t exist in the salt dough recipe. So both had different pros and cons! but I do like the finished product of the Baking Soda Clay the best! Check out this years Baking Soda Clay Handprint Keepsakes! And check out my painting job!

Corbin’s handprints are getting so big. He is 3 1/2 years old this season.

And Ivy!! LOL. When painting her little 2-year-old hand print I thought, “Why don’t I just wrap the Christmas lights around a couple of fingers”, but the result looks like she’s giving the finger!! LOL… Oups! Merry F***ing Christmas!

BAKING SODA CLAY RECIPE

• 1 Cup Baking Soda
• 1/2 Cup Corn Starch
• 3/4 Cup Water

METHOD TO MAKE BAKING SODA CLAY HANDPRINT KEEPSAKES

Step 1: Over medium heat, combine all three ingredients in a medium sized pot.

Step 2: When it starts to look like mashed potatoes remove from heat and spoon it onto some plastic wrap (make sure not to burn yourself!). Wrap up the dough and let it cool. I put mine in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

Step 3: Kneed the dough till it is smooth, then use a rolling-pin to roll out your dough about 1/3 inch thick.

Step 4: Press your child’s hand into the clay.

Step 5: Trim away excess clay about 1/3 inch around the hand print, and leave a place to make a small hole to be able to hang it from.

Step 6: Use a skewer to make a small hole at the top of your Baking Soda Clay handprints to hang it from.

Step 7: To dry your project you can let it sit out for a couple of days, or you can bake them in the oven at a low temperature. Heat oven to 175 degrees and place your handprints on a tray lined with parchment paper in the oven for about 3 hours. Flip them over about half way through.

Step 8: After your project is completely dry, you can decorate them any way you like. I decided to paint mine with acrylic paints and put sparkle paint around the outsides. Don’t forget to put your kiddos name and age on the back so you can look back at how small they once were.

Step 9: Optional: You can protect your project by sealing it with a clear lacquer spray.

What do you think of my Christmas light painting job? I think they turned out cute! Next time I would have done a better job of adding a thicker coat of sparkles to the background (or just not adding the sparkles at all, so that the bright white clay could be seen), but I was under pressure to get these done by my family. I never have too much time to actually work on a project without a child needing my attention. Oh motherhood… but I love their guts! Until next time, enjoy creating some super cute keepsakes of your little people, and enjoy creating beautiful things!

XO JCL

P.S. Check out some more Craft Ideas here!

P.P.S. Please go check out Miss Annette’s awesome Better Than Salt Dough Recipe here. She made the cutest decorations with it. Love it!