Salt dough Projects to make during different times of the year

During my earlier adult life going to craft show, I found a lot of vendors who make Christmas ornament with salt dough and other types of dough.  I always though you could take that dough and make other items with it.  Well here are some ideas!!

Sun catcher Necklace

Materials:  1 cup flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water, transparent pony beads, parchment paper, cookie tray, string,  2 cookie cutter (1 large, 1 small)  Makes approximately 10 necklaces.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Begin by mixing together the flour, salt and water to make the salt dough.  Roll out dough and make shapes using large cookie cutter.  Use the smaller cookie cutter on the center of the cut out shapes.  Remove the dough from the middle.  You can use a skewer or straw make a small hole in the top of the heart.  Using a spatula carefully lift each heart onto a cookie tray covered with parchment paper. 

Set up a table with transparent pony beads (like these) and the tray of salt dough hearts.  Fill the middle of the hearts with the transparent pony beads.  Try to make sure that there are no spaces left between the pony beads.

Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 1- 1.5 hours or until the beads are melted together.  Then the beads will start to get a gummy texture and will then melt.  The salt dough will turn a light to dark brown color.  Let cool completely.  At this point you can either string them as is or you can paint the salt dough.  Picture was painted white.  Next string some of the extra transparent pony beads on the string and then tied the string together to make a necklace. 

Salt Dough Sun catchers

Materials:  2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, 1 cup water, transparent pony beads , parchment paper, cookie tray, string or wire,  2 cookie cutter (1 large, 1 small)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Begin by mixing together the flour, salt and water to make the salt dough.  Roll out dough and make shapes using large cookie cutter. 

Cut out stars to make sun catchers

Use the smaller cookie cutter on the center of the cut out shapes.  Remove the dough from the middle.  Using a toothpick or skewer make a small hole in the top of the star.

Cut out salt dough shapes

Using a spatula careful lift each star onto a cookie tray covered with parchment paper.  Set up a table with transparent pony beads and the tray of salt dough stars. 

Fill the middle of the stars with the transparent pony beads.  Try to make sure that there are no spaces left between the pony beads. 

Remember to place the pony beads inside the salt dough star.

Put all of the sun catchers on the tray ready for the oven.

Loosely cover with tinfoil and bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 1- 1.5 hours or until the beads are melted together.  Remember oven temperatures can vary it may take a longer or shorter amount of time.  The salt dough will turn a light to dark brown color.  Let cool completely.

Take the sun catchers out of the oven cooling. At this point you can either string or use fishing wire or you can paint the salt dough.  Hang your windows.

Sun catcher Heart Garland

Materials:  Ingredients for salt dough (1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup salt, 1/2 cup water), transparent pony beads, parchment paper, cookie sheet, string or twine, 2 heart cookie cutter (1 large, 1 small), glue gun

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Begin by mixing together the flour, salt and water to make the salt dough.  Roll out dough and make shapes using larger heart cookie cutter.  Use the smaller heart cookie cutter in the center of the cut out shapes.  Remove the dough from the middle.

Using a spatula carefully lift each heart onto a cookie tray covered with parchment paper.  Set up a table with transparent pony beads (we used an assortment of pinks, purple and red) and the tray of salt dough hearts.  Fill the centers of the hearts until there are no spaces left.

Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately 1.5 hours or until the beads are melted together.  Remember oven temperatures can vary it may take a longer or shorter amount of time.  The salt dough will turn a light to dark brown color.  Let cool completely.

You can leave the heart as is, paint the salt dough or use glitter.  We decided to cover the salt dough with glue using a paint brush and then generously sprinkle with pink glitter.  Attached twine to the backs of the hearts using my hot glue gun. 

Share your ideas on this or anything here on the blog either here or e-mail me at stipple@verizon.net.  I look forward to hearing from you!