http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/ Crafts, Projects and Ideas, holiday craft projects, kids craft ideas. Free arts and Crafts for all ages. en 60 enlighten/misc/rss.jpg http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/ice-cream---5-cents-75/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/ice-cream---5-cents-75/ Attachment 138

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe for salt dough makes a lot of ornaments. If you only plan on making a few, cut this recipe into fourths or in half, or you can make the whole batch and store the leftovers in a zipper lock plastic storage bag.

What you do

Preheat oven to 250 F. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until a dough is formed. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. BE CAREFUL. Do not add too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.

THIS DOUGH IS NOT EDIBLE.

Roll out the dough to about 1/2" thick. Use the cookie cutter to create an ice cream cone shaped ornament. (The cookie cutters we used in this craft can be found here) Place the cut out onto the cookie sheet and bake for approximately 2 - 2.5 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. For best results, allow shape(s) to cool and dry overnight, or for at least 4 hours.

Paint the ice cream cone with acrylic paints, using the photo as a guide. Create the candy sprinkles by dotting different colors of paint on with a stylus (a toothpick is an alternative to this tool).

Paint the wood slat with light brown paint. Using any leftover light brown, add some white and mix, highlight edges with the lightened brown. When paint is completely dry, drill two holes in the upper corners for your wire hanger. If you don't have a drill, you can use a hammer and a small nail to poke two holes in the wood. Just be careful not to split the wood! Thread the craft wire through one holes, curl the end by wrapping it around the back end of a small paintbrush. This will hold the wire in place on the wood. Use the paintbrush end to coil the long sides of the hanger, then thread the other end through the second hole and curl the end to secure hanger in place.

Using a fairly generous amount of Tacky glue, adhere the ice cream cone to the center of the wood sign. Use a white paint pen (then outline with brown paint pen) to put the "5 cents" at the bottom and a black fine tip craft pen to write "Ice Cream" at the top. Finish with two coats of acrylic sealer, waiting at least 15 minutes between coats.

About the Author
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine at http://familycorner.com Subscribe to her free kid's craft newsletter, Busy Little Hands, by sending any email message to mailto:kidscrafts-on@mail-list.com or by filling out the form on the left side of this article]]> Tue, 20 May 2008 08:39:46 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/salt-dough-cornucopia-74/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/salt-dough-cornucopia-74/ Attachment 129

Combine boiling water and salt in a bowl. Mix well. Slowly mix in 2 cups of flour. Place dough on work surface and wearing plastic gloves, knead it until smooth. If dough is sticky, continue adding small amounts of flour.

Make dough recipe (above). To color the dough, work small amounts of paint into the dough until desired color is achieved. You may have to work in a little flour when adding paint to keep the dough from being too sticky. The dough should be slightly sticky but easy to shape.

Create the following pieces:
1 cornucopia, 2 pumpkins, 2 crookneck squash, 2 bunches of grapes, 2 apples, 2 ears of corn, 5 carrots and 2 loaves of bread.

Attachment 130

Cornucopia:
Using brown clay, mold a cone shape about 4 1/2-inches long and 2 1/4- inches in diameter at wide end. Mark lines 1/2-inch apart along sides from wide end to narrow end. Press in the wide end so the cone is slightly caved (see fig. 1) Roll 2 - 1/4 x 8 – inch snakes. Twist snakes together and attach around wide edge. Cut off excess. Bend slightly so the cone is C-shaped.

Attachment 131

Pumpkin:
Using orange clay, form a 1 1/4-inch ball. Mark 8 lines with a butter knife from center top to center bottom of ball. Using the bottom end of the knife, press a dent in the center top of the ball. Make a ½-inch cone shape with green clay. Stick the point of cone in the indent at the top of the pumpkin (stem). Roll a small snake with brown clay. Twist the snake slightly and stick one end into the indent with the stem.

Attachment 132

Crookneck squash:
Using yellow clay, roll out a 1 1/4-inch oval making one end narrow and one end fat. Bend the narrow end slightly.

Attachment 133

Grapes:
Using green clay, roll a 1-inch narrow snake. Twist into a spiral. Using purple clay roll approximately 20 3/16-inch balls. Shape balls into a triangle and stick the green spiral into the fat end of triangle.

Attachment 134

Apple:
Using red clay, roll a ¾-inch ball. Using bottom end of butter knife, press a dent in the top of apple. Using brown roll a 5/16-inch triangle and stick the point into the dent in the apple. Using green form a small leaf and stick one end of the leaf into the dent in the apple.

Attachment 135

Corn:
Using yellow clay, roll a 1 1/2 x 3/8-inch oval. Using a butter knife, mark lines lengthwise and widthwise in checkerboard fashion. Using green clay, shape 5-6 leaves of various lengths. Layer leaves around one end of the corn. Press bottom of leaves together to form a point.

Attachment 136

Carrot:
Using orange clay, roll a 1 1/4-inch snake. Make one end into a point. Poke the other end with the tong of a fork to create a dent. Using green clay, create 3-4 very small snakes. Pinch these snakes at one end and poke the pinched end into the dent in the carrot.

Attachment 137

Bread:
Using tan clay, roll a 2 1/2-inch oval. Make slanted slits across the top of the bread.


Finishing:
Bake figures in a 200 ° oven for 1/2-hour for every 1/4-inch thickness. Bake pieces until they are completely hard. Let cool.

Paint decoupage finish on each piece. Let dry.

Arrange pieces and glue together with a glue gun.]]> Tue, 20 May 2008 08:31:37 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/handprint-card-73/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/handprint-card-73/ Attachment 128

Mix plaster according to directions. Place a ribbon to hang the project into the mold and bury it in the mix so that it will stay on securely. When it is not dry, but will "hold" a handprint, place child's hand in the center and press firmly and hold for about 10 seconds. Be careful not to push all the way to the bottom. Make other plaster shapes in assorted sizes and let dry. Paint in the colors you choose and set aside. To color the large mold, put a squirt of poster pain into a bucket of warm water and mix it up. Quickly dunk the dried hand mold into the water and take out. Repeat for darker color. This gives a creative water color look. Let dry over night. The plaster MUST be completely dry and hard before doing this. When all pieces are dry, write with marker, glue on flowers and small molds and cover with spray laquer.It's hard to see in the pic, but we put their ages on the red heart, and the year on the yellow stars :)

About Author
Jenny Wanderscheid is a 29 year old WAHM and the creator of the ChildFun Family Website Her and her husband Rick are raising their kids with love, laughter and light in Southern Minnesota. Sign up to receive her weekly newsletter filled with new parenting articles, craft ideas, contests, recipes and new parenting message boards. To subscribe, send a blank email to childfun_news-subscribe@childfun.com]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 00:39:18 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/marbled-frame-72/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/marbled-frame-72/
If desired bake the frame on High (100%) in microwave for about 4-5 minutes or until hardened. Be very careful not to burn it.

Paint the frame with two coats of white paint and let dry.

Decorate the frame with nail polish giving it a marbled effect and let dry.

Cut two pieces of clear plastic, slightly smaller than the frame.

Apply glue all around the edges of one of pieces of plastic and apply it to the back off the frame. Apply the other shape in the same way except leave a gap at the top big enough to slide in a photo.

To finish, glue the picture hook onto the back. Now you are ready to display your photo in a stylish frame!!!

*Salt Dough
You can make salt clay by mixing together 1 cup of flour, 1/2 a cup of salt and 1/2 a cup of water (You may add more water if this is not enough) add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

Mix the dry ingredients then add the oil and slowly the water. Mix everything throughly. Knead the mixture on a floured surface until it isn't sticky anymore. If kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the salt clay will keep for about a week.

Anush,
England, United Kingdom.]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 00:37:17 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/salt-dough-snow-family-craft-project-71/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/salt-dough-snow-family-craft-project-71/ Attachment 127

IMPORTANT NOTE: This recipe for salt dough makes a lot of projects. If you only plan on making a few, cut this recipe into fourths or in half.
Preheat oven to 250 F. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until a dough is formed. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. BE CAREFUL. Do not add too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.

THIS DOUGH IS NOT EDIBLE, though it won't hurt you or your kids, it just won't taste very good!

Roll dough in your hands to form different sized balls. Make three snowmen from the balls, then line them up on the cookie sheet. Make sure they are touching each other so that they will be one piece after baking.

Break or cut orange toothpicks in half. Insert toothpick halves, point size out, into the each snowman head for the nose. Insert twigs for arms into each snowman. Be sure to both of these steps BEFORE baking.

Paint snowmen with white paint. Use the wrong end of the paint brush to dot on colored buttons (we used green on one, red on another, and orange on the third).

Use a smaller paintbrush to repeat this method for adding eyes and mouths with black paint. Alternatively, you can use a black Sharpie marker if you prefer.

Embellish your snow family by fashioning scarves and hats out of scrap pieces of felt and adding a pom pom to the top of the hat. Add on ribbon and make ear muffs out of a small piece of gold ribbon and tiny pom poms. Use photo as a guide. Let dry completely and display.

About the Author
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine at http://familycorner.com Subscribe to her free kid's craft newsletter, Busy Little Hands, by sending any email message to kidscrafts-on@mail-list.com or by filling out the form on the left side of this article]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 00:35:26 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/valentine-candy-dish-craft-project-70/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/valentine-candy-dish-craft-project-70/ Attachment 125 Attachment 126

Making the Salt Dough
Mix together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix the water and oil together. Add half the water mixture to the flour and salt. Kneed the mixture, gradually adding more of the water/oil mixture until the dough has a smooth, firm consistency. Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will sag and become sticky.

Remove the dough from the bowl and continue to knead for 10 minutes. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes in an airtight container.
Making the Bowl
Grease the underside of the ovenproof bowl. Roll out the dough on baking parchment to ½ - inch thick. Mould it over the ovenproof bowl and cut away any excess. Moisten your finger and smooth the edges.

Roll four balls of dough, moisten them slightly and press into the base of the bowl as “feet”.

Making the Lid
With the bowl turned upside down on a piece of parchment paper, trace around the outer edge of the bowl with a pencil. Cut out the traced circle. Roll another ball of dough on the baking parchment to about 3/8-inch thick. Place the parchment paper circle onto your dough and cut out the circle shape. Cut a heart shape from the dough. Cut about 1/3 of the bottom of the heart shape off. Moisten the bottom edge of the heart and press onto the center of the lid. Moisten your fingers and smooth the edges of the lid and heart shape.

Baking
Place the bowl and lid on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 1hr at 275 degrees. Allow to cool.

Finishing
When pieces have cooled paint your own designs and colors on the bowl and lid. Allow paint to dry. Seal with five coats of varnish inside and outside.]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 00:32:44 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/valentine-country-heart-69/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/valentine-country-heart-69/ Attachment 123 Attachment 124

Making the Salt Dough
Mix together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix the water and oil together. Add half the water mixture to the flour and salt. Kneed the mixture, gradually adding more of the water/oil mixture until the dough has a smooth, firm consistency. Be careful not to add too much water or the dough will sag and become sticky.

Remove the dough from the bowl and continue to knead for 10 minutes. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes in an airtight container.
Making the Heart
Print the pattern above and cut out. Roll out the dough on baking parchment to ½ - inch thick. Cover the dough with the pattern and using a sharp knife cut out the heart. Mark the squares with a pin. Moisten your fingers and smooth the edges of the heart. Indent lines on the heart, following the pin marks, leaning the knife first towards you then away.

Cut a paperclip in half and insert it into the top of the heart. Make more hearts in the same way.

Baking
Place the hearts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 2hr at 275 degrees. Allow to cool.

Finishing
When pieces have cooled, paint the heart red leaving alternate squares plain. Allow paint to dry. Seal with five coats of varnish. Thread some raffia through the paperclip loop and tie in a bow.]]> Fri, 16 May 2008 00:30:17 admin en http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/patriotic-address-sign-68/ http://crafterscommunity.com/crafts/clay--dough-crafts-20/patriotic-address-sign-68/ Attachment 122 Attachment 121 Address and number patterns

IMPORTANT NOTE:
This recipe for salt dough makes a lot of ornaments. If you only plan on making a few, cut this recipe into fourths or in half, or you can make the whole batch and store the leftovers in a zipper lock plastic storage bag.

What you do
Preheat oven to 250 F. Mix together, salt, flour, and water until a dough is formed. Knead the dough on a floured surface until the mixture is elastic and smooth. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with flour, continue to do so until stickiness is gone. BE CAREFUL. Do not add too much flour, this will dry out the dough and will cause it to crack before you get a chance to bake it.

THIS DOUGH IS NOT EDIBLE.

Roll out the dough to about 1/2" thick. Use the cookie cutters to create a flag, rocket, and a star shaped ornament. (The cookie cutters we used in this craft can be found here) Place the cut outs onto the cookie sheet and bake for approximately 2 - 2.5 hours. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. For best results, allow shapes to cool and dry overnight, or for at least 4 hours.

Paint the shapes with acrylic paints, using the photo as a guide. The American Flag has 7 red stripes and 6 white stripes, 4 of the red stripes touch the blue square. Paint the flagpole with antique gold. Use the stylus (or a toothpick if you don't have a stylus) to create the dots across the top of the rocket and around the sides of the star. Use the end of a paintbrush dipped in paint to make the larger dots at each point on the star. Use a blue paint pen to write the letters USA on the star and the rocket.

Paint the wood sign with navy blue paint, two coats may be required. Place a nickel sized amount of red paint and white on a paper plate, thin each color with a couple of drops of water. Dip the bristle tips of a toothbrush into the white paint. Test your splattering ability on a piece of scrap paper before doing this on your sign. Hold toothbrush horizontally and drag your finger across the bristles, causing the paint to splatter spots wherever you aim it. When you are comfortable with this method, go ahead and splatter white paint all over the sign, repeat this method with the red paint. Allow to dry completely.

Glue the flag, rocket, and star onto the sign, using the photo as a guide. Use the white paint pen to write your address number on the sign, or use these patterns. Repeat the outline of the number to make it thicker, then outline the white with red (see photo). Finish with two coats of acrylic sealer, waiting at least 15 minutes between coats.

About the Author
Amanda Formaro is the entrepreneurial mother of four children. She is also the owner of FamilyCorner.com Magazine at http://familycorner.com ]]> Tue, 13 May 2008 09:56:31 admin en