Pliable and paintable dough can be made from salt, flour, oil and cream of tarter.
Kids love mixing up salt dough, partly because it can be molded into almost any shape. Germans used it to make Christmas ornaments, and kindergarten art projects often include this pliable and paintable concoction. The materials needed to make salt dough are very inexpensive and found in most kitchens. Best of all, if the results of your project aren't satisfying, the dough can be rolled out and created into something new.
Basic Recipe
Salt dough can be made with or without heat, but the cooked version has more elasticity, is slow drying and doesn't crumble like the uncooked type. Combine 2 cups of flour, 1 cup of salt, 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar in a pot. Stir it over low heat until the texture resembles mashed potatoes. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Knead the cooled dough on a floured surface until it is smooth.
Necklace
Make beads from the dough one of two ways. Roll the dough to a thickness of ¼ to ½ inch. Use small cookie cutters or a knife to cut out shapes like stars, flowers and diamonds. For texture, press in buttons, fork tines or macaroni. Look around your home for other items to try. The second approach is to form a fat snake from the dough, slice off small cylinders and shape them with your hands. Make holes through all the beads and bake them on a cookie sheet at 200 degrees for about 30 minutes. Decorate with paint or markers, if desired, and string into a necklace.
Fossils
Make special "fossil" dough by adding 1 cup of coffee grounds (used grounds work well) to the basic recipe. The dough will have a speckled texture that adds authenticity to the finished product. Roll the dough to a thickness of about ½ inch. Press objects into the dough to form an impression (e.g., an animal track, fish skeleton). Leaves, nuts, bolts, twigs, a pet's paw print, your fingers, shells and kitchen gadgets all work well. Place the finished product on a baking sheet and put the sheet in a 200-degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Magnet Monsters
Roll out the dough to a thickness of ¼ inch. Make a basic shape with the open end of a can, glass or jar. Roll the dough into thin snake forms and use these to make eyelids, fins and noses. Attach these to the base shape. Press the end of a fork tine into the dough for a fur-like texture. Use a garlic press to make hair and attach to the base shape. When you are satisfied with the result, let the magnet dry overnight. Bake in a 200-degree oven for about 45 minutes. Finish by applying tempera paint and clear acrylic. Use school glue or a glue gun to attach a magnet to the back of the monster.
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