Wednesday 7 July 2010

Salt Dough Door Plaque

Getting a ready made children's door plaque or buying wooden letters to spell out a child's name can work out expensive. So here is a craft project for a child to make their own - they will love their new door sign because it is all their own work.

Adapt this project to suit the resources you have available. For instance, if you don't have alphabet cookie cutters then you can paint the letters on. Or if you are spelling out a long name you may want to just use alphabet cookie cutters then decorate the letters in different colours and patterns. If you are feeling uninspired look at commerically available ones to get the ideas flowing!

You will need:

2 Cups plain white flour
Half a cup of salt
1 Cup hot water

Cookie cutters
Paint
Crafty embellishment (optional)
Varnish/PVA glue (optional)
Adhesive sticky pad squares

door plaque

For this kid's craft project, you will need to make microwaveable salt dough. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and gradually add the hot water. Stir till it forms a stiff dough.The quantities I give in the recipe on this site make 3 to 4 letters.

door plaque

Select the cookie cutter (or cutters) you want to use. If you want to do what I've done in this tutorial and cut the letter from the centre of the shape it will need to be fairly large.

Roll the dough out to a depth of about 1cm. Cut out a shape for every letter of the name or word you are spelling out.

Bake each finished shape in the microwave for approximately 2 minutes on each side (4 minutes in total).

door plaque

Paint each letter in whatever colours or designs you like. The letters on the left also have sequins on (in the centres of the flower) and are covered in glitter glue.

To make the letters more long lasting and to to give them a sheen cover them in varnish or PVA glue (it will dry clear) once the paint is dry. This step is optional.

door plaque

If you want to fix them to a door, you will need self adhesive foam squares. These are generally used in card making or scrapbooking so you can find them anywhere that sells art and craft supplies. Large ones are preferrable, but the 5mm size will fix the letters securely to the door too. If the letters you have made are small and light then Blu Tack my suffice for sticking them onto a door, (use several small pieces on the back of each letter).