If you’re like me, you’re already thinking of fun Valentine Crafts to do with the kids. We like to give a special Valentine vs. the traditional paper card that usually gets thrown away rather quickly. These Salt Dough Conversation Hearts are a fun craft to make and a fun Valentine to give! Attach them to a key chain, a book mark, or a treat bag for a class Valentine’s Day Party, for the kids to take to school, or to give to someone special. First, I will share a salt dough recipe that works great every time. Then I will share how you can turn your salt dough into an adorable conversation heart craft. Salt dough Valentines are great keepsakes too! You will find a printable salt dough recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Easy Salt Dough Decoration Recipe
What is salt dough? Well, salt dough is a simple and versatile modeling material that can be easily made at home using common kitchen ingredients. Salt dough is often used for creating decorative items, ornaments, and crafts. Manipulating this clay like substance is great for developing motor skills. It is much like play dough, only the salt acts as a preservative. So when you bake it, you get a nice hard material that lasts. Perfect for keepsake crafts! (Be aware that salt dough creations are not waterproof, so avoid exposing them to moisture.) Here is an easy salt dough recipe.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup of salt (the granulated white salt seen in most table salt shakers)
- 3/4 to 1 cup water (warm water)
How To Make Salt Dough
- Mixing:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the plain flour and salt to create a dry ingredients mixture.
- Gradually add water while stirring the mixture. Start with 3/4 cup of water and add more if needed until you achieve a smooth and pliable dough.
- Kneading:
- Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead it for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes elastic and smooth.
- Rolling:
- Roll out the dough to your desired thickness. You can do this between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking. Keep in mind that thinner dough may dry faster. I like my salt dough to be about 1/4 inch thick.
- Cutting and Shaping:
- Use cookie cutters to make salt dough ornaments or shape the dough by hand to create your desired forms.
- Baking:
- Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 200°F (93°C) for 2-3 hours. The low oven temperature helps prevent the dough from puffing up.
- Cooling:
- Allow the creations to cool completely. Once cooled, you can paint or decorate them as desired using acrylic paints, markers, or other crafting materials.
- Sealing (Optional):
- To preserve your salt dough creations, you may choose to apply a clear sealant or varnish after painting and decorating.
Printable recipe card at bottom of post. Salt dough is a fun and affordable way to engage in various creative projects, especially for seasonal decorations and personalized gifts. This recipe can be used to make salt dough ornaments of any kind. But, now we will proceed with a tutorial specifically for making salt dough hearts. This heart craft is perfect for valentines day because they are like larger versions of candy conversation hearts.
Valentine Salt Dough Conversation Heart Crafts
Heart crafts are perfect for Valentine’s Day because they’re a fun and creative way to express love and appreciation. They can be personalized with unique designs, colors, and messages, making them more meaningful than store-bought gifts. Plus, they’re great for all ages, from kids making handmade cards to adults creating heartfelt decorations. Crafting together also brings loved ones closer, making Valentine’s Day even more special!
How do you make salt dough decorations for Valentine’s Day? This cute and easy salt dough craft will answer that question with step by step instructions for adorable salt dough conversation hearts that can be used as ornaments, paper weights, or key chains.
Craft Supplies:
- unbaked, prepared salt dough rolled to 1/4 of inch (see recipe above)
- non-toxic acrylic paint (various craft paint colors such as pink, red, and white)
- paint brush
- paint pens (gold and/or silver)
- Mod Podge sealer if you choose
- parchment paper
- heart shape cookie cutter
- wooden skewer or chopstick for carving letters
How To Make Salt Dough Heart Crafts:
Roll the salt dough out on a piece of parchment paper to approximately 1/4″ thick.
The next step is to use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut hearts from the salt dough.
Use a tool to carve letters into the heart salt dough shapes – words you would normally find on conversation heart candies.
Punch a hole in the corner of each heart (with the tip of a chop stick), if you plan to tie them to a gift as a gift tag, hang them on a string as a necklace, or use them as ornaments.
Place the heart shaped salt dough decorations in the oven to bake at 200 degrees F. Bake them for 2 hours, turn and bake for an additional hour. Use a timer, you don’t want to forget them! They be firm to touch when you remove them.
Remove salt dough ornaments from the oven and let cool completely. You may even want to wait till the next day to make sure they are completely cool and dry.
When shapes are totally dry, paint them in several different colors. Apply 2 coats of non-toxic paint and let the hearts dry completely.
Use a fine tip paint pen to trace the letters that were carved in the dough.
Let the salt dough conversation hearts dry fully.
At this point, you can coat them with a mod podge sealant if you want them to be shinier and last longer. Otherwise, they are fine just like they are. Give these conversation heart crafts as is, or add a length of thin ribbon or twine through the hole. The salt dough hearts can then be used as gift tags or ornaments.
Printable Salt Dough Recipe Card
Salt Dough Recipe
This classic salt dough recipe creates an easy homemade clay that can be rolled to desired thickness of the ornament. Baking the salt dough shapes at a low temperature removes moisture and preserves them. Then you decorate to your heart’s content and display. This is one of the most iconic children’s crafts.
Total Time
3 hours, 15 minutes
Notes
Try to roll a nice smooth dough with even levelness so that it bakes evenly.
If your dough becomes too dry, add a bit more water. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour.
Store any unused dough in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup table salt
- 3/4 cup water
Instructions
- Mix the salt and flour together in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the warm water, stirring as you go.
- Knead the ingredients together with your hands until a dough ball forms. (The dough should NOT be sticky. Sprinkle more flour if it is.)
- Roll the dough out between sheets of parchment paper to approximately 1/4″ thick.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough.
- Make a hole in the corner of each shape, if you want to be able to hang it.
- Transfer shapes to a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 200 degrees F for 2 hours. Take them out and turn them over. Then bake for an additional hour.
- Remove from the oven. They should be firm to touch. Let cool completely at room temperature.
- The next day you can decorate them as you please with acyrlic paints, markers, or other craft materials.
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Conclusion
I hope you enjoy this simple salt dough recipe and salt dough ideas. Although salt dough crafts are a process to make, kids really enjoy getting to make things and bake things. The process makes it even more special and memorable and they will have so much fun! These Conversation Heart Crafts are ready to give to your Valentines and they make great keepsakes for friends and family as well. Don’t forget to keep a keepsake ornament for yourself too! Will you make these homemade salt dough ornaments with your child? Share your pictures on social media @familyfocusblog.
Get more ideas for Valentine’s Day on my Valentine Pinterest board!
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