Salt dough as a craft materialis and remains a classic that remains popular despite modern modeling clay and modeling clay. The dough is easy to make and because it sets after baking, it is perfect for homemade figures and pendants that can be used as decoration on various occasions. Today we'll show you the basic recipe as well as great instructions for crafting with salt dough in autumn. Spend a fun afternoon crafting and get yourself and your kids in the fall mood!
Crafts with salt dough – do-it-yourself recipe
Only three ingredients are necessary for the salt dough. Quick and easy to make, the dough is perfectKneading and modeling materialEveryone usually has the ingredients in the house - perfect for spontaneous craft projects. Here's how to prepare the dough before you start crafting with salt dough:
- Flour
- Salt
- Water
Prepare the dough
The right mixing ratio is important and this is 2:1:1. So, for example, if you take 100 g of flour, add 50 g of salt and 50 ml of water. You can also use cups as a measure - two cups of flour to one cup of salt and one cup of water. This way you can adjust the quantity perfectly to your needs.
First mix the dry ingredients and then gradually add the water. Finally, the dough should not be sticky so that it is suitable for crafting with salt dough. However, if it sticks to your fingers, you can add a little more flour.
Alternatively, if you use 2 cups of flour, you can replace half of it with cornstarch and also add 2 tablespoons of oil. The result is a smoother dough that is even easier to work with. If you want, you can also color the dough. Whether you use natural ingredients such as spices or prefer food coloring is up to you. But keep in mind that the colors will fade later during baking. That's why you can simply paint the finished decorations instead. Aromas and cinnamon also make the dough smell nice, making crafting with salt dough more fun.
Bake salt dough
If you're not in a hurry, after crafting with salt dough, you can simply place the finished decorations near a heater and dry them gently for several days. This will prevent the dough from cracking or getting bubbles as it dries. If you want to finish the decorations straight away, you can also use the oven. But even there, be sure to start with a low temperature for a gentle start. It is best to proceed as follows:
- 30 minutes at 60 degrees
- 30 minutes at 100 degrees
- 120 minutes at 120 degrees
Times may vary depending on the type of decoration. Of course, fat figures take longer than, for example,thin pendants. Times listed are for molds 0.5cm thick. If you are not sure, check the middle area - it should no longer be damp.
Finally you can do the figurespaint and varnish the salt dough. A transparent clear varnish for sealing is important because the salt dough absorbs the natural humidity over time and will therefore last less long. This is prevented by a layer of varnish.
Crafting with salt dough in the fall using cookie cutters
Probably the easiest and most popular craft method for salt dough is thisUsing cookie cuttersfor cookies. Sprinkle some flour on your work surface and roll out the dough on it. Then it is simply eliminated. Crafting with salt dough couldn't be easier! A wide variety of cookie cutters can now be found in stores. There are also numerous with autumn motifs. But of course you can also cut out motifs freehand with a knife.
How about these leaves? If you divide the dough beforehand and color it differently, the leaves even get the look of autumn leaves. Alternatively, you can paint and varnish the pendants later after baking. Before you dry or bake the leaves, poke small holes in them so that the leaves can then be hung up. But you can also leave them as is and asUse table decorations. Just spread them out on the board.
Natural materials as stamps
Natural materials are simply part of autumn crafts. And you can incorporate them in an effective way when you craft with salt dough in the fall. Simply roll out the dough as you would for the cookie cutter version and you can create interesting prints and patterns with pine cones, leaves, acorns, twigs and other things. You can also cut out shapes first and then decorate them with the patterns.
There are no rules. Anything you like is allowed.Simple noodlesor small game figures are also suitable stamps. Rolling pins are also available that have patterned surfaces and are intended to serve exactly this purpose, namely to decorate dough with patterns. Therefore, they are also a good option if you are doing crafts with children in the fall.
Decorate with spices
There are spices that are really pretty to look at. This includes, for example, star anise. But all other types of dry spices are also suitable for decorating the dough, so you can consider them when crafting with salt dough in the fall. They can be used to create not only beautiful patterns, but also motifs. Another way the children can get really creative.
The dough does not necessarily have to be baked afterwards. Especially if you are looking for craft ideasAutumn for kindergartenthis salt dough idea proves to be very practical. Once the children have finished designing, the works of art are simply left to dry near the radiator for several days.
And since we're already at...Topic “Natural Materials”Here's another idea for crafting with salt dough in the fall, for which you can use nature's treasures. Roll out the dough for the head into a circle. And then you can get started. The hair can be designed, for example, with leaves or twigs that are simply stuck into the side of the dough. You can make eyes with small chestnuts, acorns or other round tree fruits as desired. Blades of grass or, even better, twigs or stems are suitable for the mouth.
Just experiment and make the faces out of different things. Different facial expressions can also be made: smiling, grim, sad, surprised, etc.
Creative crafts with children in autumn – pretty arrangement
A ball of salt dough and any natural materials are all you need for such a arrangement. branches,colorful leaves, chestnuts, acorns, beechnuts, dried flowers, cones and much, much more, nature provides you with to make creative arrangements for a beautiful table decoration with salt dough in autumn. Form a ball out of the dough and press it lightly onto the work surface to create a level surface. And then you can start designing. The materials are simply inserted into the dough.
Mushrooms with lentils as salt dough ideas in autumn
Cut out mushroom shapes from the rolled out dough. Since it isin the mushroomsIf the salt dough ideas are simple motifs, you can also cut them out freehand or you can use a template for crafting with salt dough in the fall, which you print out and cut out beforehand. Then you can decorate the mushrooms with lentils. It is best to use different varieties to combine different colors and get an even more beautiful design. Poke holes for hanging and allow the mushrooms to air dry for several days, as the lentils will burn in the oven.
Fall wreath for adults
Of course you can make these autumn decorations with children. By using a cookie cutter for the leaves, the work can be simplified so that even the little ones can try their hand at it. Otherwise theMaking the fall wreathreal maple leaves used. We'll explain how this works in a moment. The finished wreath will be relatively heavy and is therefore more suitable for standing than hanging.
Prepare the salt dough and divide it into several pieces that you color with different colors. Then take a small piece of dough, form a ball with your hands and roll it out large enough to accommodate one of your maple leaves. Press it onto the dough by rolling the rolling pin over it. Set the piece of dough and sheet aside and repeat these steps with the remaining dough and sheets. It is best to use leaves of different sizes.
Craft instructions
Then take one of the pre-made elements and cut around the sheet with a knife to cut it out and remove the excess dough. Then remove the sheet too. The imprint of the leaf should now be visible on the dough. Repeat the steps with the other pieces. Now you can start crafting with salt dough: Arrange the dough sheets in a circle on a baking tray to create a wreath. If you want, you can also make small balls and place them on the wreath for berries, which you will paint red after baking. Bake the salt dough decoration or let it dry for several days.
You can then paint the wreath directly with clear varnish or decorate it with white paint or plaster and a paintbrush for a vintage look. To do this, pick up very little paint and gently dab and stroke the leaves here and there. With this variant you should avoid using varnish, otherwise the vintage effect will be lost.
Autumnal wreath with tea lights
Another idea for adults for crafting with salt dough, but where children can also help make the individual elements, is this pretty table wreath,in the tea lightscan be provided. This salt dough autumn decoration takes a little more time than all the other ideas with salt dough, but is otherwise very easy to make. Start by shaping the salt dough into a long roll and then into a ring. You decide the size yourself, depending on how big you would like the wreath to be.
Then decorate this ring with homemade figures made of salt dough in the shape of fruits and leaves. In the example you can see pears, pumpkins and grapes, for which you use balls as a basis and then further shape them depending on the fruit. Cloves are suitable as stems. Distribute all the elements on the ring so that it is completely covered. Don't forget to leave space for the tea lights too. To do this, place it on the ring and design around it.
Then let the wreath dry and then paint it. If you want the washed out look, you can use watercolors. But the autumn wreath also looks very pretty with strong colors. You can make any fruits and motifs with salt dough and this craft idea tooother occasionsand adapt to the seasons.
