When I started this Handprint Dish from a hunk of humble salt dough, I had no idea it would become one of my favorite projects. It turned out so sweet, so elegant, and just the perfect little treasure from my darling Squish’s first year of life. The vision of his tiny, perfect hand, cradling my wedding ring is one of my favorite sights – and I use the dish every day.
The whole project is really simple, and aside from the oven time – came together really quickly. You can check out my favorite Salt Dough recipe here. Or you can use your favorite.
What You Need:
- Salt Dough
- Oven
- Oven safe bowl
- Baby for hand prints!
- Sandpaper
- Paint
How To Make It:
- Roll out your salt dough to a pretty big size, and let baby press his handprint in.
- Cut out the handprint, I used a jar lid as a template.
- Place the round slab of dough into an oven safe bowl. This will give it its bowl shape.
- Preheat your oven to 220° and place the bowl with dough inside on a cookie sheet, and in the oven.
- After about 2 hours, the dough should be solid enough to remove from the bowl and let it continue baking on its own (this will help with air flow).
- Continue baking until the dish is completely solid and dry. For me, it was about 5 hours.
- Once cooled, use sandpaper to sand off any ragged edges and smooth over the texture of the dish.
- Paint the dish in your favorite colors. I used a base coat of white, and then pearl White with Pearl Grey highlighting The Squish’s handprint.
- Done! Look how lovely! The dish should last in a dry area for years to come. The only thing to worry about would be moisture.
I love this adorable Handprint Dish and I think I might make a few over The Squish’s lifetime. Sort of a collection of his adorable hands.
Kayla Domeyer
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Hi is the oven temperature Farenheit or Celcius please
Hey Cheryl! It’s in farenheit.
How do you get the dough out of the bowl?! I could. It for the life of me get the dough out of the bowl after 2 hours. Had to use a knife to pry it up and break it in to several pieces to get it all out. I thought my bowl was going to be ruined. Any tips?
What brand and type of paint did you use? Also I have a bowl I want to use but it’s not oven safe do you think I could just let it air dry? I know it would take a lot longer!!
Definitely! You can let it air dry. I used regular acrylic craft paint (this kind was Martha Stewart brand Metallic colors.)
I have Tempura paint. Do I need Acrylic paint?
Tempura paint might be too wet. I would try it on a smaller piece of baked salt dough. If you do – will you come back and let me know?
Do you think some kind of sealant would help with the moisture concern? I’m definitely trying this!
It definitely could – Maybe I’ll try a couple different ones and see what works the best. If I do, I’ll update!
I had to wait an extra hour before I could get it out of the bowl and still had to gently pry it with a knife.
Tammy – uh oh! I’m glad you figured it out though!