My Father-in-law lives in sunny Florida where is enjoys a retired life of beach living. We didn't know what to get him for his birthday but wanted to do something special since we don't get to see him often. He appreciates art, nature and meditation. We decided on the Planet Earth BBC DVD series but wanted Audrey to learn about gift giving. Figured why not house two birds in one tree and make him something creative. It was a fun craft for Butterfly and she proved to be a talented young 2 year old! Here is are the instructions should you want to make one with your favorite youngsters... (recipe is courtesy of cooks.com)
SALT CLAY DOUGH
1 c. salt2 c. flour1 c. water (coloring can be added here)1/2 tsp. powdered alum1 tsp. oil (helps keep dough fresh and pliable)
Mix, knead and shape. Air dry or bake at 325 degrees until it begins to brown. Baked work can be painted.
Butterfly did all the work herself with a little guidance and suggestion. She liked rolling the dough and we used a straw before baking to make holes for the beads. We waited a day to paint our shapes with cookie cutters. Grabbed a large baking sheet and lined with wax paper, set the shapes out and she went to town with different sized paint brushes. After they were dry, the next day I sprayed them with EnviroTex Clear Finish Spray in HIGH GLOSS. Another day we used hemp cord and Butterfly picked which order and color beads she wanted me to string. She even did a few herself. By the time we were done with this project, she felt very proud. It was something that she looked forward to making each day. She was so careful about helping me pack it gently and can't wait to give her finished hanging chime to Grandpa!
