Baking Soda Clay Handprint Keepsakes

Baking Soda Clay Handprint Keepsakes | Mama Papa Bubba

Okay, I fully admit it…  Between the yearly handprint canvas we did just a couple of months ago and the paper strip handprint art we did just a couple of days ago, we may be a teensy bit handprint obsessed.  I can’t help it.  I don’t know if it’s the Kindergarten teacher in me or the mama in me, but having these little handprints frozen in time just makes my heart happy.

These keepsakes are a favourite in our house.  Miss G and I have made variations of this project many times in the past, some of which have become decor, some heartfelt gifts, and others Christmas tree ornaments.

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No matter what they become in the end, we always make them out of our very favourite homemade baking soda clay.   This stuff is a dream to work with and is super easy and inexpensive to make {plus you most likely have erything you need to make it in your kitchen at this very moment!}

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How you decorate them is up to you, but we went with GLITTER this time around, which both Miss G and I loved. So pretty, right?!  {Not to mention that it’s super forgiving when it comes to little cracks and imperfections along the edges of the keepsake…  Add glitter and consider them gone!}

For all of the details of this project, as well as our simple baking soda clay recipe, pop on over to CBC Parents and check out our Baking Soda Clay Handprint Keepsakes post.  

 

FYI: With the recipe in the link, we made our handprint keepsake, plus 20 small cookie cutter ornaments, which is probably equivalent to 3 or 4 handprint ornaments {depending on the size you make them of course}.

Admittedly, baking soda clay can be a little finicky sometimes…  For tips and tricks we’ve learned over the years, click here.

While you’re at it, check out some of our other favourite handprint projects here.

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57 thoughts on “Baking Soda Clay Handprint Keepsakes

  1. I love tge idea but I do not have a computer only a mobile device so if anyone is feeling up to it can someone cut and past the clay recipe and directions into a comment please?
    Thank you

    1. Aw, I’m sorry, Steph. I know it’s frustrating. The good news is that CBC Parents is working to resolve the issue as I type. :) Here’s the recipe:

      Baking Soda Clay
      1 1/4 cups of baking soda
      3/4 cup of cornstarch
      3/4 cup of water

      Now simply place the ingredients in a pot and heat on medium while stirring constantly. Before long the mixture will begin to thicken and come together in a mass. You’ll know it’s done when it resembles mashed potatoes.

      Once it’s finished, remove the clay from the pot and place it in a bowl covered with a damp cloth to cool. 15 minutes or so should be plenty.

    1. Perhaps, Michal! But I haven’t tried it, so I can’t say for sure… Another option I think would be fun to try out is colouring the dough itself during the cooking process. Of course, you’d have to want your ornaments to be all the same colour though!

  2. Hi there- so keen to give these a go but here in NZ i am wondering what i can use instead of cornstarch? would we use corn flour? its a thickener in cooking and wondering if it would work the same?

    1. Hey Megan! Yes, absolutely. Corn starch and corn flour are the same thing – just titled differently in different parts of the world. ;)

  3. This is just air dry? Is there shrinkage of the hand imprint? I am so happy I found this as well as your other ‘hand’ projects. Was planning to do similar for ages while their hands are still little. :)

    1. Oh, that’s no fun, Suzanne. My guess is that the dough was cooked a little too long and was a bit too dry to start with… Could this have been the problem you think?

  4. I loved how my prints turned out but they started cracking very quickly. They are a crumbly mess. What could I have done wrong?

    1. Oh, I’m sorry Jill. My guess is that the dough was cooked a little too long and was a bit too dry to start with… Could this have been the problem, you think?

  5. I made these a year ago and had no issues with cracking. Made them a week ago and the cracks are huge. Same thickness of dough. Both Air dried. I have no idea what went wrong this year.

    1. I am having the same issue. I noticed the corn flour I used first time had gluten in it and worked really well. But now all I can find are gluten free corn flour. Could this be why?

  6. I just made this and love the recipe!! I added food coloring to the dough after it cooled and it worked out great. Nice bold colors to make some handprints for me moms!!!!

  7. Do you think the clay mixture would hold up if I did more of a rectangular shape for five little hands rather than smaller round molds for one hand?

  8. Made this today and it cracked as it dried. Very disappointing and it seems this is common, wish I’d read the comments beforehand

  9. Hi there! I have a quick question, just looked at the baking soda clay recipe. Does this recipe make enough for just one handprint? I’d like to do this with all four of my kids (9, 6, 4 and 10 months old). Just wondering how much of each ingredient I will need. Thanks for your help! :)

    1. Hi Cassie! This recipe allowed us to make our handprint keepsake plus 20ish small cookie cutter ornaments, so my guess is that you could probably get three hands out of it…

  10. I plan to make the dough the night before I use it, will this work? I fully plan to keep it covered with plastic wrap. Maybe even with a damp paper towel in the bowl…

  11. I can’t seem to get the clay off of the plate (once I flatten it). Should I have oiled the plate or do you have another suggestion??

  12. So we made this last night and left it to dry on the kitchen table over night. When we checked in it later today it was all cracked and breaking apart. What am I doing wrong??

    1. Ugh – so frustrating, Maggy. We’ve had some batches crack badly too. Unfortunately, baking soda clay can be a little bit finicky, but after years of using it, here’s what I’ve learned:

      1. Undercook the clay vs. overcook. When it’s too dry, it tends to crack more easily.
      2. REALLY knead the ball of clay you’re working with so that when you press it flat there are no folds or gaps to start with. These tend to be the worst offenders!
      3. Thinner = better. We’ve been experimenting with this again this year and none of our ornaments under a centimetre thick cracked. Those that were even slightly thicker did.
      4. Air dry as slowly as possible. In Kuwait where it was ridiculously hot or ridiculously drafty due to air conditioning, we’d place a just barely damp dish cloth over the ornaments to slow the drying process down.

      If you try again, I hope these tips help! :)

  13. I know tho is a bit old, but if you pull the dough off right before it gets the mashed potatoe look, (while it still looks a bit gooey), yr dough will be moist and you shouldnt have as bad of issues with the cracking I found :)

  14. You seem to have 2 different recipes; The proportions are different. One link says 1 and 1/4 cup baking soda, 3/4 cup cornstarch and 3/4 cup water. The other recipe says 2 cups baking soda, One cup of corn starch and 1 1/4 cup of water. Which is correct?

  15. Jen you never cease to amaze me! This worked so well, even days later! I’ve just kept it wet with a damp towel till I’m ready to make my precious hand prints. Wonderful stuff to work with! Thanks for sharing :)

  16. Finished these couple days ago and turned out wonderful. I’m putting mod podge on glitter area, did you also cover handprint area as well?

  17. Hi once all made do they go mouldy or last forever? Want to do print if my dogs paws and my hands and buying white clay is just ridiculous

  18. Do you know how to shrink a handprint taken from a clay, does putting it in an oven while drying will make it shrink? Please assist if you have the knowledge:) thank you

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