Baking Soda Clay Baby Footprint Keepsake

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It’s hard to believe, but we’re already amidst December, and in our house, December 1st means that all things Christmas are fair game.  We’re doing a very low key Christmas this year {like really low key}, but low key doesn’t mean without tradition.  Our fun little traditions are much too special anticipated to let go of, so this year we’ll simply pare down a little bit when needed.  Like instead of 10 different types of homemade Christmas ornaments, maybe one or two will do…  

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The first one, a baking soda clay baby footprint keepsake, was inspired by one of the books Sam and I love to read again and again – Mem Fox’s Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes.  I absolutely adore Mem Fox and I especially love this story, which basically talks about all of the different circumstantial ways babies can be different while coming back to one thing every few pages – that all babies have ten little fingers and ten little toes. Such a sweet message, right?  Not to mention the fact that babies’ little fingers and toes are some of my favourite things ever.

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Since Sam and I’d already made a baking soda clay handprint keepsake to match his big sister’s shortly after we got to take him home from the NICU, this time around I decided that we’d do the exact same thing, but using his sweet little footprint instead…  And oh my gosh is it ever sweet!

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First up, Gracen and I made a batch of our go-to baking soda clay, making sure to err on the side of undercooked rather than potentially overcooked {as overly dry clay cracks more easily}.  It’s only 3 ingredients, but this stuff is pretty awesome.

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Next, after a really good knead, we created a smaller ball of clay, working it tightly so as to get rid of any air bubbles, folds, and crevices in the finished ball.  With the remaining dough covered in a damp cloth, we sandwiched the ball between two pieces of parchment paper and then used the bottom side of a dinner plate to press the ball out in a flattened circle, a little bit less than 1 centimetre thick.

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Then, with our clay circle prepped and ready to go, we simply took Sam’s little foot and pressed it carefully in the centre and lifted it straight back up.  What was left was this sweet little imprint of his foot and tiny toes. {Gah!}

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After adding two little holes with a straw and letting it slowly air dry for several days {flipping it every now and then}, it was time to decorate!  We decided we’d go the same route as we did with our beloved baking soda clay handprint keepsakes – GLITTER!  After choosing a fine silver glitter, Grae and I painted white craft glue all around the footprint, sprinkling a generous amount of glitter on as we went.

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Then once the glitter layer was dry, I dabbed on a couple of layers of Mod Podge to help the glitter stay in place and threaded a red ribbon through both holes, tying a knot at the back.

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Ta-da!  And here’s the finished footprint keepsake.  So sweet, isn’t it?

KMOsquare3000x3000Alright – ready for some more beautiful kid-made ornaments inspired by books?  All of the ornaments in this year’s 10 Days of a Kid-Made Christmas can be found here on MamaMiss’ gorgeous site!  Also, be sure to check out the ideas of my friends who are also sharing their ornaments today:

wooden track ornaments based on Old Tracks, New Tricks  | Play Trains

emeraldalicious wand ornament based on Emeraldalicious |  Sunshine Whispers 

hand-sewn gingerbread men based on The Gingerbread Man  |  The Educators’ Spin On It

 

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6 thoughts on “Baking Soda Clay Baby Footprint Keepsake

  1. I wish I had thought about doing that when my daughter was a baby. It’s my most favourite thing is their feet and hands!!! Maybe I still will before they get bigger (now she’s five). She’s still got little feet like me so I could still get it on a fairly small circle. :) Not to self for the next week as project (on top of everything else).

  2. Love this – I love anything with their hand or footprints on – every passing year they just seem so much tinier! Thanks for the tutorial. I’m going to give this a go this weekend with my four – 6, 4, 2 and 6months. Fingers crossed :)

  3. I love this ornament! It’s so simple and lovely with just the glitter around it. I can’t wait to make these with my daughter- we might even try the handprint one you posted before, too!

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