Salt Dough

Source: homemadegrits.blogspot.com via Caitlin on Pinterest

Not for eating!  This was a great dough for rolling out and making handprint ornaments.  It was easy to make and roll out.  Since it wasn't too sticky, the toddlers at my house for a craft morning didn't mind pressing their hands against it!

Ingredients:
Yield: 12 small hand prints

4 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 1/2 cups water

Directions:Combine ingredients and knead dough for 15 to 20 minutes.
Roll dough out and cut around hand or cut circles out for making hand imprints.
Use cookie cutters for ornaments or gift tags.
If necessary, slightly dampen pieces to make them stick together.
Make a small hole for the hanger and prick to prevent air bubbles.
Bake at 300ºF about 20 to 25 minutes or until golden.

You may have to bake considerably longer depending on how thick your items are. They may not feel hard right away but will harden as they cool.
I baked ours on parchment paper.  They came up off the surface quite easily!
Paint and decorate as desired. Acrylic paints work best and use a varnish to make them shiny. 

On a second try (the following day), I had Laura use finger paint to make her handprint impression on the raw dough.  After the painted dough was cooked and cooled, we sprayed it with clear varnish to make it shiny.  Looks great!