How to make a Christmas tree from salt dough. New Year's toys made from salt dough - the most complete step-by-step guide with photo evidence
I have looked at Christmas trees made from salt dough more than once, not only on this site, but also on others. I repeat again, I use my method of making a Christmas tree with children, and it is different from the others. at the beginning of my master class, I wrote that there are similar master classes, but mine is a lightweight version, for example, Larisa Ivanova has a version for adults; it’s hard for children to squeeze out the garlic cloves, and then roll them up..... secondly, I twist the cone very quickly from everything that comes across and at the same time I don’t decorate it or make it out of colored cardboard. The last Christmas tree for little ones is designed by me. especially for kids, I wasn’t inspired by anyone. My master class is exactly my experience - how to easily and accessiblely work with children. Tell me why should I point someone out and put links to someone? The only inspiration for me is
Book: Salt dough. Irina Khananova.
Her idea of using a garlic press was taken as a basis, but again she doesn’t have a voluminous Christmas tree—everything was invented as she went along.
My photos are commented and it seems to me that it was very detailed, none of the users asked anything again and everything is clear to everyone.
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Modeling is one of the most useful activities for kids. With its help, not only fine motor skills of the hands develop, but also perseverance, creative thinking and coordination of movements are developed.
One of the best materials for modeling with your child is salt dough. It is absolutely safe, does not contain harmful additives and is easy to use. DIY salt dough crafts will become wonderful souvenirs for your relatives and friends.
Universal recipes
You can find a great variety of salt dough recipes. Each master adds his own additives to them, selecting the desired consistency. The main products for kneading dough are salt, flour and water.Depending on its purpose, its thickness may vary:
- dense dough - for large parts and creating massive panels;
- universal dough of medium consistency - it is convenient to make small pictures and figures from it;
- soft dough - tender and pliable, it is suitable for small elements, exquisite flowers and figurines.
Thick dough
To work you will need:- wheat flour - 1 part;
- table salt - 1 part;
- water - 0.7 parts.
That is, to knead this type of dough you need to take one identical measure (glass, cup, tablespoon) of salt and flour and 0.7 of the same measure of water.
Combine the dry ingredients in a deep bowl and add cold water little by little. The dough should be homogeneous and very dense. There will be grains of salt in it - this is normal, don’t worry. Depending on the humidity and quality of the flour and salt, you may need a little more or less water. Therefore, you can’t pour it into the dough all at once.
Medium consistency dough (all-purpose)
To work you will need:- wheat flour - 1 part;
- water - 1 part;
- table salt - ½ part;
- finely ground salt (extra) - ½ part.
Soft dough
To work you will need:- wheat flour - 1 part;
- hot water - 1/4 part;
- finely ground salt (extra) - 1 part;
- PVA glue - ¾ parts.
This dough is ideal for complex work. It holds its shape perfectly, preserving the prints and texture created on it. Its quality directly depends on the quality of the chosen glue.
The figures made from salt dough with glue differ special strength. They will delight their owner for many years.
- If you plan to color finished products, it is better to use wheat flour, although you can also use rye flour for salt dough.
- You cannot use iodized salt - the finished figures may crack when drying.
- The dough can be tinted while kneading. For this, food coloring or watercolors are used.
- The finished dough must be wrapped in cling film or a plastic bag to prevent it from drying out.
- A failed dough can be revived. If the dough is too liquid, you need to add a little more flour and knead again; if the dough is too tight, moisten it with water and knead, achieving the desired consistency.
- Do not add fat or hand cream to the dough from which you plan to paint the products - the paint will apply unevenly.
- The finished dough should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 2 days. It loses its qualities and it will be inconvenient to work with it.
- It is best to sculpt volumetric products on wire or cardboard frames so that they do not fall apart.
- Crafts can be dried naturally, leaving them for a couple of days, baked in a warm oven, or left next to the radiator. It is strictly not recommended to place figurines on the battery itself to avoid cracking.
- It is best to paint crafts with acrylic paint or gouache. Watercolors should not be used: there is a risk of getting wet and ruining the product.
- The junction of the parts must be moistened with water using a brush. This way they will connect firmly and quickly.
- The finished souvenir can be coated with clear nail polish or acrylic varnish. This will protect it from moisture and the paint from fading.
Cute hedgehog - toy for kids
Do you want to know what you can make with your child using salt dough? Start with the simplest crafts. The younger your baby, the simpler the products for joint creativity should be. Try to make a prickly hedgehog, and a detailed description of the process in this tutorial will guarantee an excellent result and a good mood from a useful activity.
First of all, prepare universal salt dough and nail scissors. Roll a piece of dough into a drop-shaped piece.
The hedgehog's eyes and nose can be made from beads, black peppercorns, or pre-colored dough.
The needles are made using cuts. Use the tips of the scissors to make small cuts, lifting the needles up.
Perform the next row in a checkerboard pattern - with an offset. Row by row, make cuts until the entire back of the hedgehog is covered with needles.
Dry the finished toy in the oven or simply in a warm and dry room. If you wish, you can color it or entrust this important task to your child.
Original souvenir - funny dachshund
You can start preparing for the upcoming New Year holidays in advance and make a funny dachshund as a gift for your friends.
To work you will need:
- universal salt dough (see recipe above);
- cardboard, pencil, scissors;
- paints and brush;
- a piece of rope;
- clear varnish;
- toothpick;
- foam sponge;
- glue "Dragon".
Transfer the template to a piece of cardboard and cut it.
Roll out the dough to approximately 5mm thickness on baking paper. Attach the template and cut out the outline of the dachshund along it. Carefully remove the trimmings so as not to deform the workpiece.
Roll two balls and form them into oblong dachshund eyes. Glue them with a drop of water to the head of the workpiece. Moisten all sections of the dog with water and smooth it with your fingers to remove all irregularities.
Use two small pieces of dough to make eyelids and glue them above the eyes. Use a toothpick to outline the ear, paws, mouth, nose and body contours.
Now you need to add volume to the workpiece. Roll the dough into an oval, glue it onto the ear and smooth the joint with a wet finger.
Add volume to the dachshund's back and tail in the same way.
Use a toothpick to press oblong dents around the perimeter of the figure. Make them randomly of different lengths from the edges of the body to the center.
It's time to dry the workpiece in a warm oven. Bake it until it is completely firm.
The dry figurine needs to be painted. Cover all areas where there are bulges and dents with black gouache.
After the first coat of paint has dried, paint the dachshund yellow. Put a little paint on a foam sponge and tint the entire body, while the dents should remain black - do not overdo it.
Draw the eyes of the dried dachshund in white. Make any inscription if you wish.
Glue a piece of rope to the back of the craft.
Cover the product with clear varnish and let it dry. The result of the work done is impressive - the mischievous puppy is ready.
Dog with original coloring:
Spectacular fish - step-by-step master class
Try making a beautiful fish with your child. Just follow the detailed instructions - and even a little helper will be able to master this sculpting technique.
To work you will need:
- universal salt dough;
- brush;
- corrugated felt-tip pen cap;
- ruler.
Pinch the dough on one side of the circle with two fingers, forming a tail.
Correct it and smooth out any rough edges.
On the opposite side, make a mouth for the fish using the handle of a brush.
Use the edge of a ruler or the blunt side of a knife to press the marks on the tail and fins.
Roll small balls and glue them onto the fish's head. These will be the eyes.
Make pupils from smaller balls and press them onto the eyes with the handle of a brush.
It's time to decorate the blank. Use the cap of a felt-tip pen to press down the first row of scales.
Roll a lot of small balls. Glue them with a drop of water to the body of the fish immediately behind the cap imprints and flatten them with the back of the brush.
If you have a suitable print, make prints in the shape of a starfish; if not, use a familiar cap or take another template.
Then push two more rows of cap impressions.
Roll into a thin sausage to form a tail.
Glue it to the blank on the edge of the tail. Fill the entire tail in the same way.
Next, chaotically stick and push a few more small balls.
Dry the resulting workpiece in a warm oven.
Color the fish, guided by your ideas of beauty and the colors available. If you glue a magnet to the back of it, it will proudly take its place on the refrigerator, decorating the kitchen of its happy owner.
Here are some more ideas with fish:
Cheerful boletus mushroom
The initial stage of learning to sculpt is already behind us - you can begin to make more complex products from universal salt dough. Try to master the lesson of making a funny big-eyed boletus. Such an interesting mushroom will be appreciated not only by children, but also by adults.
To work you will need:
- universal salt dough;
- burnt out light bulb (classic pear-shaped);
- cardboard;
- acrylic paint or gouache;
- foil;
- paper napkins;
- masking tape;
- superglue.
Cut a ring out of cardboard and put it on a light bulb - this is the basis of the future mushroom cap.
Form a hat of the desired size from crumpled paper napkins. Secure the structure with tape.
The result is something like this.
Wrap the hat in foil for added strength.
For the hat you can use dough of any color; later the whole toy will be painted. Roll out a piece of dough into a circle at least 3 mm thick and stick around the top of the mushroom cap.
Remove the hat and seal the bottom.
Use the blunt side of a knife to press the strips.
Secure the cap to the mushroom stem using superglue or Moment. It should be slightly tilted towards the back.
Get started with the design. Blind and attach the arms, legs and nose to the fungus.
You can decorate the figurine with a funny caterpillar or make another decorative element, such as a ladybug.
Dry the finished piece.
Paint the figurine, draw eyes and a nose and varnish. The amazing fungus is ready. You won’t be able to pickle it and eat it, but you can easily decorate a shelf with it.
Funny pig pendants
Such funny pendants are an idea for an unusual Christmas tree decoration or a cute souvenir for people dear to you. Such a themed gift will come in handy, because the patron of 2019 is the yellow pig.
To work you will need:
- universal salt dough;
- toothpick;
- thin rope;
- paints and brush;
- foam sponge;
- black gel pen;
- superglue.
New Year is a wonderful time and the best time to enjoy communication with family and children. Kids love New Year's crafts and homemade Christmas tree decorations. Fiddling with dough is also one of children's favorite pastimes. By combining both, you can decorate the Christmas tree with wonderful unique toys.
In this article:
You will need:
- 1 part fine table salt;
- 1 part white table flour;
- 1/3 part potato starch;
- water for kneading.
All dry ingredients need to be mixed in a bowl and knead the mass, gradually pouring water. The mass should have a pleasant consistency - not stick to your hands, and not be too tight (do not break or crumble).
After the salt dough is ready, decide when you will paint the products. You can paint the mass immediately, or you can paint the toys after baking.
How to dry New Year's crafts?
A few words about drying. To make the dough hard, you can simply wait a few days, or bake it in the oven. You need to preheat the oven to maximum temperature, then place the salted crafts laid out on a baking sheet. Then you need to turn off the oven and do not open it until it has cooled completely. You can bake them over very low heat (like crackers), but then you have to make sure they don’t burn. Another little secret - to prevent the figures from sticking, cover the baking sheet with a baking sleeve.
Of course, not all salt dough crafts can be dried in the oven. For example, those decorated with beads or beads should be dried naturally.
How to paint the finished product?
There are several ways to make products multi-colored. Dry cosmetic pigments and water-soluble food coloring, which are used to make handmade soap, are best suited for this. If they are not available, then you can use Gouache or watercolor paints.
After the salt dough is colored, you need to carefully roll it out with a rolling pin and cut out the desired shapes using molds. Products made from dough of different colors look very interesting (as in the picture). The kids have a lot of fun doing this kind of mixing.
Another way is to make crafts from white dough and then decorate them - there are many ways. Kids will do this with gouache, older children can draw beautiful patterns with felt-tip pens or a gel pen.
Acrylic paints are a great decoration! If you use silver paint to decorate crafts, they will look like! Paints with shiny pigments look very good!
Decor ideas
In addition to coloring, there are many ways to decorate future toys. Just do this before you dry them. For example, cut out different holes with a straw.
Or make prints and imprints with stamps or some kind of figures.
Decorate with beads, beads or sparkles!
Dough crafts decorated with cosmetic glitter look very festive! You need to cover the dry finished product with PVA glue and then cover it with glitter. You can buy them at any nail fashion store, they cost from 60 to 120 rubles.
Most people associate this holiday with magic and fun. Decorating the New Year tree in many apartments turns into a real ritual in which all family members take part, including the smallest members of the household. To make it more interesting for kids to prepare for the holiday, you can offer them to make New Year's toys from salt dough with their own hands. Such jewelry will look original on the forest beauty and, most importantly, they will be completely unique. It’s best to create toys with the whole family - this is a great way to have fun and usefully spend your free time, introducing the younger generation to creativity.
Methods for preparing salt dough
To make your Christmas tree decorations beautiful and durable, you need to make the dough for them correctly. There are several options for preparing it. For the first method you will need:
- flour - 1 glass;
- salt - 1 glass;
- vegetable oil - 1 tablespoon;
- cold water - about 125 ml (its volume depends on the quality of flour).
The dough is kneaded from the prepared ingredients. It should turn out elastic and plastic. The resulting dough is covered with cellophane and placed in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. After this, it can be used to make Christmas tree decorations.
There is another recipe for making salt dough. New Year's toys made from this material will be more durable. For this you need to prepare:
- flour - 1 glass;
- salt - 2/3 cup;
- PVA glue - about 15 ml;
- cold water - 100 ml.
The dough, as in the first version, after mixing all the components should be quite elastic and retain its shape perfectly. Water should be mixed into the mass in small portions, making sure that it does not turn out to be too thin. Salted dough prepared using this method hardens quickly, so it must be used immediately after kneading.
Necessary tools and decorative elements
To make New Year's toys from salt dough with your own hands with your baby, in addition to the raw materials itself, you will need to prepare a convenient wooden board on which the entire creative process will take place. You will also need a rolling pin, a plastic knife for plasticine, shaped molds, acrylic paints and several brushes of different thicknesses. To decorate crafts, you can use everything you can find in the house (for example, beads, beads, sparkles or rain).
Toy making process
Having prepared everything you need, you and your child can start creating masterpieces from dough. The easiest way is to make flat figures using molds. These can be stars, hearts, Christmas trees, angels, outlines of various animals, etc. To make such toys, you need to roll out the dough on a board (it should be 0.6 to 1.5 cm thick), and then use prepared molds to cut out different figures from it. The more crafts you get, the better. Since the toys will be hung on the Christmas tree, you need to remember to make holes in them (for these purposes it is most convenient to use a toothpick or a match).
The finished figures are dried for one hour in an oven heated to 80 degrees, or on a hot radiator. You can let the tree decorations dry on their own by laying them out on a piece of parchment paper and leaving them on the table, but they will take a few days to harden.
If there are no molds in the house, there is no need to despair. Funny New Year's figures can be cut out from rolled out dough using a regular plasticine knife. In all other respects, the process of their manufacture is no different from the method described above.
Decorating figurines
New Year's toys made from salt dough should be painted after they are completely dry. You can cover them with one or more colors and draw funny faces and patterns on them. To ensure that beads, buttons, bows and other decorative elements adhere firmly to the products, it is best to attach them to the surface using PVA glue. When the paint and glue on the toys are dry, colored ribbons are threaded through them. Unusual and very beautiful handmade New Year's decorations are ready. You can hang them on the Christmas tree together with your child.
Important nuances
There is nothing simpler than homemade New Year's toys from salt dough. The photos of Christmas tree decorations presented in this article are only a small part of what can be made from this plastic material. Modeling toys, like any other type of creativity, requires imagination. Salt dough is a universal material, and you can use it to create Christmas tree figures of any complexity. However, it is worth remembering that they should not be too thin or too thick, because in the first case the products will turn out fragile and quickly break, and in the second they will turn out to be heavy and will pull the spruce branches down.
