Salt Dough Embellishments
Sometimes my job is really cool, because every so often I get to pretend I'm in kindergarten again. This project is one of those times! I came up with this project as an inexpensive way to dress up wood moldingI was trying to make a grand entrance on the cheap, I love the carved wood appliqués I was seeing on high end furniture and cabinets, and the carved wood molding seen in very expensive rooms. However, even to buy those wood embellishments unfinished was WAYYYY expensive. So my solution? Salt dough, a little paint, and a glue gun!
Simply mix up a batch of salt dough with our recipe below. Roll it out on a floured board and cut it into the desired shapes. I used leaves and cut them freehand with a sharp knife, but you could use any simple shape, and you could even use cookie cutters if you want. Add details to your cutouts. I used my knife to add veins to my leaves, and pinched some of them together slightly to create a "ruffle" in the leaf. I wet my finger with water and smoothed out any rough edges, but you could sand them after they bake if you desire. Place them on foil or a cookie sheet. Bake them in a 250 degree oven for 1 hour, then check them every 15 minutes until they are completely dry. (Check the bottom). After they cool, sand if needed, then paint! I painted mine white, glazed them with a warm umber, then brushed them lightly with a metallic gold craft paint and got a very elegant look. Now simply use your glue gun to adhere them to whatever needs dressing up wood molding, shelf edging, cabinet doors, door frames, let your imagination guide you.
So, what we have here is a virtually free project that adds upscale class, elegant detail, and is a lot of fun in the process. On top of that, it's EASY!
Salt Dough Recipe
2 cups flour
½ cupsalt
water added by the tablespoon until the desired consistency
1-2 tablespoons salad oil added to help keep it from drying and cracking
Hint: Keep the dough you are not working with tightly covered until ready to use.
An alternate dough- This one is a finer dough, dries like porcelain, and does better air dried.
Recipe
2 cups baking soda
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups water
Food coloring
Mix baking soda and cornstarch together in a saucepan. Stir in water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat . When cool enough to handle, knead until smooth, adding water if dough crumbles. Shape as desired.
Air dry several days until hard, then paint and seal.
