Here Comes the Sun Week!!! Let's Bake Some Clay Suns...

Inspired by a post my co-blogger Shanti saw over on Our Little Nature Nest  we decided that we just "had" to make some suns of our own.  We got together last week with the kids and whipped up a batch of clay and started making some suns to hang on our wall...

We used the dough recipe from Our Little Nature Nest and it had disasterous results...it was really nice to work with as a dough...it didn't feel salty at all, and was so smooth, but after our suns were done it took hours to bake it, and then our suns developed cracks as a result, (and Shanti's sun, with the beautiful spiral in it, cracked into pieces).  SO...instead I'm going to post my fool proof oven bake dough recipe...

Salt Dough Recipe

4 cups flour

1 cup salt

1 1/2 cups warm water

-Mix flour and salt in a large bowl...Add warm water slowly, using your hands to mix it all together.  Knead on a flour covered surface for about 10 min, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.  Take out only what you will be using, (and leave the rest wrapped up in plastic wrap, or in a tightly lidded container).  Avoid making objects several inches thick, as they will not bake easily, or cook evenly.  Bake thin objects for 30 min, at 350 degrees.  Larger objects may require a longer cooking time, (60 min or more).  Set the oven to 300-325 degrees for larger objects. 

I put the dough onto sheets of wax paper, this gave everyone their own surface to work on... 

Here is Sweet Solana, starting to work on her sun!

Even Matilda enjoyed rolling the dough in her wee hands...feeling like she was a part of the FUN!!

Make the sun to your liking...there are no rules here, just be creative, (moms and dads...join in on the fun).  After they are made, insert a paperclip into the dough near where you want it hung...so insert it halfway INTO the dough, leaving a bit sticking out as a hanger.  Now get it into the oven to bake, (following the above instructions). 

Once your suns cool down, I would suggest putting on a coat of Gesso...this gives you a good bottom coat to paint upon.  When that is dry, start painting your suns.  We got some great glitter paint to use...and don't feel limited by traditional sun colours...get out the blues, pinks, greens...be creative!!!

When they are done being painted, put on a coat of varnish, (I use brush on, craft grade varnish), and then hang it up for all to enjoy!  We have our suns on the wall above our nature table...getting it ready for the Summer Solstice!

And here is my finished sun!!! 

(like I said...parents, get your craft on!!)

Happy Crafting!

Sunshine and Smiles

Maureen xo