Mexican folk art created by hand-shaped salt clay are shown above. These brilliant colors were made with gel food coloring. |
Description: I discovered these charming little Mexican, folk ornaments in a flee market. These salt clay ornaments are hand-shaped. Unlike the molded variety, it is important to use the recipe that requires vegetable oil when crafting them.
Supply List:
- table salt
- flour (white unsifted)
- gel food coloring (many colors)
- vegetable oil
- water
- plastic wrap
- glass mixing bowl
- clean, even counter top
- rolling pin
- acrylic varnish
- small tools to shape clay with
- Lama and peasant templates
- scissors
- garlic press
Ingredients for a Stiffer Salt Clay:
- 4 cups of all purpose flour
- 2 cups table salt
- 3/4 - 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon glycerine or plain vegetable oil
Directions:
- Mix together the dry ingredients thoroughly by hand in a glass mixing bowl.
- Add in the water and oil and stir till the dough is stiff.
- Knead the dough on top of a flowered surface vigorously for approximately ten to fifteen minutes.
- Let the dough sit covered with a towel in the glass bowl for 30 to 40 minutes.
- You may wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate it over night at this point or continue to shape and work with it.
- You may also tint parts of the dough with gel food coloring. Remember the color will dry darker.
- The Mexican examples of clay dough ornaments shown above are tinted with gel food coloring but, you may choose to paint your ornaments instead.
- Download and print out the templates for the lama and peasant examples above.
- Roll out some of the natural colored clay and place the templates on top. Cut along the outside edges with a small knife in order to duplicate the llama and peasant pictured above.
- Roll, cut and prick similar decorative additions as shown above.
- Always moisten the clay joints with a small amount of water as you work to form a "bond."
- Use the garlic press to squeeze out the thinnest, decorative, clay trims.
- Prick the thicker parts of your ornaments for better drying results. Do this on the back side of the ornaments!
- You may either "air dry" your ornaments for several days, this varies according to the humidity in the air, or bake them at 250 degrees for about three hours.
- Varnish the ornaments in order to preserve them for many years to come.
Additional Suggestions: Always store this type of finished salt clay ornament in air tight containers, preferably tin containers. Mice will destroy these if given the opportunity.
Use a garlic press to create the delicate clay filigree shown above. |
Peruvian peasant and llama template.
This template may be downloaded and sized in aword document. Read the Terms of Use before using it folks. |
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