Play Clay Hearts
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You'll love this two-in-one project: a highly original valentine that moonlights as a usable ball of clay.
What you'll need
- 3 Cups of white flour
- 1 1/2 Cups of salt
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons of cream of tartar
- 3 1/4 Cups of water
- 6 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
- Red food coloring
- Rolling pin
- Heart-shaped cookie cutter
- Small cellophane bags
- Scissors
- White paper
- Markers
- Hole punch
- Ribbon
An older child can make the play clay (with adult supervision) while a younger one makes the tags. Then both children can roll and cut the clay hearts and bag their own valentines.
How to make it
Mix the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan.
In a separate bowl, mix the liquids, adding drops of food coloring until you reach your desired shade.
Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture holds together and gets too stiff to stir (it will stiffen even more as it cools), about 5 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.
Knead the clay briefly, then roll or pat it to a 3/4-inch thickness and cut with the cookie cutter.
For each valentine, place a clay heart in a cellophane bag. Cut a tag out of white paper, decorate it with markers, and punch a hole in one end. Thread a length of ribbon through the tag´s hole and tie the bag shut with a bow.
