Sandy Hand Mosaic
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On your next trip to the shore, add plaster of paris to your beach bag so that your kids can preserve their sandy treasures in a handy display.
What you'll need
- Beach treasures, such as shells, rocks, and sea glass (no seaweed)
- 1 1/2 cups plaster of paris in a quart-size resealable bag
- Water (salt water or fresh water)
- Chopstick
- Wood (we used driftwood)
- Drill
- Wood glue
How to make it
Have your child press his hand into damp, hard-packed sand, making a 2-inch-deep impression.
Line the handprint with treasures, taking care to set them lightly without pressing them too deeply into the sand.
Add 1 cup of water to the bag of plaster of paris. Seal the bag and knead it to combine the two. Carefully pour the wet plaster into the palm of the handprint, covering the inlaid items.
Use a chopstick to push the plaster into the fingers and thumb. Add more plaster to the palm as needed.
Set the chopstick in place with 2 inches of one end submerged in the plaster.
Let the plaster set until it's hard, at least 30 minutes. To remove the hand, carefully dig out the sand from around the plaster, then slowly lift the hand up by the chopstick handle. Wrap your project in a towel to transport it. For a tabletop display, drill a hole 2 inches deep and a little wider than your chopstick into a piece of wood. Insert the chopstick handle, and secure it with wood glue, if needed.
