DIY Salt Dough Heart Garland
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and what better way to decorate your home than with a DIY salt dough heart garland? Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned crafter, this post will guide you through the process of making your own salt dough garland. So, gather your materials, and let’s start!
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This DIY project is easy, affordable, and a fun activity to do with loved ones. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a beautiful and unique garland to hang in any room of your home.
Salt dough projects like ornaments and others are especially great for kids with little hands. And you literally cannot mess it up, which makes it a win in my book. Plus, you can make it a family tradition and pull it out every year as a reminder of the special memories you shared making it!
From Dough to Decor: How to Create a Valentine’s Day Salt Dough Garland
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to show your loved ones how much you care, and one fun and unique way to do that is by creating a DIY Salt Dough Heart Garland.
Supplies
To make this fun craft, DIY Salt Dough Heart Garland, you will need a few simple ingredients and supplies:
Ingredients and Supplies
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water, warm
- Measuring Cup
- Cookie Sheets
- Rolling Pin
- Parchment Paper
- Straw or Toothpick
- Essential oil or Fragrance oil *
- Acrylic Paint*
- Heart Cookie Cutter
- Large Embroidery Needle
- Cotton Twine or Jute Twine
- Paper Doilies or Lace
- Mod Podge
*Optional
Watch this on Youtube:
Step One – The Salt Dough Recipe
You literally cannot mess up this dough, so try to have a lot of fun with it! It is so quick and simple that it’ll be over in a matter of minutes. Also, you’ll have very salty hands in the end.
Step One
The first thing you’ll want to do is pour together the flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step Two
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl and stir until it is thoroughly mixed.
Step Three
Then slowly add in the warm water and stir until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
Step Four
At this point get in there with your hands and begin to knead the dough. If it’s looking too dry add in some more water 1 tsp at a time. Knead after adding water.
This is the same as a salt dough ornament recipe. Just a simple salt dough that you can use in all kinds of different applications, for more ideas keep reading!
Additional Notes:
- If desired, you can add a few drops of essential or fragrance oil to give the dough a pleasant scent.
- After a few minutes, the dough should start to soften and smooth out.
Step Two – Roll, Cut, & Design
This was the most fun part of making this DIY Salt Dough Valentine Heart Garland. Especially since I was smelling cedar essential oils the entire time. And each heart came out perfect!
Step One
Next, roll out the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper a bit like cookie dough. At this point in the process, just try to roll your dough out evenly and to your preferred thickness.
Step Two
For a more 3D look, you can roll your paper doily on top. This works well to create an embossed pattern that looks so charming! Alternatively, you can leave the hearts without any embossing or detail for a very simple look.
Step Three
Then use the heart cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes. If you have big and small cookie cutters, you can also alternate small hearts and a larger heart on the garland.
Step Four
And then use a toothpick or straw to make a small hole on either side of the heart (or a single one for an ornament) for your string. I used a paper straw and it was a perfect size hole once cooked.
Optional Ornament
To create an ornament you would simply put one hole in the heart shape.
Note:
- While I chose hearts, you can most definitely try creating salt dough decorations in all kinds of salt dough shapes like circles, squares, or arabesque. Try any and all cookie cutters you own for a really fun personalized garland!
- Roll your dough out evenly and to your preferred thickness. Thin might be brittle, too thick will require longer cure times, but may be preferable.
Step Three – Bake, Cure, & Seal
Though baking is the easiest way to finish the salt dough, you can also air dry it. Keep reading for all your drying options.
- At this point, place your salt dough hearts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (I did this after cutting each cookie).
- If you want to add some color to your garland, you can also paint the hearts with acrylic paint before baking.
- Then the next step is to bake the salt dough hearts in the oven at 200 degrees F for about 4-6 hours. Also, turn them over halfway through baking for a nice even finish.
Step Four – The Optional Paint
Painting Salt Dough
All the Reasons You Need this Salt Dough Heart Garland in Your Life
It may not actually be all the reasons, but this is a good list to start.
- Budget-Friendly Option. Salt dough is simple and inexpensive with ingredients like flour, salt, and water. This means it’s a cost-effective option for creating Valentine’s Day decorations.
- Easy to Make: The recipe for salt dough is easy to follow and the dough is easy to shape and cut into various designs like hearts, stars, and letters.
- Versatile. You can color, paint, and decorate salt dough in many ways. Which means the designs are endless. Because of that, it’s a perfect option for creating a Valentine’s Day garland with a personal touch.
- A Fun Activity. People of all ages will have fun and enjoy the activity of making a salt dough garland
- Long Lasting. An extremely durable material, it will last for a long time if stored properly. Like, over 35 years!! So, it’s the perfect option for decoration that you can use year after year.
- Natural Decorations. You can create a salt dough with 100% natural and organic ingredients. This makes it the best option for people who prefer a more natural approach to decorating.
- Unique Decor: Salt dough garland is a unique way of decorating which makes it stand out from other decorations, making it a perfect option for a special occasion like Valentine’s Day.
And as far as heart crafts it’s budget-friendly and easy to make. But the best part is it’s perfect to create beautiful and unique decorations to enjoy year after year.
Alternative Drying Methods to Consider
How to Air Dry Salt Dough
Although it’s really easy and quick to bake the option of air-drying clay is a great solution for hot summer days.
- To air dry salt dough, shape the dough into the desired form and place it on a baking sheet or plate.
- Leave it in a warm, dry place for several days, turning it occasionally, until it is completely dry and hard.
- The drying time will depend on the thickness of the dough and the humidity in the air. It is a good idea to let the dough dry for at least 24 hours before painting or decorating it.
How to Use a Dehydrator
To use a dehydrator to dry salt dough ornaments, follow these steps:
- First, shape the salt dough into the desired ornament shapes and place them on a baking sheet or plate.
- Then, preheat the dehydrator to the lowest setting, typically around 95-105 degrees Fahrenheit.
- At this point, carefully transfer the ornaments to the dehydrator trays, making sure that they are not touching each other.
- Dry the ornaments in the dehydrator for several hours, depending on the thickness of the dough and the humidity in the air. Check on the ornaments every hour or so to make sure they are not cracking or warping.
- Once the ornaments are dry and hard to the touch, remove them from the dehydrator and painted or decorated them as desired.
It’s important to note that the drying time will vary depending on the thickness of the dough and the humidity in the air, so it may take a longer or shorter time than expected.
Salt Dough is Diverse Enough for Every Season
If you love this craft and you want to try other salt dough ornaments, keep in mind it’s a great craft for all seasons and holidays. Another great option to try would be a DIY clay recipe, as well.
Holiday Decorating with Salt Dough
Use salt dough for a variety of crafts and projects, not just for the holidays. Here are a few examples:
- Christmas Ornaments. Shape it into a variety of holiday-themed shapes such as Christmas trees, snowflakes, and gingerbread men. Then hang them proudly on your Christmas tree!
- Handprint Keepsakes. Using a child’s handprint, you can create a keepsake such as a handprint ornament or a handprint plaque.
- Jewelry. Roll your salt dough out and cut it into shapes to make beads for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.
- Halloween Decorations. You can make Halloween decorations such as ghosts, pumpkins, and bat shapes with salt dough.
- Easter eggs. You can also make Easter eggs by shaping the salt dough into an egg shape and painting them in different colors.
- Valentine’s Day. You can make hearts-shaped salt dough and paint them with different colors and decorate them with glitter as well as other embellishments.
- Sculpture. Salt dough can be sculpted and molded into different shapes and figures.
- Imprinting. You can use stamps or other objects to make impressions in the dough, creating unique designs.
- Magnets. Salt dough can be made into magnets for the fridge or any magnetic surface.
- Coasters. Salt dough can be used to make coasters for your home as well as for your business.
- Decorative Pieces. You can create decorative pieces like candle holders, vases, as well as frames.
- Paperweight. You can also make heavier ornaments to use as paperweights.
These are just a few examples, you can use your creativity to come up with other projects and holidays to use salt dough in.
A Must-Add Project for Your Family Activities This Year
In conclusion, a DIY Salt Dough Valentine’s Heart Garland is a fun and budget-friendly craft that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages. It creates a beautiful and unique decoration that can be enjoyed year after year, and it’s a great way to show your loved ones how much you care.
FAQ
DIY Salt Dough
Salt dough is a simple, yet versatile material that can be used for a variety of DIY projects. Whether you're looking to make some cute and quirky home decor or want to keep your kids busy with a fun craft, salt dough is a perfect choice.
Materials
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Water
- Essential oils*
- Herbs (dried Lavender, Rose, Rosemary, etc)*
- Spices (Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, etc)*
- *Optional
Tools
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
- Measuring Cup
- Paper Straw or Toothpicks
- Ribbon, Twine, or Jute Cord
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Embroidery Needle
- Paper Doilies*
- Lace*
- *Optional
Instructions
- The first thing you'll want to do is pour the flour and salt inton a mixing bowl.
- Then mix the flour and salt together in a bowl and stir it until it is thoroughly mixed.
- Then slowly add in the warm water and stir until the mixture comes together to form a dough.
- If desired, you can add a few drops of essential or fragrance oil to give the dough a pleasant scent.
- After a few minutes, the dough should start to soften and smooth out.
- Next, roll out the dough onto a large piece of parchment paper a bit like cookie dough. At this point in the process, just try to roll your dough out evenly and to your preferred thickness. 1/8" to 1/4" is a good thickness.
- Then use the heart cookie cutter to cut out heart shapes. If you have big and small cookie cutters, you can also alternate small hearts and a larger heart on the garland.
- For a more 3D look, you can roll your paper doily on top. This works well to create an embossed pattern that looks so charming!
- And then use a toothpick or straw to make a small hole on either side of the heart or a single hole for an ornament for your string. I used a paper straw and it was a perfect size hole once cooked.
- At this point, place your salt dough hearts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (I did this after cutting each cookie).
- If you want to add some color to your garland, you can also paint the hearts with acrylic paint before baking.
- Then the next step is to bake the salt dough hearts in the oven at 200 degrees F for about 4-6 hours. Also, turn them over halfway through baking for a nice even finish.
- Then finish them with Mod Podge or a spray coat to ensure a more permanent garland.
- After you bake, cool, and seal, string the hearts using a large needle with a piece of twine.
Notes
While I chose hearts, you can most definitely try creating salt dough decorations in all kinds of salt dough shapes like circles, squares, or arabesque. Try any and all cookie cutters you own for a really fun personalized garland!
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Julie
Meet the Author
Hi, I’m Julie! Mother to five beautiful kids, Homeschool Educator, Writer, Handicraft & DIY Enthusiast, Photographer, Thrifter, and Furniture Restorer. Follow along for fun DIY projects creating a handmade home on a budget! Read more about me here→
So pretty Julie! LOVE THESE!
Thank you! I am mildly obsessed… lol