It is time for this month’s keepsake, and since a lot of our readers are going back to school soon, this APPLE keepsake is perfect! Perfect to capture the little hand AND photo of a first day in a certain grade! 
See more fab Fall Keepsakes HERE!

As always I have used 1 cup of flour(all purpose or cake) with one cup of salt and about half a cup of water. These were mixed until I had a playdough-like consistency. I coloured most of it red(with gel food colouring) and the rest green.

First, the red dough was flattened, about 1cm. Then, a handprint was made. I used a small glass cup(easier to get to than the cookie cutters) to make the hole for the photo. You could use whatever shape cookie cutter you want, as long as it fits in the palm of the handprint.

Next, I used a knife to cut the top and to press the bottom to look like an apple shape. The date and my daughter’s grade were stamped with our Alphabet Cookie Stamps.
Lastly, the leave were added and I made the holes for the string to go through. (You do not need holes if you want it to stand using a plate stand.) 

This went into the oven for 3 hours(and left overnight to dry out more) plus minus 80’C/160’F.

The next day I added the photo at the back and the string. Too pretty right? And the perfect keepsake to remember the first day in a new grade!

Yield: 1 keepsake

Apple Handprint & Photo Keepsake

Print

Salt dough apple shape keepsake to use as photo frame!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Additional Time 3 hours

Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes

Difficulty Medium

Estimated Cost Less than $5

Materials

• 1 cup of flour(all purpose)
• 1 cup of salt(fine)
• 1/2 cup of water
• red gel food coloring(or red paint)
• green gel food coloring(or green paint)
• string

Tools

• child's handprint
• oven
• round glass/cookie cutter
• cookie stamps
• photo

Instructions

1. Mix the flour and salt.
2. Add the water. If you are using food coloring, mix it in the water before adding to salt and flour mixture.
3. Roll out the dough to 1 cm thick(keep a small piece aside for the leaf).
4. Form the apple.
5. Press the hand so that the imprint is clear.
6. Use the glass/cookie cutter to make circle for the photo.
7. Add the leaf.
8. Add the date with the cookie stamps.
9. Add holes for the string.
10. Bake the keepsake for 3 hours at low heat(80'C or 160'F).
11. Take out of the oven, turn upside down and leave overnight to cool.
12. Add the photo(attaching it to the back and covered up with cardboard with strong glue).
13. Add the string.
14. Paint if needed.

Recommended Products

• 
  Home-X Cookie Stamps Set, 96 Pc.

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PS If you liked this idea, you should check out ALL of our keepsakes HERE!