This month’s handprint and photo keepsake is a pumpkin one! A cute handprint and photo of my little pumpkin!(PS: check out this Thanksgiving Keepsake too!)
This pumpkin keepsake is very similar to the Apple keepsake in shape, but I painted it afterwards because after the drying process it was too light to my liking. I used liquid food colouring, perhaps the gel kind would keep it from turning light. (I will use gel food colouring next time and report back.)
So with the other keepsakes(see them HERE), the ingredients are equal amounts of flour and salt(1 cup each we had leftover) with half water(1/2 cup).
OR, just get this set, follow my instructions and paint it orange afterwards!
The salt dough was rolled out, about 1 cm thick.
I cut and modified the shape until it looked like a pumpkin and added the stump(is that what one calls it?)
Then, my son pressed his hand into the dough, not too hard though. A glass was used to make the hole for the photo(still can’t find my circle cookie cutter!) and carefully removed.
The date was added with these cookie letter stamps and holes were made with a bamboo stick. You could add the child’s name or occasion too.
The keepsake went into the oven for 3 hours(and left overnight, upside down, to dry out more) at plus minus 80’C/160’F.
The next day I added the photo by gluing the photo to cardboard slightly bigger than the opening and sticking it down with normal white glue. The string was added and then I painted it to get a brighter result.
Pumpkin Handprint & Photo Keepsake
Salt dough pumpkin shape keepsake to use as photo frame
Materials
- 1 cup of flour(all purpose)
- 1 cup of salt(fine)
- 1/2 cup of water
- orange gel food coloring(or orange paint)
- brown gel food coloring(or brown paint)
- string
Tools
- child's handprint
- oven
- round glass/cookie cutter
- cookie stamps
- photo
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt.
- Add the water. If you are using food coloring, mix it in the water before adding to salt and flour mixture.
- Roll out the dough to 1 cm thick(keep a small piece aside for the stump).
- Form the pumpkin.
- Press the hand so that the imprint is clear.
- Use the glass/cookie cutter to make circle for the photo.
- Add the stump.
- Add the date with the cookie stamps.
- Add holes for the string.
- Bake the keepsake for 3 hours at low heat(80'C or 160'F).
- Take out of the oven, turn upside down and leave overnight to cool.
- Add the photo(attaching it to the back and covered up with cardboard with strong glue).
- Add the string.
- Paint if needed.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
A lovely keepsake of my little pumpkin for Halloween time or Fall!
Check out this spooky keepsake too, perfect for the month of October!
Nadia van Zyl says
You can make the dough ahead of time and store it in a ziploc bag until you use it. Is that what you meant?
Jodie says
Hi. Just reading the comments, so if I am making this for a class party of 24 kids, it will still work for handprinting the following day? And still place them all in ziplocks? Or is there a better way? Thank You!
Nadia van Zyl says
Ours survived a trip around the world in a shipping container..
Steph says
Hi there,
Wondering if this will spill or mold over time? Thanks!
Nadia van Zyl says
One medium size hand, 2 small size hands
Reagan Reno says
How many pumpkins will it make
Nadia van Zyl says
Equal amounts of flour and salt, to half of water. So 1 cup of flour + 1 cup of salt + 1/2 cup of water
Dianna says
What is the recipe to make the dough for the pumpkin photo keepsake. New here.
diannaroot@yahoo.com
Thanks in advance.
Nadia van Zyl says
You can. Just keep it in a ziploc bag.
Sose says
How in advance can you make the dough? I want to make it for my Sunday school class and was wondering if I could make the dough the night before. Thanks.
Nadia van Zyl says
-About one and a half cup of flour and one and a half cup of salt
– the dough should not be more than 1cm thick when rolled out
– right side up just means you should see the print, not the flat side
– when cooling you can turn the piece around, so the print lies face down
Hope it help. I really should make a video. Will have to do that soon;)
Jennifer says
I’m not crafty what so ever. I am going to make sure I have everything understood!
-Equal parts flour and salt (what’s recommended for 2 small hands?) – add 1/2 cup water
– roll out 1 in thick, press hand in softly, cut out circle
– put on wax paper right side up, bake on lowest F setting for 3 hours
This is where I get a bit confused I’ve seen you mention right side up and face down for the baking/cooling do you mind breaking it down for me?
Thank you so much for the help. I love doing things with the kids but I’m so not good at figuring this stuff out on my own.
Nadia van Zyl says
It will be fine in a ziploc bag, I think
Maureen says
I was interested in making these with our preschool class of 14 children. Is it possible to make the dough a day or longer before we use them in class? Does the dough dry up too quickly in a plastic zip bag to do that? Thanks!
Nadia van Zyl says
Yes
Marsha says
Wallet size photo?
Nadia van Zyl says
First right side up at 180’C or the lowest F you can. Turn it around after three hours too see how dry it is. If it looks wet, bake for another 1hour or so until it is dry
Nadia van Zyl says
Perhaps they were too thick? Try turning them around and baking again
Ellyce says
We tried making these. We left them in the oven for 6 hours at 180 degrees and they are still moist a day later . What went wrong?
Kay says
When you out it in the oven, do you put it in upside down to cook? At what degrees do you set the oven on?
Nadia van Zyl says
Also, try this one: http://teach-me-mommy.com/handprint-photo-keepsake-ornament./
Nadia van Zyl says
That’s fabulous!
April says
I have done this every year with my granddaughter for a present to her parents for Christmas she is 4 now an we are going to do it again this year I love this
Nadia van Zyl says
No, only about two small hands. Rather double the recipe;)
Ashley says
How many keepsakes will this recipe make? Do you think this will make 4 preschool sized hands?
Nadia van Zyl says
Add equal amounts of flour and salt until it is not sticky anymore:)
Alexa Rojas says
Our dough came out too sticky theretofore the hand-print would not form….. should we add more flour.. salt? What do you recommend. Thanks!!
Jennifer Tenenbaum says
Perfect. Thank you!
Nadia van Zyl says
You have to put it on baking paper/wax paper on the cookie sheet. Sometimes the paper still stick to the back, but it does not really matter. So sorry it was a disaster, but do try again☺️
Jennifer Tenenbaum says
I just couldn’t get it off. Do you let it cool completely before taking it off with a spatula? I was very careful but the back ended up completely destroyed.
Nadia van Zyl says
No I do put it on a cookie sheet. Was it crumbly?
Jennifer Tenenbaum says
I put it on a cookie sheet and it came out disastrous. Do you just put it directly on the oven rack?
Nadia van Zyl says
Liquid glue;)
Nadia van Zyl says
Glued to a piece of cardboard, then to the back of pumpkin
Nadia van Zyl says
Yes, first on a piece of cardboard,then to the back
Heidi brant says
Did you glue the picture?
Jennifer Tenenbaum says
Hi- I can’t wait to do this! How did you fasten the picture to the back?
Thanks for the super cute idea!
Nadia van Zyl says
A regular oven is fine. The lower the heat, the better. I put mine in for the 3 hours, then take it out of the oven to harden more overnight, upside down.
Jessica says
These can be put in a regular oven right? If so what is the time and temperature. Is it 160 degrees and 3 hours in a regular oven too? Also did you leave them in the oven overnight and at what temperature do I leave it on over night? I want to make these with my kids for our Sunday school class. Thanks for sharing this
Nadia van Zyl says
No problem, thanks for linking back;)
Ryann says
Hi! I found you on Pinterest and I love this craft, so cute and easy!
I included a text link to it in my blog’s round-up post, but I was looking for an email address to contact you to ask your permission to use an image as well?
Thanks for making such cute things!
Nadia van Zyl says
Normal tempera paint;)
Tracy says
What kind of paint did you use?
Great idea!
Nadia van Zyl says
Thanks!
Julie says
Another GREAT idea!! x