DIY Pet Paw Prints
This is a project I've been wanting to do for a while and I finally had time to try it this weekend! I made little paw print keepsakes for each of my cats using homemade clay.
The clay is soooo easy to make. All you need is 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 cup baking soda, 3/4 cup water, a small saucepan, and a spoon.
Mix the cornstarch and baking soda in a saucepan. Add the water slowly, stirring as you pour. Heat the mixture over medium heat and stir constantly. After a minute or two you'll notice the mixture begin to thicken on the bottom and it's important to stir, stir, stir.
The clay is finished cooking when it looks like this:
Remove from the heat and let the clay cool until you can handle it comfortably. It's surprisingly smooth and pliable! Knead it for a minute to make it really smooth.
Make the paw prints by separating a small piece of clay, rolling it in your hands to make a ball, then pressing it to flatten. Tip-toe over to your pet and quickly press their paw into the clay. Press as firmly and evenly as you can. Use a bamboo skewer or toothpick to make a small hole at the top if you'd like to turn your paw print into an ornament.
Place your paw prints on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake at 250F (121C) for 30 minutes. One of my prints was a little thicker than the others and the back wasn't totally hardened at this point, so I just flipped all of them over and baked for 20 more minutes. When they are cool you can use a Sharpie marker to write your pet's name on the back (especially if you're like me and have more than one pet!).
I love projects that involve my pets, so this was really fun!
11 comments:
It's funny you should post this today. While I was with family over Christmas last week, we had to euthanize our 17 year old cat. The vet techs made two little paw prints for us to bring home before they put in the IV catheter.
Sounds kind of morbid, I guess, but they're oddly comforting to have. It would have been fun to make pawprints when he was a kitten, too, or from any stage of his life that wouldn't be associated with the sadness of losing him. :) So I'll bookmark this post. We will probably be adopting another kitty soon, it isn't home without one. <3
Mum and I are working with a similar dough during these holidays! :)
We are making pendants!
I love this...can't wait to try it. I have 3 cats. Thanks for the idea!
This is so sweet. I wish I had done something like this with my cat before she she passed. It would have been a lovely memento!
Love this! I have 2 huskies! I can not wait to tell my son when he comes home from school.
Will this work for nose prints too? It doesn't have any funky toxins or anything so I'm assuming so but I am curious if anyone has tried it.
Thanks!
Bunny,
I think it would work for nose prints, too : )
Nose prints worked wonderfully!! I had to do a few but, as you know, the recipe makes up a good amount. I did thinner disks with multiple prints because I'm looking at using them for memorial castings. You were an awesome find today, thank you!
I can't wait to do this with my Fur Baby!
Thank a bunch for posting this!
Do you know if these are waterproof? I'd like to create tags for different varieties of orange trees.
I am not sure how these hold up in water, but I doubt that they are waterproof enough to hold up in outdoor conditions. Sorry!
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