Baby hand and foot print

Materials:

clay

plaster

plastic strip about 12 in long

ribbon

2 plastic straws (like from McDonalds)

flat surface

sandpaper 

Elmers glue

Steps:

1. Soften your clay so that you can roll it out onto a flat surface and be able to push a hand or foot print into it easily.  Some clay might need extra water to make it soft. 

2.  Wrap the plastic strip around the outside of the clay.  Make sure the plastic is taller than the clay, at least half an inch. 

3.  Press your babies hand and foot into the clay so that it leaves a nice imprint. If you mess up, it is easy to smooth over the clay and do it again.  

4.  Stick your 2 straws through the clay near the top.  These will leave holes in the final product to let you pull ribbon through it so you can hang it up. 

5. Pour the mixed plaster over the clay making sure it doesn't flow over the plastic strip.  

6.  Allow plenty of time for the plaster to dry.  I let mine sit for about 4 hours.  

7. Carefully remove the plastic strip from the outside border.  

8. Slowly peel off the dried plaster.  It'll have a nice thin layer of dried clay on top of it showing the details of the prints.  At this time you can also remove the straws.  

9.  If you want, you can use sand paper to soften any rough edges that the plaster or clay have made. 

10.  Use Elmers glue to glue your ribbon to the outside of the final product.  Ribbon looks a lot nicer than just white plaster.  

11.  Tie some ribbon through the straw holes, and your project is ready to hang!  

Optional:  Before you pour the plaster over the clay, you can write anything you want (Date, name, etc).  But just remember you have to write it completely backwards.  If you don't, the final product will be backwards instead!!  So my advice is to write what you want on a plain white piece of paper, then hold it up to a window and trace it.  It'll be good practice, or you can use it as a stencil.