Jessica Ackerman : How to Make a Patriotic Door Plaque
Make a Patriotic Door Plaque
By Jessica Ackerman
It can be a lot of fun to decorate the front door of your home for the holidays. There are plenty of ways to do this, but if you're looking for a craft that is fun for both adults and children, it's hard to beat making decorations with salt dough. This craft is easy to do and only requires minimal materials. Plus, everyone in the family can help and have fun. Once you're done, you'll have a beautiful plaque that you can hang on your front door for the Fourth of July holiday with pride.
Materials You Will Need to Make the Salt Dough:
(Please note… this recipe will make quite a few salt dough shapes. If you are only making one door plaque, you might want to make less dough. Of course, if you have any extra, you could always make other holiday decorations for other purposes. You can also store leftovers in a sealed plastic bag for future crafting. This craft dough is NOT edible.)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup water
Other Materials You Will Need:
- Acrylic paints (red, white, blue, yellow, gray, metallic shades of silver and gold work well)
- Clear acrylic sealer
- Paintbrushes
- Craft paint pens
- Waterproof craft glue
- Stylus (for pressing designs into the dough shapes)
- 1 blank wooden sign (in whatever size is desired)
- Number stencils
- Cookie cutters (star and flag shapes work well)
Craft Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Mix the salt dough ingredients together until a soft dough is formed. Sprinkle the countertop with some flour and knead the dough, adding a bit more flour if it is too sticky to work with.
- Roll the dough out into a half-inch thick sheet.
- Using the cookie cutters, cut out as many different shapes as you will need for your plaque. Use the stylus to make any decorative indentations you might desire. You can also use the number stencils to cut out dough house numbers for your sign.
- Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet, and bake for between 2 and 2-1/2 hours until dry. When done, allow to cool for at least 4 hours.
- Paint the shapes. You can use a wider brush to give a shape an overall coat of paint. Allow to dry then use smaller brushes to add details. You can also use the tip of a stylus to add small dot designs. Make sure that the base coat of paint is dry before you use the paint pens. Set the shapes aside to dry thoroughly. Then, coat with acrylic sealer and let dry.
- Give the wooden sign a coat of red, white or blue paint. Allow to dry then give the sign a second coat. Allow the sign to thoroughly dry, preferably overnight. Then, coat with acrylic sealer and let dry.
- Arrange the salt dough shapes on the sign until you have a pattern you like. Use the craft glue to attach them to the sign. Allow everything to dry thoroughly.
- Once the glue has dried, you can hang your sign on the front door. If your wooden sign has small holes on either side, thread a piece of yarn, cord or string through the holes to make a hanger, knotting each end to attach. You can also glue a small loop of ribbon on the back to hang, or affix a saw-tooth picture hanger.
- Hang your door plaque and enjoy the Fourth of July! •
Copyright 2010, Wall Decor and Home Accents.
About the Author
Jessica Ackerman is an exciting and originative designer with vast experience in residential interior design. ...
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