Urgent - footprint in clay for Fathers Day...how?

[MABS]

Suddenly feel i want to something 'special ' for dh on Father's Day. Really want to do a footprint in the clay type of thing by ds and dd. Have no idea what to do , i'm not arty or creative usually, is it hard to do ?? Any 'simple ' instructions on what to actually buy for this artistic masterpiece gratefully received

Every Saturday in our local John Lewis they are taking foot prints. Alternatively you can buy the set yourself for approx 4.99 from www.hawkin.com. Finally try buying white modeling clay.

Mabs why not go to an art store and get the ready made clay stuff. It dries in a few hours if i remember (been a few years) and your kids can decorate it themselves. Any decent art supplies place will help you out. Where are you?

You can use salt dough...

What you need:

4 cups of flour
1 cup salt
Food coloring
Water to moisten
Large Bowl
What you do:

Mix all the ingredients together in large bowl. Add water to get desired dampness.
Take half of the salt dough and gently flatten with palm of your hand (I'd gently roll it out though - makes it smoother). Don't let it get too thin. Keep it thick.
Ask your little one to make her handprints in the dough. You can do the same for footprints too. (I'd neaten the dough into a nice square with a sharp knife at this point) With a toothpick have your child write their name on the back of the mold with the date. Allow to dry for 24 hours. Varnish.

You can paint it when it's dry before you varnish it - be aware that the varnish might make the paint run so check first!

I think that Argos or Index do a kit.They cost about a fiver

thanks everyone - I'm determined to this I'm in Brighton Lou

I tried using an air drying clay to make footprints with, but found the clay was too hard to make a very good impression of a foot - I don't know if there is any way of softening it?

You could do it in concrete. Get a bag of the quick drying stuff from B&Q. It's cheap enough you could do a few trial runs. You could also add color to it while it's wet.

Don't forget to remove your child's foot before it sets though...

Soupdragon... you are a star! What a great idea MABS!

Did any of you actally do this???

Maybe you should be asking; Are there lots of kids strolling around in multi coloured concrete boots out there??

Yes! fathers day will always be remembered for ds bringing his creation in to his Daddy as if it was the most precious object in the world, placing it down beside him, unvieling it and then promptly stamping on it with his foot to demonstrate how it was made! To say it was from that moment forth a complete mess would be an understatement (but how we all laughed)

LOL! Not very robust then?