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!