You'll love this two-in-one project: a highly original valentine that moonlights as a usable ball of clay.

Materials

• 3 Cups of white flour
• 1 1/2 Cups of salt
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons of cream of tartar
• 3 1/4 Cups of water
• 6 Tablespoons of vegetable oil
• Red food coloring
• Rolling pin

• Heart-shaped cookie cutter
• Small cellophane bags
• Scissors
• White paper
• Markers
• Hole punch
• Ribbon

Instructions

1. Mix the flour, salt, and cream of tartar in a medium saucepan.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the liquids, adding drops of food coloring until you reach your desired shade.

3. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture holds together and gets too stiff to stir (it will stiffen even more as it cools), about 5 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.

4. Knead the clay briefly, then roll or pat it to a 3/4-inch thickness and cut with the cookie cutter.

5. For each valentine, place a clay heart in a cellophane bag. Cut a tag out of white paper, decorate it with markers, and punch a hole in one end. Thread a length of ribbon through the tag´s hole and tie the bag shut with a bow.

Tips:

An older child can make the play clay (with adult supervision) while a younger one makes the tags. Then both children can roll and cut the clay hearts and bag their own valentines.

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Find more about:

• 1 Hour |
• All Ages |
• Clay Crafts |
• Clay Crafts |
• Gifts |
• Hearts |
• Preschooler |
• School Age |
• Tween |
• Valentine's Day

Related Categories:

• Valentine's Day Crafts |
• Clay Crafts |
• February 2001