DIY Salt Dough Paw Print Ornaments

Lila Blue and I wanted to create something special to celebrate our third Christmas together!  So we made keepsake paw print ornaments!   These DIY Salt Dough Paw Print Ornaments are a wonderful keepsake to have of your pet and are easy to make.  You can also use this same recipe for your baby’s handprint of their first Christmas or when they’re little.

It’s blog hop day with Jackie, Liz and Shanna and we are sharing DIY ornament ideas with you!  You’ll find the links in gold to their DIY ornaments at the end of this post.  You’ll definitely want to check out all the amazing ornament ideas for you to DIY this Christmas!

Special Keepsake Ornaments

I’ve made these DIY salt dough paw print ornaments for years.  It’s truly special to forever have these paw print ornaments of beloved pets that have since crossed the Rainbow Bridge.  Ok, it’s Christmas!  So no more tears here – now it’s all about these special memories now with my precious girl, Lila Blue.  Who just so happens to paws-itively love Christmas and making ornaments with her Momma.  Lila Blue had a lot of fun making these and kept trying to eat the dough!

I’ve never had a pet try to eat the dough before though.  But with Lila Blue, I would expect nothing less of her!  🙂  So if you make this with your pet, make sure they don’t try to eat the dough.  While the dough is edible, there’s a lot of salt in it, and you don’t want them to ingest that.

But y’all!  Look at how proud she was of her ornament at the end!  Smiling ear to ear in her Christmas jammies and bow… I can’t handle the cuteness that she is!!  I mean, she’s ready for Santa Paws to come and visit her.

In true, Ashlee fashion, Lila Blue and I decided to make these salt dough paw print ornaments at the last minute.  If that’s your jam too, it’s ok, because you’ve probably already got everything you need in your pantry to create them this weekend!

All you need is flour, water and salt.  Then if you want to highlight the indentation of the paw print to make it pretty you’ll need some paint.  If you want to get real fancy add a little glitter!  However, glitter is not allowed at my house with pets…. but that’s a glittery true mess of a story for another day.

Anyway, back to making these ornaments with your best furry friends…

DIY Salt Dough Paw Print Ingredients & Supplies

• 1/2 Cup Salt
• 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 Cup Hot Water
• Parchment Paper
• Paint in Color of Your Choice (I used a mix of Apple Barrel Cameo Pink and Folk Art Metallic Royal Gold acrylic paints)
• Glitter, Optional
• Ribbon or Yarn

DIY Salt Dough Paw Print Ornaments

1. Mix together one cup of flour and half a cup of salt.  Then add in hot water.  You’re looking for a dough to form that you can roll into a ball.
2. Roll out the dough with a floured rolling pin.
3. Use a biscuit cutter or a cup to cut out circles into the dough.  You could also use cookie cutters for a smaller dog or a cat – just make sure your pet’s paw will fit into the shape of the cookie cutter you use.
4. Place the cut out circles onto a large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Use a straw to create a circle for the ribbon to thread through later.  (I wish I had done the hole first to use as a guide for the placement of her paw, as I ended up with some upside down ornaments!)
6. Next, carefully and gently press your pet’s paw into the dough circle.  Remember, don’t let your pet eat the dough! Wipe their paw with a damp towel after.
7. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for about two hours.
8. Once cooled, paint the paw print indention to make it stand out!  If you want to add glitter, lightly put it on while the paint is still a little wet.
9. Thread the ribbon at the top into the ribbon hole and hang the salt dough paw print ornament on your tree.
10. Don’t forget to add your pet’s name and the year to the back of the ornament with a Sharpie!

IMPORTANT TIP:

Hang the salt dough ornament in an area your pet can’t get to.  You don’t want them to try and eat it.

Make this DIY salt dough paw print ornament this weekend to have a special keepsake of your best furry friend forever! Lila Blue and I loved making these ornaments together.  Let me know if you try to make these ornaments this Christmas! Chat with me in the comments or connect with me on social media! Use the hashtag #sweetsouthernoaks on Instagram to share inspiration from the blog. As always, feel free to find me on Facebook or Instagram. I’d love to chat with you about all things home décor! You can also pin with me on Pinterest for even more inspiration for home décor, recipes and more!

Let’s hop on over and check out even more DIY Ornament Ideas:

Jackie at Jackie Can’t Blog: Jackie is channeling the neutral color palette this season and crafting with raw wood beads!  She created a couple of garlands and ornaments out of these beautiful wooden beads!  Go check out Boho ornaments for the tree on Jackie’s blog!

Liz at Living with Liz: Liz created the cutest ornaments that can also double as a stocking stuffer!  Get the tutorial on how to make Bath Salt Ornaments on her blog! These would make such a great Christmas gift, too!

Shanna at Our Military Homefront:  Shanna is keeping her Christmas decor minimal this season and she created these beautiful snowball inspired ornaments.  Hop on over to Shanna’s blog and learn how to make them!