Diy Paw Print Keepsakes

[MoochNNoodles]

My mother and I just tried getting a paw print of her dog and cat using Sculpey clay. It was a big fail! I couldn't get it soft enough to really get the dogs print let alone the cats.

I've seen handprint kits in the store using Sculpey so I'm pretty disappointed it didn't work.

Is there a better product? Salt dough? Or air drying clay? We want something that can be hung or laid on a side table; nothing as big as stepping stones. I have used salt dough to make prints of my girls; but they are kind of delicate so I thought Sculpey would work better.

 

[AbbysMom]

The only thing I've seen are those kits that they sell. Pinterest would probably give you a bunch of ideas, although some might not be so good.

 

[Columbine]

From my experience, Sculpey clay takes a LOT of working to get it really soft. Heat helps, so warm hands in a warm place might help you get better results.

I remember using Das air drying clay a lot as a kid. That's much softer to start with (more like 'real' clay), but might well be harder to clean off paws afterwards. On the other hand, Sculpey clay dyes transfer very easily, so it might be swings and roundabouts in that respect.

For what its worth, I made a load of Christmas tree decorations using Das clay when I was maybe 3 or 4, and they're still all intact (despite being dropped MANY times over the years)! They're only around 5mm thick too, if that. We painted them with powder paint and varnished them (I think with Sculpey type varnish), and they look really effective....even if I do cringe now at mum still using them on the tree

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Pinterest mostly showed Sculpey and Salt-dough. I'm going to look for the Das Clay Columbine ! We can just go with salt-dough if the Das clay doesn't work out. I know some vet's offices do paw prints for owners after a pet is PTS. I'm not sure what they use but I've seen ink and imprint versions.

I actually came across one place that sends you a kit where you make your pet's impression and send it back and they use it to make you a glass imprint! It was really neat looking! I don't remember how much that cost though.

I did salt dough ornaments one year when DD was little. I got Mooch and Noodle's paw prints easily with it but I broke one later. I put a piece of clear plastic wrap over the top so it wouldn't get on their paws. We tried that with the Sculpey too. I think the sculpey is easier to work with small pieces of; rather than trying to get something large soft enough to accept a paw print.

 

[Columbine]

Amazon sells Das clay No idea how competitive their pricing is, but it's definitely an easy option.

Forgot to say; Das comes in two types - white and terracotta. We used the white version, probably because it takes colour better, and I believe it's the more widely available of the two over here (at least, I think that was the case in the 80s ).

I really hope it works for you

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I hope so too! It got me thinking; if I do white I can paint the print the color of their paws. Mooch's toe beans are pink with black patches. That would be cute! If I were real artsy I'd paint their heads on them but I don't think I'm good enough for that!

 

[Columbine]

Custom coloured paw prints would just be the cutest

 

[MoochNNoodles]

I will post pictures when I get around to them! I was supposed to sew fabric lining on my curtains last fall and a few other things. But I do need to make the prints soon. Mom's dog is elderly. She still seems happy; but she has her health issues and she's definitely an "old gal."

 

[Mother Dragon]

We got some paw prints we didn't want one year. We were custom stamping our holiday cards with an ink that would puff once heated under a light bulb. We had the stamp pads sitting on the table as we worked. Two-Stroke came bounding across the table and a different paw hit each stamp pad. Then he managed to put a print on every envelope and some of the cards. Since we didn't have extras, we sent them out that way. I must admit it perplexed people.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

We got some paw prints we didn't want one year. We were custom stamping our holiday cards with an ink that would puff once heated under a light bulb. We had the stamp pads sitting on the table as we worked. Two-Stroke came bounding across the table and a different paw hit each stamp pad. Then he managed to put a print on every envelope and some of the cards. Since we didn't have extras, we sent them out that way. I must admit it perplexed people.

My family and friends would probably think I did it on purpose! I do have a paw print rubber stamp somewhere.