Plaster of paris makes great crafts at the beach. Use your hands and feet to make holiday season decorations.Here are the materials Dexter used to make plaster of paris beach footprints Christmas tree ornaments
Small bucket Freshwater 4-inch lengths of string and craft paints, optional Instructions 1. Choose a site to cast your molds in the sand--the moist, hard-packed sand near the water's edge works best. 2. Firmly press both feet into the sand. The prints should be about 1/2 inch to 2 inches deep. (If your child can't press down that hard, he can use his finger to dig down into the print, following its shape.) 3. Mix up the plaster, according to the directions on the package, so that it has a thick, creamy consistency. Pour it gently into the footprints. 4. To make hangers, tie a knot about a half inch in from the ends of the pieces of string. As the mixture begins to harden, push the knotted ends into it and let dry. 5. After 20 to 25 minutes, gently dig the footprints out of the molds and brush away any excess sand. Set sole-side up in the sun for about an hour to let harden. 6. If you wish, try painting your decorations in bright Christmas beach fun colors and hang them on your Christmas tree! Here are the materials Dexter used to make beach treasure handprints Beach treasures that you can find, such as shells, rocks, and sea glass (no seaweed) 1 1/2 cups plaster in a quart size resealable plastic bag Water (salt water or fresh water) Drill and bits (Battery powered) Wood glue Instructions 1. Have your child press his hand into damp, hard-packed sand, making a 2-inch-deep impression. 3. Add 1 cup of water to the bag. Seal the bag and knead it to combine the two. Carefully pour the wet plaster of paris into the palm of the handprint, covering the inlaid items. 4. Use a chopstick to push the mixture into the fingers and thumb. Add more to the palm as needed. 5. Set the chopstick in place with 2 inches of one end submerged in the plaster of paris. Or, to make a hanger, tie a knot about a half inch in from the end of a piece of string. As the mix begins to harden, push the knotted end into the plaster and let dry. 6. Let the mixture set until it's hard, at least 30 minutes. To remove the hand, carefully dig out the sand from around the plaster, then slowly lift the hand up by the chopstick handle. Wrap your project in a towel to transport it.
8. Paint the words "Christmas At The Beach" followed by the date you were there on the wooden base for a fun and decorative memento. Mimi and McAveler learned to make foot and hand print decorations at the beach from a peculiar but very bright and friendly boy named Dexter, perhaps 11 years of age, who was bare foot and dressed in a business suit and wearing a santa hat.
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7. For a tabletop display, drill a hole 2 inches deep and a little wider than your chopstick into a piece of wood. Insert the chopstick handle, and secure it with wood glue, if needed.
