Question about salt dough crafts

[alootikki]

I'm planning on doing a salt dough craft with DD's class on Monday - I thought the kids could make small candle holders and paint them, and then I could take them home to bake. Everything I'm seeing online says that salt dough ornaments can be painted AFTER they are baked - can they also be painted before baking?

[sasha]

I don't think you can paint the salt dough before it bakes. I've used food coloring to tint the dough before baking, though, then added details with sharpie markers after. Works great.

[infomama]

I wouldn't paint it before and from what I have read it takes forever to dry. Have you looked into cornstarch/baking soda clay? It's so much prettier than salt dough. May not holdup as a candleholder but you could do ornaments.
http://woodsidekitchen.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/clay-christmas-decorations.html
http://thelifeoflulubelle.com/2011/12/01/salt-dough-vs-cornstarch-clay/

I read in the first post that they used watercolors to paint the clay (baking soda/cornstarch)...that would be so pretty.

[wellyes]

Hey I just looked up salt dough, that is my homemade playdoh recipe! Easiest playdough ever. It never occurred to me to bake it.