With the holidays quickly approaching, the kids and I worked on a special gift idea. I’ve made the cinnamon
applesauce ornaments in the past but I was anxious to try something new! Both
recipes are fairly easy and use ingredients you most likely have on hand. The
directions are simple too, so little hands can help! Both of my kiddos had fun
stamping, painting and decorating their ornaments.
We tried two
different recipes—both turned out equally well, so I can’t recommend one over the
other according to the appearance. If you want the “easiest” recipe—that would
be the salt dough recipe (#1)—this one doesn’t require using the stove top and
cooling, you simply mix up, roll out, cut and decorate. If you want crisp white
ornaments, I’d go with the clay-type recipe (#2)—this would be good if you
decided not to paint or decorate and wanted a clean and simple look.
Here are the
two recipes:
Salt Dough Ornaments (#1)
2 c. flour
1 c. salt
1 c. luke warm
water
Combine
ingredients in large bowl and mix together until the dough forms. Lightly flour
the surface and roll out to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to make
the shape. Use a straw to make the hole for the ribbon to hang the ornament. We
used craft paint and stamps to decorate our ornaments, but you can leave them
undecorated too. Once you make all your ornaments, you can allow them to air
dry or bake them at a low setting (200 degrees) for 30-60 minutes, rotating
after 15 minutes and checking to make sure they do not start to brown. After
they are cool and dry, spray with a clear coating spray to preserve the
ornament. Tie a string and hang!
Clay Ornaments (#2)
½ c. corn
starch
1 c. baking
soda
¾ c. water
Combine
ingredients in a saucepan and heat over med-low heat. Keep stirring until it
forms a mushy dough, similar to mashed potatoes. Once that consistency is
formed, place dough on a surface to cool (we put it on a cutting board). Once
cool, roll dough out to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to make the
shape. Use a straw to make the hole for the ribbon to hang the ornament. We
used craft paint and stamps to decorate our ornaments, but you can leave them
undecorated too. Once you make all your ornaments, bake them at a low setting
(200 degrees) for 30-60 minutes, rotating after 15 minutes and checking to make
sure they do not start to brown. After they are cool and dry, spray with a
clear coating spray to preserve the ornament. Tie a string and hang!
Have fun
making these with your kids—we sure did! (We even had a neighbor friend come
over and join us!)
Cindy
