How to Make Ornaments From Dough

Using dough is one of the simplest - and cheapest - ways to make your own ornaments.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 c. salt
• 4 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 c. warm water
• Brushes
• Ribbons
• Watercolors
• Paints
• Varnish
• Groceries
• Cookie Cutters
• Drinking Straws
• Flour Sifters
• Rolling Pins
• Permanent Markers
• Permanent markers

1. Mix salt and flour together. Add water.

2. Knead dough until smooth. The dough should be very stiff. Add more flour if it's too sticky.

3. Roll dough out and cut out ornaments with cookie cutters, or cut out your own figures and shapes by hand.

4. Push a straw, pen or other thin object through ornament at top to make a hole for hanging.

5. Bake ornaments for 1 hour in oven at low setting.

6. Allow to cool.

7. Decorate. You can paint ornaments with watercolors or other type of paint, or use colored markers. Be creative.

8. Coat ornaments when dry with a clear protective coating.

9. Put ornament hanger or ribbon through hole and hang.

Tips & Warnings

• Making your own ornaments adds a personal touch to Christmas. Plus, it's something the whole family can have fun doing.
• Although nontoxic, the dough is extremely salty and is not suitable for eating.
• Decorated ornaments may be toxic and should not be eaten.

[jkbrown]

on 11/21/2006 how to make fur/hair -- Put the ornament dough through a garlic press in order to create fur for a horse's mane, or hair for an angel, etc.

on 11/22/2005 Cut the shape, then use a rubber stamp to make impressions in the dough. Then after painting them, antique them by rubbing on a thinned brown paint and wiping off excess. The paint will stay in the crevices and look old world.

on 11/22/2005 Instead of painting ornaments after baking, you can add small amounts of craft paint to dough cut out or form ornaments of choice and dry then spray with clear protective coating 5 or 6 coats. They will keep for years in a dry place. I usually divide the dough and make many colors so i can use as needed. Keep stored in refrigerator in plastic bags and container till used up.

on 11/22/2005 To make cinnamon scented ornaments, substitute 2 cups ground cinnamon for 2 cups of the flour.

on 11/22/2005 Separate the dough into two portions, adding red food coloring to one. Now, you may roll several thinly shaped, snakelike pieces from each portion, then twist them together like a candy cane!