How to Use Cookie Cutters for Tree Ornaments

Plain Christmas cookie cutters can be transformed into colorful nostalgic tree ornaments with some paper and old photographs.

Homemade Christmas ornaments make great personal gifts for friends and family as well as a rustic personal touch to your own home décor. Cookie cutters can be used as ornaments in themselves or used to make ornaments. The simplest way to decorate with a cookie cutter is to tie a ribbon on it and hang it on a branch. However, for a craftier take, cookie cutter frames make for colorful and nostalgic tree ornaments, and cookie cutter salt dough ornaments are great projects to be attempted with children.

Things You'll Need

• Cookie cutters
• Colorful paper prints or printed photographs
• Liquid craft glue
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 salt
• 1/4 cup water
• Paint and decorations

Instructions

Cutter Ornaments

1. Gather a dozen (or more) inexpensive low-quality metal Christmas themed cookie cutters; trees, circles, angels, candy canes, snowflakes and even hearts. Copper cutters can also be used, though they tend to be more expensive. Avoid plastic cutters.

2. Place the cookie cutters on top of a decorative paper (hard card stock paper works best). The paper can either be scrapbooking background sheets, card stock craft papers, old Christmas cards, or wrapping paper glued to paper. Alternately, you can glue Christmas magazine cutouts or printed photographs of friends and family to pieces of card stock. Trace the cutter on the print or photo with a light pencil.

3. Cut along the edge of the trace to cut out an exact paper shape of the cutter. Smear craft liquid glue along the edges of the sharp side of the cutter. Use a stick or swab to attach the glue rather than your finger to avoid a cutting injury.

4. Place the glue-covered ornament on the paper cut out and press firmly. Allow it to dry.

5. Poke a hole in the paper just under the top rim of the cutter so as to thread a ribbon through. Insert a small ribbon and tie it off at the top. Hang them on tree branches.

Salt Dough Ornaments

1. Make the salt dough. Combine 1 cup all purpose flour with ½ cup salt and ¼ cup cold water. Use your hands to combine until it is one massive dough ball. Knead the dough ball on a flat surface for two to three minutes adding more water if necessary (you don't want it to be sticky).

2. Roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch thick and use the Christmas cookie cutters to cut "cookies" in the dough. Place the cut shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and poke small holes in the top of each shape (with a toothpick) to allow for a hanging ribbon. Set the tray in a cool dry place for 24 to 48 hours to dry out. Re-poke the ribbon holes if necessary during the drying time.

3. Paint the dried dough ornaments with any craft paint or glue available. Acrylic paints, puff paints, even markers for young children can be used. Glue sparkles, bows and sequins if desired. Thread a small ribbon through the hole at the top of the ornament and tie off. Hand the ornaments on the tree branches.

References

• Shabby Chic Crafts: Cookie Cutter Ornament
• Creativity Portal: Salt Dough Recipe