Discovery of an Old Recipe!
So, I was looking through my recipe box a few weeks ago and found this copy of a salt dough Christmas ornaments recipe. It was hand written in my middle school handwriting! Flashback! I remembered making them “ahhmm” years ago and knew right away I wanted to make them with the grands!
Only 3 Ingredients? Yes Please!
Mix the salt and flour together and then add the water to make a play dough consistency. Knead for 5 minutes.
Tip: The dough shouldn’t be sticky. If it is, add a bit of flour.
How to Make Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments
The younger grands enjoyed rolling the dough out and cutting it with cookie cutter shapes. The older grands made hand formed creations like wreaths, bears, Christmas trees and Santa faces.
That’s what I remember doing in middle school. I remember that it was fun to make small round balls of dough, place them on the ornament and then poke them with a pencil to join them firmly to the ornament. Just don’t get the ornament too thick or it won’t bake properly.
Tip: Mark which ornaments belong to each child. It will save you a tiff and some tears!!
How to Decorate Salt Dough Ornaments
Use a straw to poke a hole near the top of the salt dough Christmas ornaments for hanging. It also works to press a paper clip into the back of a thicker ornament, leaving the top rounded part showing.
Bake the ornaments on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees until hard and lightly brown. Let cool.
How to Paint Salt Dough
While the ornaments cool, get out those acrylic paints, paintbrushes, paper to cover the table, and t-shirt aprons and let the next round of fun begin!
Paint the ornaments and let dry. We only painted the fronts of the ornaments because of time constraints, but the grands pointed out that they needed paint on the back in case they twirled around while hanging on the tree!
To better preserve the ornaments you can spray them with a clear acrylic preservative spray.
With a ribbon through the hole at the top they are ready to hang on the tree or give as gifts.
I found a few other craft recipes in my old recipe box. This one was so fun I’m eager to try another sometime!!
More Homemade Christmas Ornament Ideas
If you are getting a kick out making your own Christmas ornaments, go ahead and give these a try too!
Easy Glass Pebble Christmas Ornaments
DIY Sparkling Wire & Bead Ornaments
Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments
Enjoy!
If you try this craft, let me know! Go ahead and leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.
- 4 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 ½ cups water
- Mix the flour and salt together in a mixing bowl.
- Add the water and stir till dry ingredients are moist with a play dough consistency.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
- Form ornaments by hand or roll out dough and cut out ornaments with cookie cutters.
- Poke a hole near the top of each ornament with a straw.
- Bake at 300 degrees until ornaments are dry and lightly browned.
- After cooling, paint with acrylic paints (decorate as you wish!)
- Tie a ribbon through the hole in each ornament.
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