Easy, fun to make Christmas Ornaments.

If you are like me, I have several people to try and gift each year, also with my girls they like to have gifts to give away. Several years ago, I found the solution.

I have for years made a very simple gift with my girls, and surprising enough allot of my friends kids. We have a all day affair of it. The more the merrier. We have so much fun with this. Your kids can give one to each of their friends, teachers, or maybe Sunday school teachers. Anyone actually. I have made it a habit to pick a shape each year and give them out to everybody I know in my life. After making these, before spraying them with lacquer, make sure you write the year at least on the back to commemorate the year for the person you give it to. I also make sets that I give out to new people in my life who didn't get a set in the previous years. These are inexpensive, a gift that keeps giving, creates a family event that is productive and money saving.

What you will need:

Big mixing bowls

rolling pin

large counter

cookie cutters

narrow ribbon

straws

medium sized paper clips(colored ones are fun)

cookie sheets

Paints and small brushes:try to us water base for the fact drying time will be quick

small tipped bottles work well for outlining and eyes an buttons

paints with sparkles work well

clear lacquer to spray on front and back of ornament to seal it

this is very important to seal both sides to make them last

colored spray paint also for a quicker base on ornament

Preheated oven to 300

Recipe for Ornaments:

4 cups flour

1 cup salt

1.5 cups cool water(do not use hot water)

 

Now, I found everything I needed at the local retail store this year, but have found several of these items at the dollar store. Garage sales, close outs and auctions. Of Course, I look all year long for new ideas and items to use for decorating. It makes it fun for the kids to find things to make these. I also use this dough to make Egg trees at Easter for gifts. You will after you learn how easy it is find uses for it for all holidays.

Mix all the ingredients together. You don't want the dough to be to sticky so mix in a little more flour if it is. Thoroughly mix them up. Dump them out on a floured counter. Roll out to about 1/4 inch. It is ok to be a little off on the width. These don't have to be perfect. They will come out pretty much the same.

Start using your cookie cutters to cut out shapes. This is where your straw comes in. use the straw to cut out a small hole for hanging. If you forgot the straws you can also use a tooth pick and keep going in circles with it until you reach the size hole you want.

Place your shapes on the cookie sheets. You don't want them to touch but they don't expand so you can put them right next to each other. Now, keep in mind to put ones of the same size on the same pan. This will keep them baking evenly and you won't get crispy ones.

Put full pans in the oven. Bake for about 1 hour and a half.  Rework dough from cutting shapes and cut some more out. You can cut them and  leave them to the side until others are done.  It won't hurt them to set.

When done, they Will be hard, you want to take them out just as they start to turn kinda gold, but not any longer.  I actually take them out before they turn color at all.  Let them completely cool and then get to work making them pretty.  As you see int the pictures they are actually really pretty.  Paint them with all colors, be creative.  Then allow paint to completely dry.  This is why water base is better, oils will take a long time.  After paint is dry, turn them all over and write a special note and date for who ever they are for.  Then spray them on the back with clear lacquer.  When dry, turn them back over and spray with lacquer on front.  Let dry.  Open up paper clip one time, use big end as the hanger for your ornament.  Your done, how fun.

Try this with your special kids, family, or friends.  Let me know how it goes.  Let me know if my instructions were clear enough.

Merry making..........Cheer to all......