Homemade Christmas Ornaments
MAKE YOUR OWN BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS
These will make beautiful ornaments for your family for years to come and what joy for the children to be involved in making their own ornaments! You can paint these once they are dry and they will dry with a dry matte appearance. If you'd like a glossy finish you can glaze them. If you want to add color just add a little food coloring to the water before you mix everything and keep in mind that any added liquid adds to the entire water measurement. You can always make them white and paint them later. To make patterns on the ornaments you can use rubber stamps or anything pressed to make an impression.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornstarch 1 cup baking soda 3/4 cup water
Making Clay: In a medium sized pot combine the cornstarch, baking soda, and water. With an adults help the kids can stir this mixture over medium-low heat. After a couple of minutes, the mixture will begin to thicken. When it looks like smooth, mashed potatoes, remove the pot from the heat. Spoon the ball of dough into a bowl and cover it with a damp cloth until it's cool. When it's cool, knead it on a smooth surface, adding a little more cornstarch if it feels sticky.
Rolling, Cutting, and Baking: Preheat oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out clay to 1/4 inch thick on a surface lightly dusted with cornstarch. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Transfer shapes to the prepared baking sheet. Use a straw to poke a hole in the center top of each decoration, then get the kids to blow out the small piece of clay. They love this task! Place them in the oven at 175 degrees for about an hour, turning them over halfway through cooking. Paint or decorate them and thread a piece of ribbon, twine or yarn through the holes.
Copyright Carmen Swaine @ http://woodsidekitchen.blogspot.com