How To Make Salt Dough Ornaments

If you are anything like me then you can never have enough ornaments on your Christmas tree. However they can be an expensive purchase, particularly if you are trying out a new style or colour scheme.  Why not try your hand at creating some salt dough ornaments that are cheap and easy to produce and make a great Sunday afternoon craft session that even your children can take part in. Follow these simple steps and get creative with your ideas.

Ingredients/ Equipment

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup water (you can add more if needed)

Acrylic varnish

Rolling pin (if you don’t have one, you can use a wine bottle)

Baking tray

Baking parchment

Drinking straw

Christmas shaped cookie cutters

Acrylic paints and glitter

Paintbrush

Ribbon or twine

Method

. Preheat your oven to 130 degrees Celsius/250 F/ Gas Mark 1

. Place the salt and flour in a large mixing bowl and stir, then gradually add the water until a soft dough is formed (you can add more or less water depending on the consistency).

. Sprinkle your worktop with flour and knead the dough until it is pliable.

. Flour your rolling pin and roll out the dough until it is approx ¼ inch thick (it is important not to make them too thick otherwise they will not bake).

.Cut out shapes from the dough using your chosen cookie cutters, opt for traditional Christmas designs such as snowflakes, snowmen and trees or opt for more modern shapes such as stars, circles or bows. If you are artistic then you can try cutting out your shapes free hand using a small craft knife.

.Lay each shape flat on a baking tray covered with baking parchment and using a drinking straw cut out a small hole at the top of the shape for hanging.

. Bake the shapes in the oven for 2-3 hours or until completely dry to the touch. Turn the ornaments at least once during cooking to ensure they are evenly baked.

Decoration

This is the fun part! Once your ornaments are completely cooled its time to get creative using a selection of coloured, metallic or glittered acrylic paints and try out a range of techniques to see what works best for you. If your tree is traditional then stick to classic colours such as green, red and gold and add embellishments such as powdered glitter, buttons and sequins for added detail. For more modern designs opt for monochrome and silver or bright jewel tone such as magenta, turquoise and lime green for a pop of zesty colour. Allow your ornaments to dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Finishing Touches

When the paint has dried it’s time to add the finishing touches to your creations. If you want your ornaments to be used year after year then it is important to make sure that they are sealed and waterproof to prevent any moisture making them soggy. To do this paint each ornament in 3 or 4 thin coats of acrylic varnish, making sure that you cover the entire surface (including the inside of any cut out holes). When the varnish is completely dry, thread your ribbon, twine or cotton through the hole and hang on your tree, step back and admire your work! When storing the ornaments for the following year, wrap them in foil or place them in a zip lock bag and try and keep them away from any damp or high heat to prevent damage.

For more ideas on creating handmade Christmas decorations for your home, take a look at our latest Pinterest board - Pinterest - Homemade Christmas Decorations