Salt dough cookies for Christmas ornaments from Pine Hollow handcrafts

Try out this one with your children for affordable,
yet hand made Christmas gifts.
I tried to make the instructions easy to follow
in case your children would like to try it,
other than the using the oven, of course.
Salt Dough

4 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 teaspoon of dry mustard
1 1/2 cups of water
Please read through the directions before beginning.

Mix all ingredients together. It should be just like play dough but if it is a bit dry, just add a LITTLE more water, keep mixing til the consistency is like play dough. (The warmth from your hands will help it mold together)
If the dough is sticking to your hands
then it is too wet, you will have to add a bit more flour.

Once you have this mixture just like play dough, You are ready to make some ornaments. Clean off the counter, or table, and spread about 3 tablespoons of flour on it. Take a piece of the dough (about the size of a baseball) and then sprinkle some flour on top of it. Now roll out the dough with a rolling pin about 1/3 inch thick (you can decide what you think from the way your cookies turn out on the first sheet).
Then take your favorite cookie cutters and make the ornaments you want. Use a straw to make the holes for the ribbons to hang them.
Be careful not to mess up the outline when you pick them up to put them on a cookie sheet! They will bake at 200 degrees for 2 hours.
You'll have to check them, maybe they will need a bit longer.
(This depends on how thick they are plus all ovens are different.)

Once they are cooled, you can paint them any way you like. I like them natural looking, without paint. My daughter loves to decorate them! After you have painted them the way you like You must now varnish them to be able to keep them forever. Use polyurethane and brush it on with a sponge brush. Do one side of all the pieces and let that dry. The next night do the other side. Three good coats will be fine. Letting them dry overnite in between each coat. Now all you have to do is put a ribbon or raffia through the hole for a hanger. (when coating, be careful that you are not filling in the hole you have made for the hanger) make a bow and they are ready to decorate the tree.

These are a unique and great priced baby shower gift too!
I made gingerbread kids
then glued the small pasta bowties
on the head for the girls
and neckties for the boys.
A boy and girl were tied together
with raffia and put at the guest's places on the table.
Everybody loved them!
The possibilities of this recipe are endless!

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Pine Hollow Handcrafts

Pine Hollow Handcrafts
A Cameo Designs Creation