Salt-Dough Ornaments!! (Image-jolly)

[pinkie_poh]

Since everyone knows hand-made ornaments are far superior to store-bought ones (except for glass baubles...unless you're a glassblower, in which cause kudos to you), I decided to make salt-dough ornaments! They turned out pretty wicked, except one of the sparkly stars broke on the floor...turns out hollow = poor stability
All I need is an extension cord to plug in the lights! (also better store-bought)

Baking (forgive the gross spots on the oven window)


There were...

Sparkly Stars!


Gingerbread Men!


Peppermints!


Dreidels!


Not-sparkly stars! (there were also big ones)


Snowmen!


All together


I also made some ball ornaments (foam core, covered in beads and sequens), but didn't feel like making a post for just them.


Hope you all like

[Strawberryh]

I really love how they came out. my favorite is the peppermints. I bet they will look great are they for a Chanukah bush (this is what my sister calls her christmas tree)?

[h0p31355]

Very cute!  If I thought my tree could take the weight, I'd do some myself (I have a 2' feather and wire tree, which will be covered with glass bulbs saved from a garbage can) 

[pinkie_poh]

Thanks ladies

Strawberryh, the peppermints are my favourites too ^_^ They're for my Christmas tree (the dreidels are a little misleading, I understand )

h0p31355, you could always make some beaded ornaments...very lightweight

[smittenheart]

how awesome assortment of salt dough ornaments..did all of the ornaments end up hollow..

I love your paint work on them..great job..I love the sparkles too..

[Mienna]

How do you make salt-dough ornaments? I can't figure it out! Lol, I love yours, I want to make some of my own.

[jessersmisadventures]

Very pretty!  The salt dough looks like fun . . . you don't have a recipe link, by chance, do you?  I also love the beaded ornaments; that's a great idea for lightweight ornaments!

[pinkie_poh]

smittenheart: By 'hollow', I just meant with the middle cut out
Mienna + jessersmisadventure s: I can't find the link to specific recipe I used, but if you google 'salt dough' a bunch of them should pop up. But! Mix 2c flour and 1c salt. Gradually add 1 and 1/2c hot water (just from the tap is fine, no need to boil it) and mix until it's too difficult to mix with a spoon. Now you get to knead it for about 10min until the dough is smooth and elastic. Roll out to about 1/4in thickness on a floured surface, and cut out into awesome shapes. Now here`s where the recipe I used gets wonky...it says to bake at 200F until no longer soft, but I ended up having to bake mine twice for a combined total of about 8h O_o So, I`d recommend maybe using a higher temperature (250-275F, maybe); just keep a good eye on them, and if they start to brown before they`re solid tent with tin foil.
The beaded ornaments are quite pretty, but they don`t seem as sturdy as I`d like...maybe next year I`ll try making them with a different type of core (I tried to seal a ball with glaze, so none of the pins would fall out, and ended up melting the foam O_o)

[Mienna]

Thanks for the recipe and tips! I'm going to have to try this.

[IonlyTRY2sewYaKnow]

They all look SO even and smooth on top.  Love the peppermints.  I'm so happy you offered the "tips" for how to do it because last Christmas, I used a random recipe I found by googling it...and they weren't anywhere near being as smooth and even on the surface as yours appear to be.  Definitely going to try it your way.