As we near the Christmas holiday, I present a variation of a craft I remember making as a child: salt dough ornaments. This version includes essential oils, which adds a delightful element to a classic item. This post from One Essential Community serves as the inspiration for my ornaments. Follow along, below, for the tutorial.
This activity gave me the opportunity to dig into my stash of vintage, metal cookie cutters.
I love using items like these, especially during the holidays, as I feel it adds to the nostalgia factor of the craft. I found writing on the back of a bunny – “to Justin, with love from Lolita 1986.”
1 c. baking soda
1/2 c. cornstarch
3/4 c. water
Essential oil – I selected from this holiday pack
Cookie cutters or stamps
Silicone mat or parchment paper
Rolling pin
Straw
Ribbon
1 Gather your dry ingredients.
2 Add dry ingredients to saucepan, and add water. Stir.
3 Cook and stir over medium heat. Allow the mixture to come to a boil; continue stirring until dough pulls away from the saucepan and forms a ball (a few minutes).
4 Now that the dough has formed a ball and is no longer sticky, remove from heat. I transferred my dough ball to a separate bowl. Add 30-ish drops of essential oil and massage into the dough ball.
5 Roll out dough on parchment paper or silicone mat. The dough’s thickness should be no less than 1/4 inch.
6 Cut out your ornaments, using your cookie cutters. Be sure to create a hole for hanging ribbon in each ornament, by using a straw.
I also discovered an adorable, tiny chicken cookie cutter in the stash of vintage ornaments. I cut out a few of these to hang with some of the larger ornaments.
I pressed my daughter’s fingerprints into the ornaments. This caused some of the ornaments to crack a little as they dried, but I think the effect is worth the marred finish.
7 Place parchment paper or silicone mat on cookie sheet. Allow ornaments to dry for 24 hours, being sure to turn ornaments over after 12 hours.
8 Add ribbon or twine to each ornament, and hang on the tree!
Jackie Baird Richardson is an interior designer, editor at The WON and avid junker. Watch for her design tips and occasional crafting ideas, bringing the outdoors indoors. View all posts by Jackie Richardson
