Old Fashion Clay Ornaments

Ingredients:

4 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. salt
1 1/2 c. cold water




Hardware:
Cookie cutters
Paint (optional)
Shellac or Clear Varnish
Ribbons, Hemp, or Hooks for hangers 
Fork/Spoon to stir with
Cookie Sheet

Directions

1. Mix flour and salt. 
2. Slowly add water while stirring until soft dough forms.
3. Turn out on lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, adding a small amount of water or flour, if needed. 
4. Roll dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. 
5. Place cut outs 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Punch holes with a straw or carefully make a hole with a toothpick.. 
6. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Baking time will vary with size of ornaments and your altitude. 
7. Cool completely. You may paint ornaments or leave natural.
8. Once the pain drys coat with Shellac or other clear varnish

"Kool-aid" Play-duh

All kids LOVE "Play-Doh"! However, I think it is stinky, nothing against the company. But the smell on my hands after playing with it is just nauseating. That may be from a "pregnancy smell". (all mommies out there are now having flashbacks to the smells that just made us feel sick while pregnant...lol). I found a way to make play-dough that smells great and doesn't stain the hands.

It's called "Play-Duh" because that's how my little girl says it!!!


Ingredients:

• 2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4-1/2 cup flour set aside in separate bowl
• 1/2 cup salt
• 2 packages Kool-aid unsweetened/same flavor (or similar product)
• 3 TBS oil (I prefer coconut oil)

Hardware:

• 2 mixing medium mixing bowls
• Spoon to mix
• Kettle/Pan to boil water

Directions:

1. Boil water.
2. While water is boiling, mix dry ingredients together in 1 mixing bowl. Place 1/4 cup flour in extra bowl, set aside.
3. Add your oil to the center of the dry ingredients then pour boiling water over the oil and flour.
4. Mix together with a spoon until a ball forms. You may have to use your hands to knead it. It may be sticky. IT WILL BE WARM-HOT! I'm always cooking and doing crafts with my hands so they are used to the heat.
5. If your play-dough is sticky use the flour in the extra bowl to lightly coat the play-dough. Then knead it until all the flour is no longer visible. Knead a little longer. Keep repeating the coat/knead process until the consistency is to your liking.
6. Store in air tight container or in freezer/sandwich bags.
7. You will yield enough dough from this recipe for 5-6 children!

I write my recipes according to how I do something after I've done it. If you have a KitchenAid Mixer or similar "built tough as nails" mixer, you can use it until a ball starts to form. However, you made need extra flour to add to the mix to get it just right. When I used my mixer I ended up with 3 cups flour plus the flour for kneading. I used a bowl to knead it instead of my table because I sat in a chair while watching Army Wives to relax. LOL! 


This kept my kids busy for hours with children's play fork, knives, cookie cutters, and a rolling pin!

For a picture of my youngest child playing with this check out my Facebook page:
Honey's Creative Homemaking

Also find my business page:
Princess Tutu Boutique

Bubble Paint

1/2 Cup Ivory Flakes
1/2 Cup Water
Food Coloring

1. Beat the ivory flakes and water until thick.
2. Pour small amounts into baby food jars and add a few drops of food coloring to each jar.
3. This can be used as finger paints.

Cinnamon/ Applesauce Ornaments

3/4 Cup Applesauce
1 Cup Ground Cinnamon or 4 oz Jar
1 TBS Ground Cloves
1 TBS Ground Nutmeg
2 TBS Glue

1. Mix all ingredients in a plastic bag.
2. Roll out and use cookie cutters to form shapes and put hole in top of ornament for hanging ornaments (use straw or coffee stirrers to make holes).
3. Let air dry.

Cornstarch Clay

1 Cup Cornstarch
2 Cups Baking Soda (1lb box)
1 1/4 Cups Water
Food Coloring

1. Mix ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Cook & stir over medium heat.
3. When thickened like dough, knead for 1-2 minutes.
4. Use cookie cutters to shape & let dry overnight.
5. You can also paint the shapes.

Crunchy Dough

1 Shredded Wheat Biscuit
2 TBS Glue
Food Coloring (optional)

1. Crumble the shredded wheat into a bowl.
2. Add the glue and food coloring and mix together until cereal is coated.
3. Shape into your design. Objects will air dry in 12 hours.

Crayon Chunks

Broken Crayons

1. Line each cup of a muffin tin with 3 paper cupcake liners (the aluminum ones work best).
2. Peel the wrapping off of the crayons and fill each of the cups halfway with the pieces. (You can sort them by color or mix several colors together for a rainbos effect.)
3. Place the muffin tin in a 250 degree oven for about 20 minutes until the crayons pieces have melted.
4. When cool, peel the liners from each crayon and you've got big new crayons.

Decorative Dye

You can color rice or pasta with this easy dye.

1 Container with Lid
1 TBS Rubbing Alcohol
Food Coloring

1. In a small tightly lidded container, put rubbing alcohol and 6 drops of food coloring.
2. Place items to be dyed in the mixture and secure lid.
3. Shake the container gently for 1 minute.
4. Spread the items on paper towels to dry.

"Gak" Like Stuff

1 Cup Glue
3/4 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Borax
1/4 Cup Water
Food Coloring

1. Mix glue and 3/4 water until no longer sticky.
2. Separately dissolve borax in 1/4 cup water.
3. Add borax solution to glue solution.
4. You will get a thick clump of slime
5. Knead the mixture about 5-10 minutes.

Potpourri Molds

1 Cup Flour
1/2 Cup Salt
1 Cup Potpourri
1/3 to 1/2 Cup Water

1. Mix everything and refrigerate for about 5 minutes.
2. Then place in cookie cutters or molds to set and let dry.

Post Office Ink

1 Tsp Food Coloring
3 TBS Liquid Starch
1 TBS Water

1. Mix together.
2. Use in shallow tray with stamps or rollers

Starch Paint

Liquid Starch
Powered Tempera Paint
Water for Consistency

Mix together and start painting.

I don't have any measurements for this. I'm one of those cook/make without measurements.

Salt Paint

2 TBS Salt
1 TBS Liquid Starch
1 TBS Water
Few drops of liquid tempera

1. Mix in a small bowl.
2. This will be roughly textured.

Sand Sculptures

1 Cup Sand
1/2 Cup Cornstarch
3/4 Cup Liquid Starch
a few drops of food coloring

1. Cook over low heat about 1 minutes.
2. Use cookie cutters for molds and let set for a few hours.

Tattoo Paint

Shoe Paint
1 TBS Cold Cream
2 TBS Corn Starch
1 TBS Water
a few drops of food coloring

Mix everything and start painting.

Tree Ornaments

4 Cups Flour
1 Cup Salt
1 1/2 Cup Water
Acrylic Paint
Shellac

1. Mix all ingredients and mix for five minutes.
2. Roll out very thin and cut out shapes.
3. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-60 minutes.
4. Ornaments are ready when they puff up and turn brown.
5. When cool, paint with acrylic and then shellac.