Easy Holiday Crafts
Cinnamon Ornaments
These ornaments are easy, and can be used as decorations, package toppers or a gift all by themselves. Place 2 or 3 in a small gift bag, top with tissue paper and you have the perfect gift for teachers, friends or grandparents.
You will need
3/4 cup applesauce
1 bottle (4.12) ground cinnamon
Mix applesauce with cinnamon to form a stiff dough. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Make hole in top of ornament with skewer or straw. Carefully lay ornaments on rack to dry. Let dry 1-2 days or until dry, turning occasionally. Hang with ribbon, raffia or twine. Makes 12-15 ornaments.
Clay Ornaments
Making these ornaments each year is a wonderful family tradition. Each child can make an ornament for the Christmas tree. Be sure you write the year and child's name on the bottom or back of the ornament. As the years go by you will have a special box of memories to open every Christmas.
You will need:
1 pound box of baking soda(2 cups)
1 cup of cornstarch
1 1/4 cups cold water
In a medium saucepan mix items over a medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes stirring constantly. It should be the consistency of mashed potatoes. Do not overcook; the clay may crack after drying. Remove the mixture to a plate and cover with a damp cloth until cool enough to handle.
Shape your ornament, using the dough like clay. You can roll it flat and cut other shapes to attach to the base. Dampen and scratch the surfaces when pressing two pieces together. Be sure to form a hole at the top of the ornament for hanging. Unused clay may be be stored in an airtight container for up to one week
Dry ornament overnight on a wire rack. To quick-dry preheat oven to lowest setting, then turn off. Place ornament on a cookie sheet and dry it in oven for 10-15 minutes. When the ornament is dry you can paint it with poster or acrylic paints. When the paint is dry, protect the surface with nail polish or acrylic finish.
Paper Gingerbread Men
Gingerbread men are favorites at Christmas, but they don't have to be edible! This inexpensive project can add a festive touch to kid's rooms, windows, the kitchen or packages.
You will need:
Paper grocery sacks or brown craft paper
Red and green markers
thin ribbon in country or Christmas colors
glue
Trace or draw freehand a gingerbread man. You can make a pattern by tracing your gingerbread person on cardboard to be used over and over. Each gingerbread man needs two pieces of brown paper for thickness. Trace your person, cut out and glue the two pieces together. Use your red marker to make little "stitch" marks around the edge of the gingerbread man. Use the green marker to draw eyes, and the buttons on his chest. Use the red marker again for his mouth. If you are going to put him in a window, be sure to decorate his back the same way.
Use the ribbon to hang your man, or tie a ribbon around his neck for an accent.
You can make a garland of gingerbread men by tracing him several times next to each other with the hands touching. Decorate in the same way and hang in a doorway or the front of an entertainment center or dresser. You can also use small white buttons and glue them on your gingerbread man's chest instead of using the marker.
