Christmas Ornament Recipes

A Christmas Craft Project for Kids

Is there a website or do you know where I can get a recipe for making Christmas ornaments?

Marlene

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Ooooo, this is such a great craft idea!

I have a bunch of recipes. In fact, I am in the process of testing and comparing so that I can put up a whole page on homemade and commercial clays which air cure or can be cured in a home oven.

Of course, this is a great kids craft project! Once you have the clay made, they can use cookie cutters to create the shape and paints and glitter to finish off the project. I still have and use bread dough ornaments my son made 25+ years ago.

I can give you two bread dough-based recipes right now; but check our website again in a week when I hope to have the articles up. They'll contain lots more craft ideas for you to work with.

First, a few tips about working with bread dough clays:

• Expect shrinkage of up to 20% as your pieces dry;
• Can be hand modeled, as well as pressed into molds;
• Can be used to make molds, for example if you have a nice dimensional ornament of a Santa face, make your own mold by pressing the ornament into a flattened piece of bread dough clay, let dry, then make your own Santa face ornaments using the mold (note they will be smaller than the original because of the double shrinkage, but that may be just fine);
• Mix acrylic paint into the dough, preferably when you make the dough - doing it after refrigeration is more difficult because the dough is stiffer;
• Usually dries in 24 hours, but if humidity is high, pieces may take up to a week to dry;
• Impressions like "Joy" or "Peace" can be carved into the dough while soft;
• When dry, can be antiqued by painting over with black, gold, brown, etc., then burnishing off of the high surfaces with a soft cloth;
• Keeps in refrigerator up to 3 weeks;
• Leftover crusts make good bread pudding!

Bread Dough Recipe #1

(courtesy of Kay Davies - the upcoming article will feature pictures of her hand made beads)

• 1. Remove crusts.
• 2. The ingredients are:
• 7 slices white bread,
• 7 tablespoons PVA glue like , Elmer’s Glue All,
• and 7 drops glycerin.
• Break the bread into small pieces and place in medium size bowl.
• Add glue and glycerin.
• Use your hands to combine.
• Work it until you get a nice clay consistency.
• Add drops of water to thin or more bread to thicken(bread densities vary).
• 3. Divide dough and add your choice of acrylic paint colors. Mix until fully incorporated.
• 4. Can be refrigerated in well-sealed plastic bags up to three weeks.

Bread Dough Recipe #2

• 1. Remove crusts.
• 2. The ingredients are:
• 7 slices white bread,
• 7 teaspoons PVA glue like,Elmer’s Glue All,
• ½ teaspoon water
• and ½ teaspoon dish soap.
• Break the bread into small pieces and place in medium size bowl.
• Add glue, water and soap.
• Use your hands to combine.
• Work it until you get a nice clay consistency.
• Add drops of water to thin or more bread to thicken (bread densities vary).
• 3. Divide dough and add your choice of acrylic paint colors. Mix until fully incorporated.
• 4. Can be refrigerated in well-sealed plastic bags up to three weeks.

If you’re pleased with your work, I would love to feature it in the clay article. Just e-mail me a photo.

I've added more articles about home cured clays.