Recipe: Salt Dough Ornaments to Decorate Your Christmas Tree

4 cups flour
1-cup salt
1-1/2 cups of hot water (not boiling water)

You begin by mixing the 4 cups of flour and the 1 cup of salt together in a large bowl, then progressively add the water. Knead the dough till it becomes supple and malleable.

To make Christmas ornaments you'll need a rolling pin and some cookie cutters. Use the rolling pin to roll out dough and then use the cookie cutters to cut out the shapes you like. Use a straw to poke a hole at the top of the ornament where the string or ribbon will go to hang them. Do not let the salt sit on the counter, as it will dry. Try to keep in a sealed container to keep the moisture in. If you need to save it over night try wrapping it in a wet cloth, putting it in a sealed container and leaving it in the fridge. Once all your shapes are cut out place them n a cookie sheet and bake at 200 degrees. Baking time varies depending on size and thickness of ornaments. The thicker and bigger ornaments will bake a lot longer then the thin and small ones. Bake until ornaments are hard. Some ornaments may take hours in the oven. If ornaments start to brown before baking time is over, cover them with aluminum foil. A microwave can also be used to bake them. If you are placing them in the microwave to cook start them for 4 minutes and put them in longer if they are not ready after the first four minutes.

When the ornament are done baking you can paint them the way that you like but you must use a clear coat of varnish to seal it. Do not use gouache as it may crack. Use an acrylic paint for the best results. To have colored dough just add food coloring or paint in the water before you mix your dry and wet ingredients together. Sparkles can also be added after you've painted to make a sparkly effect just make sure seal it with the varnish. To finish off the ornament you just need to pass some string or ribbon through the hole you made and tie it up in a knot. And just like that you have homemade ornaments! Now you can create your own theme for you Christmas tree. Let your creativity fly and don't be afraid to try things out with the salt dough.

You can also make a lot of other things with salt dough like little plates, key chains, picture frames or wedding favors. The sky's the limit when it comes to this stuff. Salt dough is really great and fun for kids!!!!