Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments

1 cup salt

4 cups flour

1 1/2 cup water

paints or food coloring

ribbons or string

nail or pen for hole-punching

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the paint and ribbon, and then kneed until it is smooth. If you are making your ornaments all one color then you can add the food coloring here. I usually just paint mine.

Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch and cut with a cookie cutter. I like to trace my kids hands with a toothpick. Or, you can make little figures. Snowmen are pretty easy. Just remember, the heavier they are, the more they pull down those tree branches! Don't forget to add a hole. I usually use a big nail or a pen for the hole.

Bake the ornaments in the oven at 225 degrees for half an hour. Make sure you check them frequently so that they don't burn. Then, take them out to cool for a while.

Finally, get the paints, glitter and whatever else you want to decorate them with and have a blast. Put the ribbon through the hole and Tah-Dah, you have your beautiful, original ornament to keep and treasure or give away to someone special.