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Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments   by Jill Black The art of making objects using salt dough is a popular way to make Christmas ornaments and is fun for all the family the only requirements needed to get started are flour, salt, water and basic equipment found in the kitchen. These include: - A bowl to mix your dough - A rolling pin for producing smooth sheets of dough - A grater for making decorative imprints on your dough - A garlic press for making strands for hair and foliage - Toothpicks or a small pointed knife for cutting and indenting details - An assortment of pastry cutters and moulds for decorative shapes found at any   kitchenware outlet.   To make salt dough Christmas ornaments I have found the following recipe to be a good all round recipe for most projects. Basic Salt Dough 2 cups of plain flour (not self-raising) 1 cup fine grained plain salt 1/2 cup water at room temperature Mix the salt and flour in a large bowl and then add the water. Knead the mixture for about 5-10 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic. Cover with cling wrap to stop the dough drying out and let the dough sit for 30 minutes before using. Fresh dough is best for shaping your Christmas ornaments. However, if you find you have any leftover dough it can be wrapped in cling wrap or an airtight container and stored in a cool place for a few days. For flat or rolled projects it is best to roll out the dough straight onto a baking sheet then it can be put straight into the oven. Models or larger pieces can be assembled on a piece of hardboard that has been oiled with vegetable oil to prevent it sticking to the board. When finished and happy with your results you have a choice of Air Drying or baking your project in the oven. Ensuring your projects are correctly dried ensures they will last a long time so it is important that this is not hurried. Air drying is suitable for flat, small pieces or for colored pieces where baking will alter the color of the finished project. Oven drying is the most popular method and requires careful attention to accurate temperature control to avoid burning. Bake for approx 2 hours using a low temperature setting 50-70C for the first half hour then increase temperature slowly to 90-100C and cook until the piece is uniform in color. While baking if any air bubbles appear pierce the bubbles with a pin and gently depress the dough. If the dough starts to darken before cooking is complete cover with a piece of aluminum foil. The dough is cooked when it hard and sounds hollow when tapped. Turn the oven off and leave in oven until cool. Any burns can be sandpapered off with fine- medium grade sandpaper. An Emery board or small file can be used for delicate or intricate sanding on objects. Your finished projects can be left unpainted but they must be sealed on all sides (including underneath) with varnish, gloss or matt, for protection otherwise they will not last long when exposed to air. When thoroughly dry sand any imperfections. At this stage you can paint your projects then seal with a final coat of varnish. Brightly colored pieces will look more vibrant painted with a glossy finish and neutral muted colors are suited to a matt finish. Using a polyurethane varnish on food colored models instead of water-based varnish helps to intensify the color. Jill is the owner Netwrite-Publish. For more home and garden ideas for everyday living visit http://www.netwrite-publish.com

 

 

 

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