Homemade Christmas Ornamentschilds Craft Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
• Mix the above 3 ingredients until combined thoroughly. I will add that the recipe calls for 4 cups of flour, but I probably had to add another 1/2 to 3/4 cups of flour to get a consistency that was pliable enough to roll with the rolling pin without being sticky.
• Roll out with rolling pin until it is about 1/4 in or less thick.
• FYI-depending on the size of the cookie cutter you may get more or less ornaments.
• Use cookie cutters to make individual ornaments.
• Place on cookie sheet, make a hole at the top for the ribbon to go through and bake for 2 hours at 200 degrees. Do not turn the ornaments over. However I do turn over once they are out of the oven so that the it dries completely.
• Once dried, paint and design as desired, place ribbon and hang on tree!

Steps:

• Either ask your child or you fill the blender with 1 quart of warm water.
• Have her tear a sheet of cotton linter (about 8 inches by 7 inches) into strips about 1 to 2 inches in length. Allow the linter to soak for 5 minutes
• While the cotton linter is soaking, ask your child to spray the inside of the ceramic molds with a light, even coat of vegetable oil.
• After waiting about 5 minutes, invite your child to blend the water on low speed for 30 seconds; then, add 1 teaspoon of paper casting powder and blend for a full minute on high speed. The consistency should be comparable to that of apple sauce
• Have your child pour about 1/3 of the mixture into the strainer to drain the excess water. Spread wet pulp evenly in the ceramic mold, making sure to overlap the outside edges of the mold just slightly.
• Show your child how to compress the paper into the mold with a damp sponge, wringing out the sponge periodically to rid it of excess water. She should repeat this process 3-4 times and then carefully press the paper with a folded dish towel to absorb any remaining water.
• Make sure she allows the mold to dry. You can dry the paper overnight in the mold or place the mold in an oven at about 125-150° F for 3 hours or so, until the paper is completely dry.
• Have your child use the blade of a nail file or knife to loosen the edge of the paper and gently remove the ornament from the mold.
• Using a needle and a thin cord or ribbon, create a hanger for the ornament. Thread the cord or ribbon through the top of the ornament, tying the ends at the top.
• Plain white paper ornaments with gold thread make an extra special addition to your tree. Otherwise, use embellishments such as watercolor paints, ribbon, buttons, etc., to trim your ornaments as desired. Enjoy the holiday season and its accompanying crafts!
• I got this great idea, instructions and pic at: http://www.education.com/activity/article/hand-cast-paper-ornaments/