Holiday How To: Salt Dough Ornaments & Gift Tags

This winter I decided to revive a holiday project that I did as a kid:  salt dough ornaments.  Not only is this a super simple project, it uses items you already have in your kitchen (double easy). I made a bunch of these to use as gift tags, but with a hook, they will easily translate to the tree.

The recipe is simple:

Salt Dough Ornaments

• ½ cup salt
• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup water

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 250

2.  Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to ~1/4 inch thick.    Cut out shapes with cookie cutters (just like sugar cookies)  I used a glass to get simple circles.

Optional: Use a stamp to imprint a 3-d message or image onto the ornaments.

4. Use a drinking straw to poke a  hole for a ribbon or ornament hook.

 5. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 1.5 hours.

Optional: Paint.  I used a wash of green acrylic paint to give the gift tags I made a bit of color.  In the past I've also spray painted them and modge-podged them for a shinier affect.

Let me know if you have questions! 

Holiday How To: T-Shirt Pom Pom Ornaments

Each year I like to make ornaments to add to my tree and I wanted to share a quick and easy project with you guys that you can make using old t-shirts: 

1.  Starting with on old t-shirt (or in this case a tank top) cut and rip 1/4 to 1/2 inch wide strips. 

2.  Once you've ripped the shirt into a pile of knit strips, you're ready to make them into a pom. It's OK if the t-shirt strips are varying lengths and widths.

3.  Wrap the strips around your a piece of cardboard slightly bigger than the width of the pom-pom you want.  When you hit the end of a strip, just layer the second strip over the end and keep wrapping around.

4. Once you have layered on the strips of t-shirts, pull the ball off the cardboard and tie an additional strip tightly around the center with a double knot.

5. Squeeze the scissors into the layers of t-shirt strips and cut them in half.  

6.  Now,  you should have a slightly lumpy looking pom-pom.  From here, fluff up the edges and then trim it into the an even shape.

Finally, tie it onto an ornament hook or present and you've got a festive handmade holiday decoration!