Feeling crafty? This year, decorate with handmade ornaments from this simple recipe.
- Gather you ingredients. You will need:
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 cup of salt
2 Tbs of vegetable oil
1 cup of water
a mixer
rolling pin
aluminum foil
and a set of water based paints (soy paints if possible).
- On a low speed, mix together the 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of salt.
- Pose for sweet action shot
- Mix in 2 Tbs of vegetable oil
- Slowly add in 1 cup of water while blending at a low speed
- Mix until you get a doughy consistency like a pizza. You will notice that the mixture will start to clump in the mixer. At this point remove the dough and kneed it by hand until you get the desired consistency.
- Place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet to roll your dough out. Don’t spray oil or grease the pan, this will result in soggy ornaments later. I know this from experience!
- Roll out the dough into about ¼” thick. Any bigger and you will have a hot ball of goo at the end instead of an ornament.
- For the best results cut out your shapes using a razor knife, but a butter knife will work for those who should not use sharp objects. I know from experience…yet again.
Don’t forget to poke a hole at the top for a hanger!
- Make crazy face and realize how weird it is to bake a caricature of your self in a pre-heated oven (225) for one hour and thirty minutes. Then go ahead and cook it baby!
- Let your shapes cool and paint with a water-based paint (or soy paint if you can).
- If you are like me, sometimes the best thing to do is to make your own friends. I have chosen my friend Tom Skilling the WGN Weather Man to join me for the holidays. O.K, I lied, I made a Voodoo Doll of him incase the weather goes to crap this season. Watch out Tom!
- Finally, you can enjoy your painted ornament for years to come. As an optional step, add a clear glaze over the top for increased protection. Please use a water-based glaze people.
Last, but not least, you can auction your friend off on eBay and donate the proceeds to charity. I have chosen Cystic Fibrosis. This year the high bidder will get an autographed Tom Skilling ornament made by yours truly and signed by both of us with a personalized autograph. Start bidding at ebay.com under Tom Skilling Ornament.
Happy Holidays,
Brice A. Cooper
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