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Dough
Holiday Decorations Are Easy to Make
Auburn, Nov. 30---Dough
ornaments make unique gifts and tree decorations.
These dough creations
can be made fairly easily by using commonhousehold items such as
flour, water, salt, white glue and shampoo.
Struempler warns
consumers that the ornaments are strictly for decoration. They are
not edible.
Here are three recipes
for making dough ornaments:
BREAD DOUGH
1 cup salt
2 cups flour
1 cup water
Mix flour and salt in a
bowl. Add water, a little at a time. Knead dough 7 to 10 minutes
until smooth and pliable. Tint after kneading if desired. Bake
ornaments at 325 F for 30 minutes or until hard.
GLUE DOUGH
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white glue
1/4 cup shampoo
Mix and knead well.
Shape desired ornaments. Let ornaments air dry.
PLAY CLAY
2 cups baking soda (1
pound)
1 cup cornstarch
1 1/4 cups cold water
Mix baking soda and
cornstarch in a pan. Add water. Cook over medium heat until the
mixture looks like creamed potatoes. Pour on a plate and cover with
a clean cloth until cool. Knead. Shape ornaments. Let air dry.
For all recipes, roll
out dough on waxed paper until about 1/4-inch thick. Use a nail or
drinking straw to make a hole in the top of the ornament.
Ornaments can be made
three-dimensional by forming small pieces of dough into various
shapes and attaching them together before baking or air drying.
Moisten each piece before attaching. Squeeze dough through a garlic
press to make hair, fur, etc.
If you want to tint
dough, tint or paint ornaments with food coloring mixed with a
little water before baking or air drying. Acrylic paints can be used
after the ornament are baked or dried.
Finish each ornament by
painting it with a coat of clear varnish, polyurethane or clear nail
polish. This coating will protect the dough from moisture.
After Christmas, wrap
each ornament with tissue paper and place in plastic zip lock bag
and stack lightly in an appropriate-sized box lined with tissue
paper. Following this step will help protect the ornaments from
damage or bugs while in storage.
SOURCE: Dr. Barbara
Struempler, Nutritionist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System,
(334) 844-2217
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