Salt Dough Ornament Recipe for Crafts - With Tips and Tricks and Easy to Follow Instructions
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe
I love salt dough ornaments! They are so easy to make and can look really stylish. This year I had loads of fun making ornaments for the tree and really cute salt dough gift tags. I'm even considering going further and making year round ornaments for my home.
Salt dough has been around for a long time! Ancient Egyptians began using flour and salt for modelling and today we still use it as a very low cost craft material.
I have put together a really easy recipe with some tips and tricks for those of you who are feeling crafty today and some fabulous inspiration to get you started!
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe
- Mix the salt, flour, and water together in a big bowl until a soft dough forms. Knead the salt dough on a floured surface until the mixture is smooth and elastic.
- Roll dough to ¼" thickness.
- Get out the cookie cutters and start cutting out shapes. Don't forget to add holes if you are planning to use these as decorations for your Christmas tree!
- Bake in oven at a low heat for 3 hours or give it a zap in the microwave for 2 minuets.
- Once dried you can start painting them! Use a acrylic paint or if kids are decorating, water based paint will do just fine. Use some hairspray on them after to preserve them.
Ingredients
- 1 cup White Flour
- 1/2 cup Salt
- 1/2 cup Water
Microwave Cook Time
| Cook time | Ready in | Yields |
|---|---|---|
2 min | 2 min | several ornaments depending on the size you want |
Rate how easy this is! 5 = super easy
Optional
1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil (makes it a little easier to knead)
1/2 tablespoon of wallpaper paste (gives the mixture more elasticity)
1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice (makes the finished product harder)
Salt Dough Ornament Owl
Salt Dough Recipe - Tips and Tricks
Tip: If the salt dough is too sticky, sprinkle it with a little extra flour and continue to do so until the salt dough is no longer sticky. However, avoid adding too much flour as this will cause the salt dough to dry out and crack.
Tip: If you have trouble getting the salt dough the right thickness, you could always invest in some “perfection strips” or make your own with strips of wood. Just find the right thickness and place them on either side of your dough, and voila perfectly even!
Tip: If the salt dough starts puffing up in the microwave, just set your microwave to a lower power level.
Tip: After your salt dough creations are dry, you can use a piece of fine-grit sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges.
Salt Dough Ornament Inspiration
Sometimes we just need some inspiration to get us going! There are so many ways we can get creative with salt dough. Here is a collection of some of the best I've seen.
Make them, hang them, and enjoy!
Salt Dough Gift Tags and Ornaments
Salt Dough Handprint Santa
Easy Salt Dough Recipe for Christmas Ornaments
Salt dough ornament - How to make an angel
Comments
Evelyn Byrne on January 01, 2019:
they are beautiful ornaments thank you so much
Michaela290 on January 19, 2018:
I am looking for instructions for a nativity salt dough tree ornament that was published in a woman's magazine either in the late 1970's or sometime in the 1980's. I made it once and had it in my tree for years but they were ruined in a flood. They were originally in Squidoo but now I can't find it anywhere. I did see a pic of them in pinterest. Thanks for the recipe.
xiaoyan on April 04, 2017:
Hi, Can I let it dry naturally (overnight even 2 days) without cooking? Thank you.
Dianna on November 26, 2016:
Excellent
Josie on January 07, 2016:
Great tutorial thank you so much for sharing! I love your voice!
