Cinnamon Dough Ornaments

Monday, December 3, 2007

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Welcome everyone who is visiting through Tiany's Holiday Open House or Lilliput Station's On-line Christmas Party....it's great to have you here and meet new friends!   

Last year I posted about one of our favorite Christmas traditions - Gingerbread Houses!  You can read all about it here complete with photos!

Today I want to share an easy craft with you that I enjoyed making last year with Jesse -- Cinnamon Dough Ornaments!   You can find many recipes for Cinnamon Dough Tree Ornaments on the web but I'm posting the one we used at the bottom of this post and you'll know it's "tried and true".

 Gather your ingredients and then just mix them with a big spoon.   Next you'll hand knead it about 2 minutes to get it to form a ball that can be rolled out with my rolling pin.  It smells so cinnamony delicious and so did my hands!  It was fairly easy to work with.

Now the fun part starts -- we used a bell and star cookie cutter:

After we cut them out Jesse used a drinking straw to make the little holes for putting the ribbons through.  You can air dry them for about 48 hours or do as I did and bake them for 1 hour at your oven's lowest temperature (mine is 180F).   After an hour I flipped them over and baked another 1/2 hour.

Once they were totally cool and dry, Jesse used a mixture of 2 parts school glue to 1 part water and "painted" them to try and give them a "shiny" finish.  It looks like it sealed them and made them a bit darker but not shiny.  I suppose a modge podge or acrylic spray would make a better finish.  


We like the simple look of these but one web-site suggested using white paint to decorate them, it would look like frosting.  I think they would be real cute cut out into gingerbread men!  

Here's the recipe we used:

1/2 Cup cinnamon
1/3 Cup applesauce (smooth, from a jar)
1 TBL white school glue

Mix all together well.  It will be crumbly at first.  Knead together to form a "dough" ball.  If' its too crumbly add a bit more applesauce and if too wet, more cinnamon.  (I did not have to adjust either ingredient, it worked fine as is for us.)

Roll out on a cinnamon sprinkled surface and cut out with cookie cutters.  Re-roll your scraps.  We got 15 ornaments.  Don't forget to make little holes for hanging them.    Let air dry or bake on a cookie sheet in a low temp. oven.   THESE ARE NOT EDIBLE.


And homeschooling mommies -- this counts for Art class this week!   Let me know if you make them -- I'd love to know how they came out.

As far as other Christmas traditions,  we also enjoy a special Christmas morning breakfast.  I'll post about our menu soon.

Thanks for stopping by....May God bless your Holiday Season!  Visit more open houses at Tiany's blog!

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Noted by Dell on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 12:44 AM Link

I've been meaning to do cinnamon dough ornaments for several years now. Maybe, just maybe your blog will be the inspiration I need to DO it! :)

re your comment on my blog re: Kefir:
I purchased grains from Dalyn of Daily Walkin' Farm. Here's a link with the information to email her:
http://www.freewebs.com/dailywalkinfarm/kefir.htm

You only have to buy the grains once, and within a week or so they will have reproduced to the point that you have more and more--plenty to share with friends. If you can't reach Dalyn, I'll mail some to you. (Try her first because I'm not as experienced with packaging them for mailing--I've only shared locally. But I'll give it a try if you get stuck.)

Mostly I just make the kefir in a quart jar like the one you'll see at the link. I replace the lid with a plastic sprout jar lid to strain it. When I get enough kefir to last a while, I stick the jars with grains and fresh milk in the fridge for a week to take a break. Otherwise, I just make more each day. Straining off the finished kefir, putting in fresh milk.

Only other tip: Don't use ULTRA pasturized milk. Raw works, and even pasturized from the grocery store works--although it will be a bit different. Friends of mine confirm that the ultra pasturized kills the grains though.

I'd posted in the comments on my own blog (under your comment) but figured I'd better come over here too. I'm glad I did! I got to see cinnamon ornaments!

Your blog is always a delight! Thanks!

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Noted by TrainingHearts on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 11:55 AM Link

Thank you for sharing! We may have to make these cinnamon ornaments :) Wishing you and your family a wonderful CHRISTmas!

Blessings,
~Tamara
www.TrainingHearts.com

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Noted by kaysmarmey on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 2:04 PM Link

Oh, thank you for reminding me about these. My blessings and I are definitely going to make these.
Melissa

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Noted by blessedwith2angels on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 3:45 PM Link

Your wreath is beautiful and I am going to try the cinnamon ornaments. Thanks for sharing these lovely ideas.
Pam

Wow

Noted by Angelheart on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 7:16 PM Link

Love the ornaments. I'll have to try that recipe. I have always wanted to make them but just never have. I'll have to put that one on my to do list. My day did get a little better. Someone asked to quote me in a homeschool book . I found that an honor. :)

Have a great day.

Nikki

Cool Idea!

Noted by ichuzchrist on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 11:21 PM Link

I love this idea, and will have to try it if we get a chance. The kids would love it! We may try decorating with glitter glue. I'll let you know how it works out.

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Noted by Anonymous on Monday, December 3, 2007 at 11:37 PM Link

We've made these back when the kids were really small. Wow! I can't believe I honestly forgotten about doing them. Shame on me. Your tree looks beautiful with them.

Blessings,
Debbie

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Noted by DaddysCHicks on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 1:38 PM Link

I just did Cinnamon Dough Ornaments in a class I teach on Tuesday. We used puffy paint too. Have a blessed day and a Merry Christmas ~Trina

http://daddyschicks.blogspot.com

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Noted by thomasjaz3 on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 5:38 PM Link

Awesome post!!! Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea!!! :-)

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Noted by Momto5 on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 8:01 PM Link

Love those ornaments! I bet they smelled great! We made some one year quite some time ago now...there is always so much to do and it is hard to choose...thanks for sharing your idea.
Tammy

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Noted by amtell on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 11:51 PM Link

My sister-in-law made some of these several years ago. They smelled so nice. I even put one in my sock drawer to make everything smell pretty. :O) Thanks for joining the party! Melissa Telling

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Noted by charles0322 on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 3:50 PM Link

Thanks for your nice comment.

As for the I Love NY coffee mug; I am a displaced yankee. I grew up 2 hours north of Philly and had always planed on moving to NYC. But I feel in love with a southern country boy and the rest is history; there was no way he could survive in the city. I can not even get him to agree to a visit. My baby bro made it to NY and lived there until he joined the Marines before 9/11. He would call me all the time and laugh, "Ha, ha I am here on Manhattan and you're not! Ha, Ha!!!! It's 3 in the morning and I can order chineese or pizza if I want"

Before warned; the cup will change. I plan to start changing my avitar everyso often to a different mug. I have quite a collection of mugs.

hi

Noted by byourlove1 on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 10:08 PM Link

Looks like a great recipe, I love gingerbread houses although I have never been brave enough to try it. Thanks for sharing!

Angela

MRS. B

Noted by SuperAngel on Friday, December 7, 2007 at 12:03 AM Link

YOU HAVE AN AWARD!! Please come see!!
Love,
Amanda

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Noted by Janne on Friday, December 7, 2007 at 11:25 AM Link

Thanks for posting this. It's something we've been wanting to try.

Merry Christmas,
Janne
http://janne.cc/blog

Oh

Noted by SuperAngel on Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 9:33 PM Link

We have done this before. When I was little tho.
RYC:
You are welcome for the award. I was happy to give it to you!!
Thanks for your support.
Love,
Amanda

We made those once.....

Noted by ReviewsbyHeidi on Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 6:49 PM Link

....and ours don't look nearly as nice as yours! They do hold up over the years though~ we're still using ours years later.
Stop by my blog for your chance to win a $50 Homeschool E-store gift certificate. It's simple and easy to enter!
Heidi

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Noted by Anonymous on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 11:37 PM Link

I made these with my sons years ago..I think six years now. They are on the tree right now! Merry Christmas!

love how they smell

Noted by tlpgina on Tuesday, December 18, 2007 at 7:26 AM Link

We haven't done any this year yet but have done them years ago. In fact got out the Christmas boxes and some heart shapes I made probably about 10 years ago finally bit the dust... They hold up amazingly well and smell so good!
Gina