Make beautiful snowy white decorations with this simple clay dough recipe.
2 cups of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 cup of cornflour (cornstarch)
1 & ½ cups of cold water
:: Add all the ingredients to a pan.
:: Place over a medium heat, stirring the mixture all the time to prevent it from sticking & burning.
:: Keep stirring while the mixture bubbles & then becomes thicker.
:: When the dough has a mashed potato consistency, remove from heat & place into a large bowl.
:: Place a damp cloth over the bowl & leave to cool for 30 mins.
:: Knead the dough in the bowl to help make it smooth. If it feels sticky, just add a little more cornflour.
Sprinkle a baking sheet with a little cornflour, & then roll your dough out with a rolling pin. Cut out your Christmas shapes using cookie cutters. We found that metal cookie cutters worked better with this dough rather than the plastic ones. We also discovered it was easier to add the smaller cutouts while the dough was still in the large cutters.
Once you've cut your seasonal shapes, add holes to the top/bottom of your shapes using either a drinking straw for larger shapes or a cocktail stick for smaller ones. Use a palette knife to carefully transfer them to a baking sheet & leave them to dry for 24 hours at room temperature. We turned ours over several times during that time, so both sides could dry equally.
Top Tip! If you do find any cracks in your dry clay ornaments just gently rub some cornflour into them. The cracks soon become less visible, & some even magically disappear!
To make Christmas mobile decorations simply thread lengths of thin ribbon & twine through the holes & make a loop. We found it easier to add a larger shape to the top of the mobile & smaller ones below.
These make lovely Christmas tree ornaments, but also look beautiful hanging on a wall.
Looking for more Christmas activities? Take a look at these: Festive Crafts.