Salt Dough Ornaments

I have been a mom for long time now.

Sometimes that particular realization hits me up side the head, as if I had somehow forgotten.

In my convoluted mind I just experienced my first pregnancy a half dozen years ago (it's been 16), and I just sent my first child to kindergarten maybe, maybe, three years ago (oh, snap, it's been 12). Recently while remembering the year Curtis had surgery (heehee--a nose job), I at first thought it had been 4 years ago, then I remembered that I had been pregnant with Grace at the time (9 years ago).

Daily I am reminded that time is indeed passing, even though I feel that the yucky "stages" of being a mom drag on and on and on!!! And on!!! Last week I made a late-night trip to the store because we were almost out of diapers. Let's be clear here--I remember being so excited to buy them at the impending birth of each child. I would happily start stockpiling packs of diapers, wondering at the new little human that would be occupying them. Those days are loooong gone! I am so sick of diapers! I am sick of buying them. I am sick of changing them. And I am sick of having a diaper pail full of dirty ones on our back porch.

I have been buying diapers for almost 16 years straight (I had a blissful stretch of 2-years-diaper-free, two different times in the last decade and a half).

As I placed the huge box of diapers in the shopping cart I said to Hallie, "I hope this is the last big box of diapers I ever have to buy!" This may be a little premature for me wish for, but every day I am getting closer to realizing my dream. Little Violet is wanting to sit on the potty more and more and has even began to tinkle a little while sitting. Yay, Viley!!!

Back to the matter at hand:

"What does this have to do with Salt Dough Ornaments," you ask?

Nothing really.

Except that I am realizing that my babies are growing up. I know that right now is my time to have fun with them. Every year that they gain, I lose the chance to see them experience a particular activity at that particular age. A ten year old doesn't have the same joy and reaction that a five year old does when creating a holiday craft. Sure they like doing it, but it's different with a younger child. They are soooooo proud of themselves. It is delicious to watch first-hand.

Five year old hands are amazing. They belong to a baby, it seems, and yet they can do things a much older child can do. I am amazed daily at what my five-year-old's hands can do!

The other day I decided that I would have Zane make salt-dough ornaments while the older kids were at school. This is the last holiday season I have with him before he starts school. I'm getting teary just thinking about it. I need to have all the fun with him that I can.

I remembered that we were having play group over here last Tuesday and I thought it would be a fun activity for the little friends, too. So that's what we did.

And you should, too! Plan ahead. These need to bake for 2 hours and your little person might be a wee bit impatient. Maybe you can make them in the morning and then have them baking during (sacred and much revered) nap time. I always love a good blackmail scheme, "If you don't take a nap, you can't paint afterwards!"

For one or two small ornaments use these measurements:

1 tbsp. salt

2 tbsp. flour

1 tbsp. water

For more ornaments (about 9; depending on size) use these measurements:

1/2 cup salt

1 cup flour

1/2 cup water
Stir ingredients together in a small bowl. Remove from bowl and knead with your hands until smooth, or better yet, let the little hands knead the dough.

Spread a little flour on waxed paper and roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters into desired shape. Or you can mold it into any shape you want without rolling it out. Just remember that the thicker it is, it may not cook all the way through. Peel shape off the waxed paper and place on a baking sheet. (tip:I did this activity twice. The first time, I placed the shapes directly on the baking sheet. After they were baked, some of them came right off and others needed to be pried off with a spatula. I was afraid they would break, though they didn't. The second time, I lined the baking sheet with heavy duty foil and was able to peel them right off after they baked.)

Once the shapes are on the baking sheet, use a toothpick to open a little hole in the dough big enough for a ribbon to fit through. Just poke it in and twist it in a circular motion to open it up.

Bake at 25o degrees for 2 hours. Remove from oven and baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool.

When completely cool, paint as desired. (tip: squirt a little dish soap in the paint and mix it in to make the paint washable)

The kids had so much fun with this activity. I remember making them when I was a child for Family Home Evening. My mom even still has a few of them that she hangs on her tree every year.

I don't even want to think about how many years ago that was! Surely it's only been a dozen or so :)

Enjoy your holidays, make lots of crafts, and create lots of memories!