Make Your Own Christmas Tree Decorations With Baking Soda Clay!
Baking soda and cornstarch create the perfect clay for Christmas tree decorations!
It might sound a little strange, but you can make great Christmas tree decorations out of baking soda and cornstarch! Use this recipe to whip up a dough for all your Christmas tree decorations and crafts. It's easy, quick, inexpensive, and great for crafters of all ages. The result is Christmas tree decorations with a shiny look to them: perfect for decorating or giving as gifts!
This dough is great for kids as it's easy to handle, but make sure it's cooled enough before you let them dig their little hands in there. Also, make sure you knead it to get a really good doughy consistency!
Materials
-1 cup cornstarch
-2 cups baking soda
-1 1/4 cups cold water
-acrylic paints
Make It!
The first step in these Christmas tree decorations is the dough! An adult needs to handle this step, or at least closely supervise their little crafters.
Combine the cornstarch and baking soda in a medium sized pan. Gradually add water, mixing until the combination is smooth (it will have a strange texture, but that's okay). Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until you wind up with what looks like a pot of mashed potatoes.
Scoop the clay onto a plate and cover it with a damp towel to let it cool. Once you can handle it, knead it until smooth. Now it's ready to form! Shape the dough as you would clay. IMPORTANT: if you're planning to make Christmas tree decorations, you'll need to gouge a hole near the top of the ornament BEFORE you let it dry.
Let it harden completely, then paint it with acrylic paints. You may want to use a clear acrylic glaze to give it that shiny appearance. String a ribbon through the hole (you remembered to make it, right?) and hang your Christmas tree decorations on your tree!
Other Ideas
You can make more than Christmas tree decorations with this versatile clay! Ornaments, gifts, and many other lovely products can appear out of a lump of dough. Keep the kids busy through the entire vacation making Christmas tree decorations, holiday gifts, and ornaments to decorate their rooms!