Salt dough is simple to make, versatile and can be used for making many things such as coasters, door plaques, eggcups or just plain old models. One thing it is easy to make though is christmas tree decorations.

Ingredients.

• 2 cups flour (plain white flour for best results)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup salt (cheap table salt is fine)
• Food Colouring (if desired)

Method.

Combine the ingredients together in a bowl the consistency should be such that the dough can be rolled and shaped easily. If this is not the case, more flour or water can be added until the correct consistency is acquired.

You can colour your dough at this stage by adding food colouring. To do this make a small well within the dough and adding a few drops of your required colour then mixing the dough roughly together, this will produce a marbled effect. to produce a more consistent colour the food colouring should be added to the water before mixing with the flour and salt.

Shaping and decorating.

Once you have your dough to your preferred colour and consistency you can begin to make your decorations. Cookie cutters, butter knives, and toothpicks or cocktail sticks are useful at this stage.

Simple shapes can be cut with the cookie cutters, designs drawn onto these with the toothpicks/cocktail sticks. Due to its doughy nature shapes are easy to make using butter knives and fingers.

Create balls by rolling small quantities of dough between the palms of the hands in a circular motion. Sausages can be made by rolling up and down on a flat surface, or between the palms. Experiment with different shapes, make a large flat circle and stick different shapes onto this by pressing pieces of dough together. You can experiment as much as you like.

if you are planning to hang your decorations on your tree remember to pierce a hole in them before baking. This is best done with a Pencil or a Chopstick

Drying your Creations.

Once you are happy with your completed piece you can make it solid by baking it in the oven, or leaving it in a warm dry place.

To oven dry your creations you want a low heat for a long time. Gas mark 2 for around an hour and a half seems to work. It is important to turn your pieces occasionally so that they can dry on both sides. Wait until the dough has turned a golden brown and smells and looks ready.

To air dry your creations leave them in a warm dry place for 24-48 hours. Larger pieces may take longer, and air drying is not recommended in humid climates.

Painting and Varnishing.

Once your creations are cooled and dry you can paint them with your chosen design and colours. Poster paint or even Water colours can be used.You may also choose to use Glitter to give them some Sparkle. Once the paint is dry varnish them with either PVA glue or clear varnish.

Storage and Lifespan.

Take care to store your decorations in a dry location, the PVA glue, or Varnish should help to protect you decorations. With care the decorations may be reused for several years.