Baking Soda & Corn Starch Ornaments

8:15:00 PM

There is an advantage to having out of town family. Many years, it means that I can make a gift for them for Christmas, give it to them, and then be able to share it with you…all before Christmas.


This little gift is a simple Christmas ornament. So simple, in fact, that Lil Bit helped me make them.

These ornaments are made from baking soda, corn starch, and water. I got this idea from Full of Great Ideas—she was making these little ornaments months ago. I’m not nearly so ahead of the game. But maybe next year…

Anyway, I took a few minutes during Lil Bit’s nap to mix the dough up. You want to plan ahead a little, since the dough does need to cool before you use it. I find that when you are crafting with kids, doing a little prep work ahead of time makes everyone happier with the results.

This is what you need for the dough:

2 cups baking soda
1 cup corn starch
1 1/4 cups cool water

 Place all ingredients into a sauce pan and stir very well. It will be pretty soupy.

Place over medium heat and stir constantly.

 ...until your dough forms a ball. 

Pull off heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes.

 Then roll out your dough until about 1/4 inch thick. Then let your preschooler go to town making shapes with  cookie cutters.

In order to make ornaments, use a straw to make holes.You can make a chain of ornaments by making holes in top and bottom, or in each of the sides.

 Allow to dry at least a day (flipping at least once). You can also bake them for about 30 minutes in a 325F oven, flipping once halfway through. I didn't do this since it makes them a little brown and I wanted pure white.

 You can seal the ornaments using thin coats of your favorite sealer.

 When dry, thread ribbon through the holes to join and hang the ornaments. 



A point of advice: don’t leave the dough to dry where little fingers…or small house animals…can get to them. I left our project out to dry in a place I thought was safe, and had Lil Bit’s handprint ruined by cat prints. I guess the cat wanted her paw immortalized in the ornament, too.

 This is a great present for preschoolers to make grandparents.
Sometimes I link up at the following places: 504 Main, A Diamond in the Stuff, AKA Design, Alderberry Hill, At the Picket Fence, Beyond the Picket Fence, Blessed with Grace, Cherished Bliss, Classy Clutter, C.R.A.F.T., Craft-o-maniac, Crafty Scrappy Happy, Eat at Home, Finding Fabulous, Gingersnap Crafts, Glued to My Crafts, Home Stories A to Z, House of Hepworths, I Heart Naptime, It's So Very Cheri, Lil Luna, Lines Across, Live Laugh Rowe, Made in a Day,  Not Just a Housewife, One Artsy Mama, One Creative Mommy, Organizing Junkie, Positively Splendid, Semi Homemade Mom, Simply Sugar and Gluten Free, Six Sisters Stuff, So I Married a Craft Blogger, Someday Crafts, Sugarbee Crafts, Tatertots & Jello, The 36th Avenue, The Finer Things in Life, The Frugal Girls, The Grant Life,  The Shabby Nest, Tidy Mom, Today's Creative Blog, Uncommon Designs,  and Under the Table and Dreaming.

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Rachel manages to balance working as a full time architect and a full time mom of 3 girls by finding a creative outlet in DIY, crafts, and cooking.

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13 comments

  1. Kelley @ TheGrantLife.comDecember 6, 2012 at 11:40 PM

    I love these! We did salt dough last year.. we are going to have to try these this year! Pinning them :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 7, 2012 at 1:45 AM

    What a fun project! I found myself working with baking soda and cornstarch dough earlier this week and I really loved the texture and how it dried so crystally white. Beautiful and a wonderful gift for grandparents!

    ReplyDelete
  3. thistlewoodfarmDecember 7, 2012 at 9:09 AM

    Rachel,

    What a fun idea! The texture on the ornament is so pretty....I wonder if you could stamp them with letters or numbers?

    blessings,
    karianne

    ReplyDelete
  4. Heidi@OneCreativeMommy.comDecember 7, 2012 at 12:41 PM

    Gluten free! Yea! Thanks for this great idea, and thanks for sharing this week at One Creative Weekend! Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Mel@Mellywood's MansionDecember 8, 2012 at 4:16 AM

    Oh cute idea, I think the cat paw will actually end up being sentimental to your little one happy accident :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Debbie @DewdropGablesDecember 9, 2012 at 12:58 PM

    What a cute idea to do with the kids! I will have to pin this to do when the grandkids visit next time. Thanks for sharing!
    I saw you sharing at It's So Very Cheri Linky Party.
    Debbie :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Cassie BustamanteDecember 10, 2012 at 5:39 PM

    these look so fun! my kids would love it!

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  8. Katie DraneDecember 11, 2012 at 2:16 PM

    These are so cute! Great idea!

    Katie
    www.funhomethings.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Karah @ thespacebetweenblogDecember 11, 2012 at 8:38 PM

    this looks like the perfect idea for the kids!

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownDecember 12, 2012 at 10:15 AM

    Very cute! I've heard of salt dough and cinnamon ornaments, but never this kind.
    I'd love to have you link this up at my party!
    Gifts Kids Can Make Link Party

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownDecember 12, 2012 at 10:16 AM

    It looks like I gave you the wrong link in my last comment... I think these are a great idea and would love to have you link them to my party!
    Gifts Kids Can Make Link Party

    ReplyDelete
  12. A Real PilgrimageDecember 26, 2012 at 5:44 PM

    Thank you for this recipe!! I posted about it in my blog here:
    http://familiacatolica-org.blogspot.com/2012/12/receta-para-hacer-adornos-de-navidad.html
    Merry Christmas!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. architectureofamomDecember 27, 2012 at 7:54 AM

      Thanks for featuring me!! I hope you had a very merry Christmas~

      Delete