Thursday, September 9, 2010

My Fall Ornies

Good morning friends! I wanted to get this posted yesterday, but I just ran out of steam! So here is my first attempt at making fall/halloween salt dough ornies. I had a blast doing these and learned a few things in the process as well.

The recipe I used is:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup salt
1 cup warm water

I mixed all this together to form my dough, then floured my counter top and used a rolling pin to roll out the dough. I used cookie cutters to cut out my shapes. I made leaves, moons, stars, cats, bats, pumpkins, sunflowers, and some tiny candy corn that I just shaped with my fingers since I didn't have a cutter for that shape.
Here's my ornies all cut out and ready to bake:




I baked them at 300 degrees for about 45 minutes. The recipe called for baking up to an hour, but my ancient oven bakes everything fast so I kept a close eye on them and 45 minutes did it for me. After they came out of the oven, I let them cool for a bit and then I painted the ornies. After they dried, I diluted some brown craft paint with water and brushed it on then immediately wiped most of it off with a paper towel. This gave my ornies an aged look. Then I found some tea light candles at the dollor store in a maple sugar fragrance. I melted these down in a bowl on a tart warmer and dipped my ornies in them. I gently shook off the excess wax and laid them back on my foil lined pan to set up.







These were so much fun to do and I will be making some more. One of the things I learned was that you should paint both sides of the ornies. I only painted one side of my ornies thinking no one would see the back. Duh! If I wanted to give them as gifts, of course they are going to see the back. So the next batch will definitely be painted on both sides. I also need to perfect my waxing technique a bit. Some of my ornies were a bit clumpy after the wax dried on them so I'm not sure why that happened. I also need to be more consistent with the width of my dough when I roll it out for cutting. Some of my ornies were thicker in places and thinner in others. But other than that, it was easy and a whole lot of fun.

Here's some of my ornies I have displayed:



Until next time. . .

17 comments:

  1. I've been wanting to play with this idea so I'm keeping your recipe handy and hopefully finding some time to make some. Yours are adorable!

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  2. You did a fabulous job Donna and you should be proud of yourself. These are definitely on my to do list!
    Hugs,
    AMY

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  3. They look great! I've always wanted to try some of those - you may have just given me the motivation. My daughter would love to do these with me!

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  4. Those look awesome, I'll have to try them some day soon :)

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  5. Beautiful job! They aren't meant to be perfect, that's prim! I think they look perfect though!

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  6. Donna, You did such a GREAT job on those salt dough, leaves, pumpkins and stars, etc. I wrote down the recipe and I am going to try to make some. Please pray that they come out like yours, but I said what the heck I am going to try! I will let you know!
    I also like how you displayed them around and with the light hitting it just right warm and cozy!!!
    Prim Blessings,
    Tricia

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  7. These are sweet and look fantastic in your display! What type of craft paint did you use?

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  8. oh you did a great job..I need to make some more..guess what I purchased yesterday..you will have to see it on my blog..;)

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  9. You go girl! I think you did an amazing job!

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  10. Diva those turned out really good !!!! Is there anything you can't do ? hehehe....Seriously they really are GREAT ! I've never tried salt dough but I have done a lot of polymer clay projects...I just wish polymer clay wasnt soooo expensive ! Hope your havin a fantastic week sunshine....
    Prim Huggs n Blessins
    TJ

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  11. Great work Donna....your recipe and technique sounds so easy.
    Many years ago when this was the 'in' craft to do I made tons of these things.
    I loved it...I love baking in general so it was just like it and was tons of fun.
    I think i should get back into it again because these are adorable.

    Karen

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  12. Donna they look great and I was wanting to make some but am having a hard time finding the fall shape cookie cutters unless I order them online.
    Did you find your at some store and where if you don't mind telling me. Kay

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  13. They look great.When you master the wax dipping let me know your trick.I tryed last night and was quite messy.lolhave a great weekend blessings michelle

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  14. I will be trying some with your recipe but will be for Christmas ornies. My DH took a board for me to roll clay and stuff like salt dough and he put some of the 1" trim boards (or maybe they were skinnier) anyway when you roll the dough the handles of the rolling pin rolls along the sides of the board and then it is all the same thickness. I bet you could do the same thing with books or a piece of wood on each side to get the same affect (I am not sure if I am explaining this right but hopefully you will know what I mean)
    I want to make some salt dough bowls and think maybe if I put some cinnamon and coffee (insted of water) then I can take the pieces of dough and slump them over something to bake them and they will be whatever size bowl I want.

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  15. Just new to salt dough..although I hear there is cinnamon dough also...:) I am in the process of learning h9w to make candles, and would like to make candle rings with these...I found some mini cookie cutters in fall shapes for the design. Do you spray your orni's before or after?

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  16. I also make these but I use spices to color the dough so i dont have to paint them or use the wax they smell fab !

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