How to Make Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments
An Air Freshner and Cute Decoration All in One
Nov 30, 2008
People love decorating their houses for the holiday season. From snowmen to Santas to gingerbread men, the decorations are varied and often multifunctional. These ornaments are not only cute, they are easy to make. Using just a few simple ingredients and some drying time, you will soon have a wonderful, good smelling decoration.
These ornaments make an excellent project for youths in all kinds of groups. The recipe and directions are so easy to follow and require no cooking so even preschoolers can assist in making these. They make excellent package tie-ons which later can be used on the Christmas tree. If they are hung near a light on the tree, the cinnamon smell comes through when the bulb warms the ornament.
These ornaments are also excellent for homeschooling families. They provide a lesson on measuring when preparing the ingredients. Also the students could estimate the drying time. The ornaments could also be used as part of the art lesson.
Materials
- 1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon
- 1 cup canned applesauce
- 1/3 cup white glue
- small cookie cutters in your favorite shapes
- Straw
- Thin Red or Green Ribbon
- cooling rack
- Rolling Pin
Procedure
- Mix the Cinnamon, Applesauce and Glue together to a dough like consistency. The dough is not edible, so no sampling. Form a ball in a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Roll the dough out with a rolling pin to about 1 inch thick.
- Using cookie cutters, cut the desired shapes. Gingerbread men work especially well as the dough looks like gingerbread when dry.
- Using the straw poke a hole near the top.
- Continue Step 3 and 4 until all dough has been cut, rerolling as necessary.
- Place shapes on cooling rack.
- Place in a safe location to dry. Drying time will depend on thickness of dough and temperature of the room, but will take at least two days. You will know when the ornaments are dry when they have turned a light brown.
- Thread ribbon through the hole. Tie a knot in ribbon.
- If desired, a thin black marker can be used to draw a face or other details onto the dried ornament.
- You have know created ornaments. You may use them as package tie-ons or just hang them from your own tree.
Scout leaders, Sunday School teachers, and other youth group leaders are always looking for fun and inventive crafts that serve a dual purpose. Children love being creative when gift giving time comes along. These easy to make ornaments not only function as decorations, but provide air freshning as well.
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