Catholic Activity: Non-Edible Dough (for Ornaments)

This is another way of making non-edible dough. Use this dough to make ornaments, either for a Jesse Tree, Christmas Tree, Easter tree, or for display elsewhere. There are so many ways to incorporate use of this dough into your liturgical year in the home.

DIRECTIONS

Put the ingredients in a large saucepan, mix well and place on your stove. While stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until you have a consistency similar to wet mashed potatoes.

If you want colored dough, separate the dough into different containers (as many different colors you want to use) and add a few drops of food coloring to each container. Stir well.

Pour the dough onto a large plate, then cover with a dampened cloth and let it cool, then knead it until smooth — no lumps or bumps. The dough is now ready to shape into ornaments by hand, or use holiday cookie cutters to cut out shapes.

Let the ornaments dry overnight, or to dry more quickly, place on an ungreased cookie sheet and put into a 250° oven for about 15 minutes. Check, and if they are not completely dry, return them to the oven, but be sure to check every five minutes so that they don't burn.

Now let the fun begin! You can decorate the ornaments with paint, or if you colored the dough with food coloring, just seal each one with a coat of clear varnish or fingernail polish.

NOTE: After Christmas, store these ornaments in an airtight container so they won't attract bugs during storage.

Activity Source: Hints from Heloise by Heloise, Washington Post, November 17, 2002