Winter Stars

Bored one night I decided to make some Christmas ornaments. I used the old dough art recipe my mum and I had used when we made tons of seasonal ornaments in my childhood. I used my star cookie cutters to cut the dough and laid them out on cookie sheets. I used my wire cutters to snip paper clips in two (just cut the single loop end in half), using the larger half for the larger stars and the smaller half for the smaller stars, keeping them as centered as possible between the cookie sheet and the surface of the star. After cooking the dough and letting it cool I gave the stars quick coat of silver paint, then applied some glue and dipped them in a bowl of glitter.

I'll hang them scattered on the tree, tie them to the top of a gift, toss them in a big clear vase with some Christmas globes, lay them on some cedar boughs, or knot them spaced apart along one long ribbon to swag along the mantle or even hang from the ceiling.

If, before cooking, you cut the two bottom points off and used the whole paper clip in the top these would be adorable little place holders. Of course you can paint & glitter whatever colour suits your fancy. The only caution is that these can't get wet or the glue comes off and the dough swells.

My mum's recipe:
2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 cup cold water

Mix & knead until smooth and not sticky - should be soft and easy to work with - keeps covered in fridge.

Make your shapes and place on clean not greased baking sheets and bake in slow oven (275 F) for several hours - should be slightly golden brown and thoroughly dried out (may have to leave in an even slower oven overnight).  Cool completely and be sure they're dry through.