Spicy Christmas Ornaments

What we really need right now is scratch and sniff computer screens, because these ornaments smell so good, you couldn't resist making some of your own if you could smell them through the screen.  When I was growing up, we used to make these ornaments every couple of years, and the whole house would smell like cinnamon and cloves (in other words--Christmas) the entire month of December.

These are really easy and fun to make with kids, but they do take a couple of days to complete as they have to dry overnight.  Are you ready?

Here's what you need:

• 3/4 cup applesauce (not the chunky kind)
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin
• scant 1/2 cup cinnamon
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3 tablespoons ground cloves
• small pot
• spatula or spoon
• bowl
• plastic wrap
• rolling pin
• cookie cutters
• 1 straw
• drying rack (cooling rack)
• decorative ribbon
• paint pens
• any other decorations you want

To make the dough, you combine the applesauce and gelatin in a small pot--let stand for 3 minutes.  While that is sitting, combine the spices and corn starch in the bowl.  Heat the applesauce and gelatin over medium heat until the mixture simmers.  Add the applesauce and gelatin mixture to your spice mixture.  Stir/knead until dough forms.

Now you are ready to make ornaments!  Split the dough in half, and wrap one half in plastic wrap while you work with the other half.  Roll the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap (1/8 - 1/4 inch thick).  Cut the dough with cookie cutters.  Take your straw and poke a hole in each shape you cut (this will be for the ribbon to go through).  Lift the shapes onto the drying rack.  Let dry overnight--when we used to make these, my mom always put the rack over a heating vent, so the smell would permeate the entire house--mmmmmmm.

Once you let them dry, you can decorate.  I like to use paint pens or glitter glue.  You could use any puff paint or spray paint, but you don't want to use too much and mask the delicious aroma with paint smell.  I also sometimes string bells on for added glitz and sound effects.  These also make great personalized gift tags that will double as ornaments for the person to whom you give the gift.

Thanks for letting me share this fun craft with you today!  I would love for you to leave a comment and let me know what shapes would you use, and how would you decorate or use these differently.

Christmas in July Guest Post

Hi!  I know you are shocked that I have posted twice today.  Well let's call it inspiration from Mandy at Sugar Bee Crafts.  While Mandy was over here today, I was guest posting at Fireflies and Jellybeans for their Christmas in July (which trickled into August) series.

Head over to Fireflies and Jellybeans to learn how to make these great smelling Christmas ornaments.

Cupcake Ornaments {Guest Post from Jenn at Ruffled Sunshine}

Did anyone try making the cupcake recipe from yesterday?  Today we have Jenn from Ruffled Sunshine visiting with some of the cutest ornaments I have ever seen!  Who wouldn't love ornaments that look like cupcakes, and are all sparkly with glitter?

Hello Friends! I'm so excited to be here with you and Malory celebrating all things cupcake. My name is Jenn and I blog over at Ruffled Sunshine. I share a little bit of what I've been up to from time to time. I have a spunky little girl, Ivy that keeps me on my toes, but she is my biggest source of inspiration. Ivy is ca-razy about holidays. She is the kind of girl who watches Rudolph all year long and asks me to sing Away in a Manger to her every night before she drifts off to sleep.

We la la love cupcakes in our house. {Lemon ones are our absolute fave} But my brother is getting married next month which means I'm trying to cut back on the sweets! So Ivy and I pulled out the glitter and glue and whipped up a batch of cupcake ornaments to satisfy our cravings.

SUPPLY LIST

ball ornaments

ribbon
glitter
mod podge
cupcake wrappers
glue gun
twine, string or an ornament hook

OK I know it's August, but just head to a craft store. You would think it was October with all of the fall and Christmas decorations out already! I just know you will be able to get some ornaments to make your own batch of cupcakes.

Step one: Remove the top thingy from an ornament and set it aside. Take some ribbon and starting about a third of the way down from the top wrap and glue the ribbon, covering the bottom two thirds of the ornament. I used brown to give it a chocolate cake look.

Step Two: Mod podge the uncovered part of your ornament and dump a bunch of glitter on it. I used white for this one but any color "frosting" would be cute. Glue together a couple of cupcake liners for stiffness, then glue your ornament in to the cupcake wrapper.




 Step Three: Glitter the ornament top too. {If you don't have one of those glitter trays I highly recommend it. I got mine at Hobby Lobby for $2 or something. The funnel makes all the difference.} Then put that top thingy back on.




Step Four: Tie with some bakers twine or string and hang on your tree. Or seeing as it is August and I really shouldn't be tempting you to think about things like Christmas, just think of how cute it will be when you DO get to hang it on your tree!




Step Five: Make a bunch more because it was easy, and you are kind of addicted to glitter now. I thought the patterned ribbon looked like some fancy bakers cups so I left them without the wrappers. That mini black polka dot one is my fave, imagine that. How cute are they in miniature?!

Thanks for having me Malory! It was super fun. And I'd love it if you all came visit me some time. I know we will be good friends!

Happy cupcake making!

Thanks so much Jenn!  I know some of these ornaments will be decorating my tree this Christmas.  Jenn has one of the cutest blogs out there.  Ruffled Sunshine is one of my "eye candy" blogs.  Every time Jenn posts a project, she uses the most beautiful pictures.

This swimsuit rack is so cute, and a creative use of faucet handles.

Jenn is also the wonderful person who introduced me to picnik (yes I heart picnik).

Head on over to Ruffled Sunshine and satisfy your sweet tooth with some of her "eye candy."

Lisa's Beaded Snowflakes

Sorry this is late today.  My sister came in town last night, so we made these this morning.  My mom, Lisa, and her sister, Lori, designed these a few years ago.  Try different colors, styles, etc.  With a little adult supervision, and help, these are fun (mess-free) decorations that are fun for the whole family to make.  These make great ornaments, garland, or garnish on gifts!

Supplies

• Variety of beads
• 20 gage wire
• Wire cutter
• Needle-nose pliers
• Measuring tape/ruler
• Maybe a hot glue gun

Instructions

1. For each snowflake cut: one 5" wire, one 4" wire, two 3" wires
2. Take the needle-nose pliers and bend one end of each wire into a small circle

3. Thread the beads onto one wire.  I think that it looks nice when the beads mirror each other from the center.  The small wires look nice when they are similar to each other as well.
4. Leaving about 1/2 inch of bare space in the middle of the wire, bend the straight edge of the wire into another small circle

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each wire
6. Take the largest two wires (bend the largest wire around the other wire matching centers)
7. You should now have a "t"

8. Set one of the smaller wires at a diagonal to the "t"
9. Take the last wire, place it at the opposite diagonal and twist it all the way around the center of the other wires

10. If your snowflake is loose in the center, you can twist the two straight wires so that there is less room to wiggle
11. If the snowflake is still loose in the center, use a small dab of hot glue to secure all wires

Custom-Colored Glass Ornaments

 Customize clear glass or plastic ornaments with paints to match your decorating preferences.  Children can participate with adult supervision.  Richer colors provide more contrast and interesting design (see the difference between the red, green, and white I did a few years ago as compared to the blue and white I did this year).

Supplies

• Clear glass/plastic ornaments any shape, iridescent ornaments add shimmer (can usually get at craft stores)
• Acrylic paint (colors that match your decor)

Instructions

1. Remove top of ornament (the metal part)

2. Drizzle small amount of paint into ornament--you can add as many or as few different colors as you want

3. The way you hold the ornament, drizzle the pain, and rotate the ornament creates different effects for the paint--experiment with different amounts, colors, and techniques until you acheive a look you like
4. Acrylic paint is washable when wet, so if you don't like it, wash out and start over (do not use extremely hot or extremely cold paint as it could crack glass)
5. Let dry completely

6. Replace top of ornament
7. Further ideas for customization:  glue & glitter, paint pens to write/draw on outside, stickers, etc.