DIY: Bi Carb Christmas Ornament Decorations!
/An easy, fun activity for Christmas time or any other event you would like custom decorations/ ornaments!). Can also be used as fancy gift tags and they make nice essential oil diffuser disks too! Original recipe found here.
Makes a sheet approx 40 x 40cm to make 10-30 decorations depending on thickness and size :
1 cup Bi Carbonate of Soda approx 280g (approx £1.54)
1/2 cup Arrowroot approx 50g (approx 50p)
Just over 1/2 cup water / 100ml
10-20 drops essential oil of choice (optional) frankincense, pine, lavender, clove, peppermint, cinnamon all great options!
Food colouring (optional)
medium saucepan, wooden spoon, rolling pin, bowl.
Decoration design items: cookie cutters, embossed rolling pins, found items or kitchen items to cut out shapes or press in designs, natural items such as pine cones, ferns for pressed patterns. Toothpick / Skewer to making hole for hanging.
Method:
Place your bi carb and arrowroot in saucepan, stir or sieve to remove lumps. Add water and mix thoroughly. Place pan over medium heat and stir constantly.
After about 5-7 mins the mixture will begin to bubble and start to thicken, continue to stir as the dough thickens and comes together. If using essential oils or food colouring add these now, stir to mix in and remove from heat.
Transfer dough to bowl, cover with damp cloth and let cool for about an hour.
Once cool knead the dough, it should be smooth. Roll out to desired thickness - use more arrowroot if sticking at all.
Now its the fun part - designing you decorations! Use your chosen decoration methods to create your designs. Allow ornaments to air dry for at least 24 hours (can pop in oven on low heat to speed up or we placed ours on a baking tray on top of the log burner for an evening!).
Add any additional design elements such as paint and ribbon can be added once dry.
Zero Waste Tips
Buy your ingredients from a package free refill store if possible to avoid single use packaging.
Use found objects or secondhand items for your design creations.
Use natural materials such as cotton, jute etc for hanging your designs to avoid man-made materials.