art deco

Monday, June 19, 2017

Morning Routine for stay-at-home Moms

It can be difficult to get up and get yourself going on a daily basis, especially when your little ones are still so young. There may not be a set time for school, appointments, or meetings to rush you up and out the door so why does it matter if you lay in bed a little longer or lounge around a little more? And sure, you may have a very good excuse to do so with night time feedings, potty runs, or anything else in the book!

Creating a morning routine and sticking to it on a daily basis will help you feel happier and healthier as well as have a positive impact on your little ones. Structure is important for a child's development, and a morning routine can you provide you time for yourself with the consistency that your child expects it. It is almost as though they come to schedule that time in their day for you to have your "me-time" because they expect it and they know that attention for them always follows.

Now it is important to establish a routine that fits well for you and your household. Everyone's needs will vary as far as the time the routine starts, how long it lasts, and what it consists of. Here is a general idea to get you started. The things on my list included: eating breakfast, getting myself dressed and ready as well as the kids, making my bed, a short exercise routine and some light reading.  I have switched up the order of these tasks several times to get what feels and flows the best. Because I keep my reading material in my room by my bed I always start with that when I wake up. My early-rising child comes into my room at the crack of dawn of every morning. I don't get out of bed until 7 am so until this time he can either snuggle in my bed with me or he will look at books or do puzzles quietly. At 7, I spend a couple minutes in bed reading. This lets me get some reading time in and allows me to enjoy my cozy bed a moment longer while still accomplishing something I would like to do. I always make the bed right upon getting out which my son usually enjoys helping with because he knows that breakfast is next! We go to the kitchen together to eat and I go to the family room for a brief, but energizing exercise routine. (Post to come on my favorites!) Afterwards is my time to get myself ready. During this time the kids usually have the chance to watch a show of their choice, but sometimes they just play. When I stick to this routine consistently this usually works out really well, and I have 20 minutes or so to just worry about myself! This has been such a rejuvenating time for me--showering alone in peace used to be impossible for me, but now I am rarely interrupted. After I'm all ready or while my hair is drying, I lay out the kids clothes for them to get dressed and we are ready to head out the door or proceed with our day at home.


Taking care of yourself physically and mentally is essential to taking good care of your home and family. I hope you can all find yourself happily rejuvenated and energized with your own morning routines!

Monday, March 6, 2017

The truth about Potty Training

I have now successfully potty trained both of my boys after talking to many other moms and reading a handful of potty training how-to's. I found varying opinions on not pushing your child; wait until they are ready and they will train themselves to a strict here's how you train your child to use the toilet in three days.

The truth about potty training is a combination of both extremes- wait until your child is ready so that they will help motivate themselves, but in reality you do need to actually teach them. Their body is designed such that they have muscles to control their bowel and bladder, but they are not born with the knowledge to utilize those muscles for using the toilet. That is where your teaching comes in.

You need to teach them 3 things:
1. Recognize the sensation of needing to use the bathroom.
2. Control of their muscles to hold and release at the appropriate time
3. That it is better, easier, and more rewarding to be toilet trained-even if that means stopping what you are doing to use the bathroom.

Now how you accomplish those three things is entirely up to you and your child depending on needs and personality differences. The most important thing for your child during this process is MOTIVATION. Potty training is work. It is a huge adjustment from how they are used to operating on a daily basis so they need a reason to actually put in all of that effort. Sticker charts and rewards work great for some kids. Other kids just need your praise and encouragement. Some the motivation to wear big kid underwear or be just like an older sibling.

This is something I really struggled with in training my first child. He simply was not motivated to learn. He didn't care to be like his friends using the potty, he didn't care about wearing underwear, he didn't care too much about the stickers or prizes, and he didn't even care to be clean. He could be sitting in a puddle of pee on my floor and just go right on with whatever he was playing without it bothering him a single bit. The motivation for him then was convenience!

After a year and half long attempt of introducing him to the potty and having no luck at sparking his interest, I was done! I finally wrote it on the calendar and showed him 2 weeks in advance saying, "this is your last day of diapers." Once that day came he was not allowed to wear a diaper again. I encouraged him to practice using the potty for when that day came. (Which he didn't really care to do.) The magical day arrived and I took off his diaper in the morning. We did the common drink a lot of juice and spend most of the day on the potty. He had games he could play, pages to color, and books to read while he sat there. He had some successes just be mere probability of spending most of his day sitting on his throne. Anytime he had an accident, I took him from whatever he was playing and set him in the tub. He had to stay there and wait while I cleaned up the mess on the floor and took his clothes to the laundry. I then completely washed him in the tub and took my time to get him dressed again before he could go back to playing. If he had an accident again, we repeated the process again and I would explain to him that it takes a long time to clean up an accident. Going potty right away is so much faster because then you can go right back to what you are playing. This continued for 5 days with almost no success. We did other things too that you read about to encourage him like sticker charts, and timers for sitting on the potty. I even recorded the times he typically went to make sure he was on the toilet during those times. Finally on the morning of the 6 day. He ran into the bathroom on his own and came out saying, "I went potty!" We still had our share of accidents after that, but he was finally trained!

This leads me to the thing that is most important for parents: PATIENCE. Hang in there. Potty training was the worst stretch of time ever! It is for every parent, and the funny thing I realized after talking to other parents and comparing my own experiences is that regardless of how difficult or easy your child is to train, the experience of potty training is still described the same way. It is really hard, just try to stay home during that time, and there will be a lot of accidents- tons in the first few days and even a lot for the first month. And while my second child's potty training was so much easier because he was actually motivated to learn. He loved earning stickers or "scoring points" as we would call it because he is my sports lover and he wanted to wear underwear. It was still a long difficult process with a lot of accidents.

Just remember, accidents are a crucial part of potty training. It is an opportunity for your child to more outwardly recognize the sensation of going to the bathroom, thus enabling them to learn how to have control over those muscles. Hang in there and be creative in how you motivate them to want to learn and teach themselves!

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Tender Teaching Moments

I love my Willow Tree figurines. I have a collection from the different milestones and memories in my life, many of which were gifts from my husband when we were engaged or when our little boy came along. My husband picked this one out for our little boy to give me for Christmas when he was a year old and it brought me to tears. I love the moment this statue captures. This figure reminds me of the countless sacrifices a mother makes for her child, and the greatest thing she gets in return is knowing that she holds the future of that child. She is the one who makes him feel safe, who can provide comfort, and who teaches him life's greatest lessons. Everything she does molds him into who he will become.  
Two years later, it was that same little boy that knocked it off the shelf in a careless accident. I was devastated to see one of my precious figures broken into so many pieces. I was frustrated. Frustrated that he didn't listen after being told repeatedly not to do that in the house, and especially frustrated that I got the consequence of his actions. It would have been easy to blame him and release some of my frustration through a long rant and what he did that was wrong, but I held back. I had a moment to think because I was not in the room when this happened. I overheard and understood the situation; my husband told our little boy he needed to go tell me what had happened. I waited and thought. When my sweet little boy brought my broken figurine in his arms with regret in his eyes, I wasn't angry. Not when I thought of everything that figurine represented to me. That figurine shows the influence a mother has on her son, and I used that moment to teach him. I let him express his apology and I forgave him. I let him know I was disappointed, but that I know he did not mean to break it. "It happened by accident, and we all have many accidents in our lives. Thank you for telling me and trying to make it better." Then I gathered pieces and tried to glue them back together. It took quite an effort to keep them in the right place while the glue dried, but the cracked figure still sits on my shelf. When I look at it I still remember the lesson I taught my son that day, but more importantly the lesson I learned that day.
It is our role as parents to teach our children. We must be consistent in our rules and in our consequences. But I believe we also owe our children a little mercy. Think of all the times you have made a mistake and wronged someone else...especially when that someone else if one of our children. We expect them to forgive us and deal with our imperfections. We can create a stronger bond with our children when we recognize the times they are trying...they are trying to get things right, and we just accept their effort, despite the mistakes that come along with it.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Chocolate Chip Cookies: soft, gooey, and baked to perfection!


These cookies are such a winner. They are a big hit when I bring them to a picnic or other sharing event and they are devoured even faster in my own house. With a light browning on the outside and a soft gooey center, these cookies are perfect. The recipe is great, but technique is everything with these cookies. Follow directions for the ingredients, the proper mixing, and most importantly, the proper baking.

You will need:

  • 1/2 cup (8 oz or 1 stick) butter, melted then cooled to room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla 
  • 1 egg
  • 1-1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • approximately 1/2 cup chocolate chips (preferably Hershey's special dark or semisweet)
Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes. 

As stated, start by melting the better completely, then let it cool to room temperature so that it is in a very soft solid state. Add that to a stand mixer along with the sugar, and beat with the paddle attachment for 2-3 minutes. Make the sugars and fat a good creamy consistency. 

Add the egg and vanilla, then beat for another 10-15 seconds. Do not over-mix this one. It should be mostly mixed in. Not perfectly, but mostly. Then add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until it is just barely mixed in.
As soon as the ingredients come together, stop the mixer. For the rest you can use your hand or a rubber scraper. Scrape down and knead the unmixed flour into the dough. Add the chocolate chips and fold them in.  I find a heaping 1/2 cup to be the perfect amount, but you can play around with this a little depending on how many or how few chocolate chips you like. Once incorporated, drop into 1-1/2 " round balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven. I find that 9 minutes works for me every time, but ovens may slightly differ. Start with an 8 minute bake time. If the tops or edges have slight golden tips, then they are done: even if the center looks doughy- it will finish baking while cooling. Do not wait for the entire cookie to be golden; it should have some parts that look un-done. It may take some practice identifying a perfectly baked cookie, but it is definitely worth learning. 😊



Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Easy and delicious breakfast on the GO

My family loves when we make breakfast sandwiches with eggs, cheese, sausage or bacon, on a biscuit or bagel. Well the night before our early morning road trip I decided to put together something similar that we could grab and go in the morning. These were great. I could fix them up quickly in advance, keep them in the refrigerator, and my family all enjoyed them in the car. 

What you'll need: 
  • 1 box with 10 precooked sausage links
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1 tube of Pillsbury crescent rolls 
1. Scramble the eggs. Whip with a dollop of sour cream before cooking for a better consistency. Add the cheese while scrambling. Brown the sausage lings and chop. 

2. Lay out each individual crescent roll.
3. Spoon approximately 1/3 of a cup of the sausage and egg filling onto each crescent.
4. Overlap the corners, then tightly roll to enclose the egg and sausage completely.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes until slightly golden. 
Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 week and enjoy at any time!

Monday, February 6, 2017

Accessorizing your Home on a Budget- DIY wood sign

Home decor can add up so quickly especially if you like to change things up occasionally. There are so many great DIY projects that can give you great pieces for your home for little or no cost. I love this one I started with my sister last summer. We just used scrap wood our parents had around the house, but for this project you need a 10"x12" piece of plywood and four cuts of a 1x2 board: two that are 10.5" long and two 8.5" long pieces. Stain all pieces of wood on all sides and allow to dry thoroughly. 

Pick a quote or phrase that inspires you and design it graphically. For a small sign just use 1-2 fonts. Usually matching a serif font with a sanserif font and a simple with a more elaborate font will create more interest and the two fonts will complement each other. Design within a 7"x9" space, leaving an additional 1/4" border without any text. Use the layout of other quotes for inspiration to decide smaller and larger text as well as text placement. You can also use size and font to emphasize the most important part of the quote or phrase.

Print on your desired card stock. (or, if you're brave, freehand letter onto the paper using a fine tip sharpie.) I chose a neutral beige with a linen pattern. Cut down just larger than the opening (8x10"). Using spray adhesive, mount the printed quote centered onto the plywood. Next, properly arrange the 1x2" boards. First board all the way to the left side running along the top, the next running form the top edge down along the right side, the third aligned in the bottom right corner and laying across the bottom, then the last laying from the bottom left corner until it meets the edge of the first board. Secure each piece with wood glue.

Allow to dry completely and display with an easel or mount hardware on the back to hang on the wall.



Thursday, February 2, 2017

Enliven your Space

Do you ever find your space feeling a little drab? Maybe you think you need a whole house renovation or maybe you can't pin point anything you particularly don't like, but you also aren't in love with how it looks and feels...The good news is there are a few simple points that can enhance the overall tone and appearance without breaking the bank.

1. Make your space livable
There is nothing like a living plant (or something that mimics a living plant) to actually make your space come alive. Just a single potted plant or vase of flowers brings life into the space and makes for a beautiful accessory. Living plants make a great addition, but must be well kept in order to continue looking nice. If keeping up with the watering and trimming is not your thing, then the good news is you can always find beautiful fakes that look just as fantastic.

2. Shed a little Light on the Subject
Lighting is the single most important element of design. Lighting effects how you see everything else within the space. Your lighting can set the entire mood of the room or space. If you want the room to feel calm, relaxing, and serene use cooler and less direct lighting to wash the walls and accent focal points.  If you like your space to feel warm, cheerful, and lively then let light flood in! Use warm hues with the space fully illuminated. Utilize natural light whenever possible and let let lighting play a significant role in general purpose as well as accenting and accessorizing the space.

3. Connect personally
Every time you walk in the room you should be able to connect to the space emotionally. This happens when you display words or pictures with personal significance. Choose pictures or paintings with people you love or places you are passionate about. Have words or quotes that speak to your soul and reflect your ambitions. Let your space reflect who you are. Even the most simplistic things can leave an impression every time we see it.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Trash to treasure: end table makeover


I love this trash to treasure concept because it creates a beautiful cycle of people getting to purge themselves from their own cutter or things they don't need, while others can transform, reuse, or re-purpose those same items to create something beautiful and fill a need in their own space.

I apologize for only having an "after" shot of this project. While I was putting on the final polyurethane for this project, my toddler snatched my phone after watching me take pictures of the project. He then continued to enjoy taking his own photos, which I didn't bother to stop because I was mid-project and didn't think he was hurting anything. I was absolutely wrong. Next thing I knew, my phone was swimming in the toilet! My photos had not backed up to the cloud, and with the phone destroyed, so were all of the "before" photos. 😨!!!

I have had this on my mind for a while...that I would love I nice little side table to go right there. My husband wasn't convinced, and it wasn't a priority purchase, so the idea continued to be put off. Then just last week I was on my way home from dropping my son off at a birthday party and I spotted this little guy along the side of the road. (Along with a little stool, which will be another Trash to Treasure post.)  It is actually a kiddie table- hence the little stool seat that went with it. I already have a kid's table to I almost passed it up. Then my mind started thinking of the end table I've been wanting so I quickly turned the car around to grab the table (and the stool too). I figured it couldn't hurt. If I got it home and it didn't work, then it could just as easily be dumped at my curb to be passed on to someone who could use it. But, lucky for me, it filled the space nicely and I decided to give it a finishing touch.

I didn't do much to this project. The table was already white, which is the color I wanted. The table top had a few stains on top, but nothing too severe- easily covered by a coat or two of paint.
I did to a quick sanding over the top to smooth things out and to help the paint adhere to the surface.
I also used a chalk paint mix which adheres to surfaces really well in the first place. The surface area isn't too big so I was able to use paints I had on hand to create a nice color I wanted.

I wanted the table white, but not too white....definitely subdued from the blinding white of "simply white" chalk paint. I added my sued acrylic paint to the mix until it resembled the color I was looking for. (approximately 3 Tbl of Suede for a 1/2 cup of Simply White)

The table took two coats of paint to cover completely. Once it was dry, I used my block sander to lightly brush over the top. This smooths out any unevenness in the paint coats and lessens the emphasis of the brush strokes. After wiping the table clean with a dry cloth, I applied 2 coats of my satin finish polyurethane to protect the top.


As for the final touch, when everything was dry I added my own felt feet to the table. You could use the sticky back felt pads you can buy at the store, but I used some scraps of felt I already had to protect my wood flooring.

Simply cut a piece of felt to perfectly fit the foot of each table leg and glue into place using my favorite, E6000 glue.
Considering I only used things I had on hand, and the table itself came off the side of the road, this trash to treasure project, was FREE, and I finally have a beautiful end table to enjoy!
Once he saw the finished project, my husband surprisingly admitted that he really loved the look of the table right there and thought it made a big difference in the room.

Delicious and Nutritious: Pumpkin Biscuits

I found this recipe when I was looking for a quick bread I could whip up to go with dinner. I made a recipe of Pumpkin Biscuits that I found, and I loved them. When I went to make them again; however, I thought I could make them a little better for you so there was no guilt making them as a delicious dinner side dish. My family loves biscuits, but they are so loaded with butter and then doused with more fat or sugar when you go to eat them too.

This recipe is fantastic. My entire family enjoyed them, and the recipe substitutions did not effect the taste or texture of the final product. This does still contain fat and sugar, but they are sweetened with honey, there is significantly less butter, and they use pumpkin and coconut oil as additional fat sources.

Just look at that pumpkin-cinnamon deliciousness!


For this recipe I started with my buttermilk substitution (see my tested and approved recipe substitutions). You can use actual buttermilk in this recipe, but that is something I never buy because it is so easy to substitute in any baking recipe. I added some lemon juice to my milk and let it sit while I combined the dry ingredients to really get a good buttermilk forming.


In a medium bowl I combined my wheat and white flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Then I cubed my butter before cutting it into the dry ingredients. You want your butter to be very solid. For this you can pull it straight from the refrigerator. I like mine to sit out for 15 minutes or so before using it so it is a little more workable, but room temperature butter will not work properly.



Add the cubed butter to the dry ingredients and the solid coconut oil then cut them into the dry ingredients. For this I like to use my handheld potato masher, but a fork works well too, or even just your hands.
Work until the mixture is course crumbs. No large butter or coconut oil chunks left in it.

By this time your buttermilk substitute should be ready to go. Mix the pumpkin puree and honey with the buttermilk, then add that entire mixture into the crumb mixture. Fold it in until the two mixtures just combine to form a dough.


Turn the dough out on a floured surface to knead. This kneading process is to layer the dough. Fold the dough in half over itself and then press it out to fold again. Do this several times and roll into a 1/2" thickness.


Use a biscuit cutter, cookie cutter, or the top rim of a cup to cut circles from the biscuit dough. Place 1" apart on a lined or greased baking pan.


Bake in an oven preheated to 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes. While baking, mix up a delicious cinnamon butter to spread on the hot biscuits.

Cinnamon Butter: 3 Tablespoons softened butter with 3 teaspoons of cinnamon.


Spread butter on the top of each biscuit straight from the oven. Serve them warm with some honey to drizzle on top. Enjoy!


Nutritious Pumpkin Biscuits 
Yields: 8-10 biscuits           Bake: 425 degrees for 16-18 minutes

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup white flour
  • 3/4 cup wheat flour
  • 2-1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 Tbl honey
  • 1/4 cup butter, cold
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, cold and solid
Cinnamon butter:
  • 3 Tbl butter, softened
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon 

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Cute little Christmas Tree Brownies


I made these little treats for my son's preschool Christmas party, and he loved them! I was trying to find a treat that was cute and fun for my son to be excited about, but also that I could reasonably produce over 40 of them. These were exciting for the kids and delicious for the adults there. My inspiration for these were my favorite mint brownies. It is basically a fudgey brownie with green mint frosting on top and decorated with a string of melted chocolate, some red sprinkles, and a yellow M&M star on top.

Like I said, I had to make about 4 dozen, so I wanted to keep it simple. Besides, I don't believe there is a from scratch brownie recipe that can beat a good boxed brownie, and believe me, I have been on never ending search to find one. I followed the box directions for mixing up the brownies, but put them in a pan larger than suggested to make them thinner. For example, instead of an 8x8 pan, bake in a 9x13, or instead of a 9x13 bake in a half sheet pan. Because they are thinner, you will need to reduce the baking time. Start the timer for 8 minutes less than the suggested baking time then check your brownies and add time from there if needed. (Probably not more than 3 minutes of additional time.)

While baking or cooling, you need to whip up the mint frosting. This recipe is really an approximate. It is the basis of my frosting, but I have done it enough, that I go off of flavor and consistency more than precise measurements, so taste and observe to make the frosting just how you like it.

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 1-2 tsp peppermint extract 
  • approximately 6 drops of green food coloring
  • 4 TBL milk (more if needed)
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Beat butter until light and fluffy. Add milk, vanilla, peppermint extract, and green food coloring then beat until just incorporated. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat in each addition. Add additional milk if needed. Sample for flavor, and add more peppermint extract if needed, 1/4 tsp at a time.

When the brownies have cooled, spread evenly with the frosting. Melt 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave for 50-60 seconds. Stir and add 1 Tbl of vegetable oil to thin it out. Use a fork to splatter over the frosted brownies in a random, but decorative design. Then add the sprinkles for extra decoration if you'd like.

Let the chocolate set. (Just a couple minutes in the refrigerator will do the trick.) Then cut in a triangle pattern to maximize the number of trees you can produce. Every row will have a half a tree left on each end, but the rest is used perfectly. Carefully remove the triangles, then top with a yellow M&M and let the kiddos enjoy!




Monday, January 23, 2017

Photo Coasters


I made these as a gift for my husband because he has taken a recent interest in photography. It is a great way to use and display some of his beautiful photos. I love these because they can be so personalized. They make a great gift and a beautiful accessory in your home.  They also are functional and inexpensive to make!

I decided to make a set of 6 coasters, but you can start with however many you'd like. First, I selected the photos I wanted to use and ordered them in a 4x6 print. I then went and found these cute hexagon white wall tiles at home depot. These little guys only cost .47 cents a piece! I bought 6 of them, and was ready start my project.

I started by using a scrap piece of paper to make a stencil for cutting all of the pictures to the right size. I traced the tile onto the paper and cut it out. I then used this stencil to cut all 6 pictures to the same size.

I used my spray adhesive to initially adhere the pictures onto the top of the tiles. Once they were centered on there and securely attached, I whipped out the Mod Podge. 

I did two coats of Mod Podge, letting it dry completely between each coat. The second coat was a good thick coat. 
I finished it with a final thin coat of polyurethane to really protect them from moisture. 

I let these dry completely and finished them off with a soft felt bottom to keep the tiles from scratching my table or anything else. 
I bought two 8x11 pieces of this oatmeal colored felt. Each piece can fit 5 tiles worth of felt. I laid the tiles out on the felt and traced the exact shape of the bottom. I cut each one and measured it to the bottom. 

At this point, I used my favorite glue- E6000 to adhere the felt to the bottom of the tiles. (If you have not used this glue, you need to try it. It is my go-to for so many projects.)
Once the felt is attached to the bottom, you can flip the tile right side up and trim any pieces of felt that hang over the edge. Once that is dry, you are done!

Thursday, January 19, 2017

Homemade Ornaments

I know this post is coming late, but December was a busy month to keep up with all of the fun and creative festivities going on.  I have a friend that hosts an ornament exchange party every year. I was skeptical at first because I didn't feel like I had the money to go buy 10 nice ornaments for exchanging just to possibly get back 10 different ornaments that I may not even want. Then I realized that I can make my ornaments to bring so that the cost isn't too much of a concern, and I can design one that is actually meaningful to share without shopping all over town to find one that speaks to me.

In the end I was very happy with the result. The cost was low, they carried a story or sentimental value, and they looked pretty. They were very simple too. I made all 10 of them, plus a few extras, in an afternoon.

The recipe is simple:

  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup  baking soda
  • 3/4 cup water
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously until it starts to thicken and looks like instant mashed potatoes. 



At that point, remove the dough from the pan, cover it with plastic, and let it cool.  While it was cooling, I worked on my design. For the design you can use cookie cutters, cookie stamps, a number of different ideas such as a leaf or lace for imprints. I found a cookie cutter I liked for the shape and used the blunt tip of a mechanical pencil to trace a stencil for the design. 

Once it has cooled (about 20 minutes), knead the dough and form it into a nice smooth ball. 
Then roll it out to about 1/4" thick and cut your shapes.  Then add your design or impression if you would like. You can also just leave them smooth. Painting can be done later. 

You could use a straw to poke holes at the top for threading a string through, but I decided to make hooks to loop my string through. I made my hooks from paper clips.  I could get three hooks from each one. 


 I inserted these into the top of each ornament, carefully making sure the ends were secured into the center of the thickness of dough. 
Lastly the ornaments need to dry out and harden.  You can leave them out on the counter for at least 24 hours to accomplish this, or if you're more impatient like me, you can do this in the oven. Turn your oven on very low- like 170 degrees, and leave them in for about an hour. I repeated mine on both sides just to be sure. 

At this point they are ready to go. Use an ornament hook or ribbon to thread through each hook and hang on the tree. You can also paint them if you'd like. I brushed each of mine with a light gold metallic acrylic paint to give them some extra sparkle.