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Cinnamon Bird Ornaments

BrandyT by BrandyT

Make your own ornaments

Although these whimsical birds look and smell like gingerbread cookies, their sparkling plumage hints at their true nature as sweet works of art. This sturdy flock -- including a cardinal and chickadee, among other birds -- will migrate each Christmas to decorate the tree. The birds are not meant to be eaten, though, however enticing they may be.

As we follow the steps from Martha Stewart we will be making our own Cinnamon Bird Ornaments.

Tools and Materials

* 2 medium bowls
* 1 cup ground cinnamon
* 1/4 cup applesauce
* Craft glue
* Rolling pin
* Bird templates
* Utility knife, or bird-shaped cookie cutters
* One straw
* Wire rack
* Paper towels
* Baking sheet
* Glitter and beads
* Bottle with applicator tip
* Length of thin ribbon for each ornament
* Tissue paper, for storing

Step 1

Prepare the Dough

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup applesauce using a rubber spatula.

Step 2

Prepare the Dough

Stir in 1/2 cup craft glue. Stir the dough until consistency is smooth and dry. Let stand 1 hour. Applesauce gives the dough pliability, glue makes it firm, and cinnamon imparts a lovely fragrance and a gingerbread color.

Step 3

Prepare the Dough

Turn out one-quarter of dough onto a cool, flat surface; flatten with your hands.

Step 4

Prepare the Dough

Flatten with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick. If dough becomes too dry, spritz with water. If it sticks to rolling pin or work surface, sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

Step 5

Cut Out Shapes

Photocopy bird templates onto card stock (these are enlarged roughly 150 percent); cut them out, punching holes where indicated. Lay a template over dough; cut out shape with a utility knife (or use bird-shaped cookie cutters). Repeat with each of three remaining quarters of dough

Step 6

Dry Ornament

With a straw, poke a hole in dough as indicated on template (for hanging). Air-dry ornaments on a wire rack lined with paper towels for 24 hours, turning them over every 6 hours or so to keep them flat. Alternatively, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer ornaments to a baking sheet; bake, flipping once, until dry, about 2 hours. Once the dough has dried completely, adorn the birds with markings inspired by nature or your imagination. As you decorate, proceed from the finest embellishment to the coarsest, adding glitter, then beads in order of size.

Step 7

Decorate Ornaments

Using a bottle with an applicator tip, spread craft glue over the area you wish to decorate.

Step 8

Decorate Ornaments

While glue is still wet, sprinkle with glitter or beads, holding ornament over a bowl as you work; tap off excess.

Step 9

Decorate Ornaments

Wait for the first area to dry completely (at least 30 minutes) before repeating steps 7 and 8 on another section. Thread a length of ribbon through ornament's hole, trim the ends to prevent fraying, and knot. Once you take the ornaments off the tree, store them, wrapped individually in tissue paper, in a cool, dry place.

Other Christmas Crafts

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What Christmas ornaments do you like to make?

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  • OhMe Dec 17, 2011 @ 4:54 pm | delete
    My grandson and I just made some Cinnamon ornaments but we just used cookie cutters. I love the birds
  • Kimbesa Nov 24, 2011 @ 4:40 pm | delete
    Any holiday shape...probably bells are my favorites, or perhaps stars!
  • a_willow Dec 22, 2009 @ 5:37 am | delete
    Another great tutorial! You really have many great ideas to share! :)
  • louiswery Nov 25, 2009 @ 6:25 pm | delete
    Popcorn garlands! Congratulations on this lens with clear instructions to follow. I think that my wife may just try your recipe for tree ornaments.
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