Gingerbread Ornaments

Well its only day 2 of December but Christmas is in FULL swing at my house! It is especially festive because this year Iron Girl is 4 and she is at the age where her wonder and imagination is doing double time, and she can understand all the festivities going on around her. This also means that she is old enough to really help me make Christmas decorations and crafts. Every night we are trying to do something different, not necessarily a craft, but something special, like watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas Movie (Original I cannot stand the one with Jim Carey) and making Grinch cookies, or one night having our Jeep Express and looking at lights, but I will post on these later! Now onto our craft for the night! I remember making these as a child, and how much fun I had doing it, and the smell! Oh my goodness that wonderful smell!

Supplies 

1. 4-pack of applesauce (4oz cups) ~ this can be bought at the dollar store, remember it doesn't need to be high quality and taste good you won't be eating it ;)
2. Two 3oz bottles of ground cinnamon ~ also a dollar store item
3. Fine glitter (optional)
4. Cookie Cutters ~ Dollar store ;) 
5. Ribbon, yarn, or string
6. Wax paper
7. Rolling Pin

Step 1.Get a mixing bowl and add all the cups of applesauce together, making sure to scrape the sides and then keep the cups we will use them for another project =D Add in your cinnamon too and suck in the smell!

Step 2. Now let the mess fun begin! I added my dough under my mixer 1st and use a dough hook to get it mixed, then I added my glitter, this is completely optional I am a bling girl and love all that sparkles! If you do add glitter you can add as much or as little as you want, I just eyeballed mine in the applesauce cup. I recommend using fine glitter.

Step 3. Take it out (yes with your hands) and mix it on a cool surface. Work it until it becomes firm, it should still be gooey but not runny. After it is good and worked lay down your wax paper and then don't wash your hands (they will smell wonderful!), and add another piece of wax paper on top trust me, don't be lazy just do it! 

Step 4. Roll out your dough, I like mine thick, about an inch, I think it is easier to work with and it looks nice and full after baking. Then let your little superhero's go nuts with cookie cutters!

 

Step 5. After you cut out your shapes, take a straw and cut a hole in the top, take it and twist it then lift, the dough should come out in the straw then pop it on the paper to reuse. Now lay your ornaments on wax paper on a cookie sheet or pan, add until the pan is full then pop in the oven and bake at 200 degrees for 3 hours. If you have left over dough and I know you will, re-cover with wax paper, roll, cut, bake! Repeat until you run out. 

Step 6. Let your ornaments cool and then you can add more glue and sprinkle glitter, paint with puffy paint, glitter glue or even take a tooth pick and "etch" writing or designs. I did this with one and wrote our name in it then painted in the letters after it cooled! Add your choice of string and then hang on your tree! 

Merry Smelling Christmas ;)