There is something so magical about the smell of cinnamon and cloves wafting through the house while the Nutcracker suite plays. This year, my craft table is overflowing with everything from spicy salt dough to piles of glittery Popsicle sticks. If you’ve been following along, you know I love a DIY tradition. Over the years, my salt dough collection has grown into a little timeline of my life:
The Family Set: Gingerbread versions of my family members. These were the first ornaments I ever made and the ones who sparked my passion for crafting!
The Nativity: A rustic set that stays on a special little tree of its own.
This Year’s Theme: I went back to my childhood love of The Wizard of Oz! My Christmas tree has officially took a trip somewhere over the rainbow!
This recipe is foolproof and makes your entire home smell like a spice shop!
Quick Instructions: Mix all the ingredients, knead until smooth, and roll on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Use your cookie cutters, poke a hole with a small straw for the ribbon, and bake at 235°F for an hour (or air dry overnight). Once cool, paint them and seal them with a clear spray or mod podge!
While the salt dough was in the oven, you can break out the hot glue gun and a mountain of Popsicle sticks. These crafts are so nostalgic and surprisingly sturdy! Here’s what I made last year that you might want to try!
Nutcrackers: I used different lengths of sticks to create his tall hat and used acrylic paint for his uniform and rosy cheeks.
Christmas Cottages: These are my favorite! I glued sticks together to make tiny cabins, then added decorations out of sequins, glitter, ribbons, beads.... you can go wild with the possibilities!
Snowmen & Stars: Simple, classic, and perfect for adding a ton of sparkle. I went heavy on the sequins and glitter to make them catch the Christmas lights!
Between the scented dough and the glittery cottages, my house feels so festive. There’s just something about a handmade ornament that a store-bought one can't beat. Are you a "classic" decorator, or do you pick a fun theme like I did with Oz? I’d love to hear about your favorite DIY traditions in the comments! Merry Blogmas, Reader!
