Craft Recipes

Below are a few recipes commonly used by crafters'.  Try out these recipes for a variety of projects..how about some cinnamon-dough Christmas ornaments, or some homemade clay for your next sculpting project.  Make some food gifts in canning jars to sell at your next craft show.  Enjoy!

Cinnamon Dough for Ornaments

Spicy scented dough to make ornaments etc.

* 1 cup (250 ml) cinnamon
* 1 Tbsp (15 ml) cloves
* 1 Tbsp (15 ml) nutmeg
* 3/4 c (375 ml) applesauce, drained
* 2 Tbsp (30 ml) white all purpose glue

1. Combine cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add applesauce and glue.
2. Mix well with hands until mixture is smooth and well combined.
3. Roll one quarter of the dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper til about 1/4 inch thick.
4. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters, etc. Use toothpick or similar object to make holes for hanging. Wiggle the toothpick around a little to make the hole larger.
5. Dry on wire rack for several days, turning daily so they don't curl up as they dry. You could also dry them in a 250 degree F oven (125 degrees C) til hard and dry.
6.  String ornaments with some linen thread for hanging.

Bread Dough

Ingredients:
* 2 slices white bread
* 4 tablespoons white glue
* Tempera paint (optional)

Instructions
* Remove crusts
* Tear bread into small pieces
* Place in bowl and add glue
* Mix until a ball forms
* Knead until smooth
* Add paint (optional)

This play dough recipe is easy to work with and can be kept for weeks in the refrigerator. Use it to make jewelry and other sculpted items. Bread dough can be given a high gloss by brushing it with equal amounts of water and glue. Let dry between each coating.

Basic Salt Dough Recipe

Ingredients:
* 1 cup of fine salt
* 1 cup of flour
* 1/2 cup of water (may add more)

Instructions:
* In a large bowl, combine the salt and the flour
* Make a well in the salt/flour mixture and add the water
* Knead until smooth and shape into a ball
* When not in use, wrap in plastic or store in an airtight container

HINT: To get a softer dough you can add more flour. Adding more salt will lend a more granulous affect. Use wallpaper glue and the dough with be more cohesive. To add color to your dough, use different types of flour or add food coloring or paint. Knead to get an even color. You may also paint your ornaments and sculptures after they dry.

Homemade Paper Mache

Ingredients:
newspaper shreds
wallpaper paste
hot water

Directions:
Combine newspaper shreds and hot water in a bowl and let them soak thoroughly. Next, squeeze excess water out of the newspaper and mix it with the wallpaper paste. Add enough to thicken the paper mache to the consistency of modeling clay. Knead until smooth.

Reminder: Paper mache shrinks as it dries. •

HOMEMADE Lint Papier Mache:

Ingredients:
3 cups lint from your dryer
2 cups water
2/3 cup wheat flour
3 drops oil of wintergreen
newspaper

Directions:
Put lint and water in a large saucepan. Get all of the lint wet. Add flour
and stir constantly so lumps won't form. Add oil of wintergreen. Cook
over low heat, stirring constantly,until mixture holds together and
forms peaks. Pour out onto several thicknesses of newspaper to
cool.

Pulp Recipe for Paper Mache'

Materials Needed:

* Newspaper
* Water
* Salt
* Glue

Instructions:
A pulp mixture is great for making smooth, fine details in your paper mache creations, or for creating small objects. It would, however, take a lot of it to complete a larger project.

Tear the newspaper into tiny pieces and put them in a large bowl. Add just enough warm to hot water to completely cover the newspaper. Let soak overnight.

Once your newspaper has soaked for several hours, get your hands into it! Play with it, mix it, and squeeze it through your fingers until it looks like oatmeal! Try to get as many lumps out as possible. If necessary, add a bit more water and let it soak a little more.

Once you have it as smooth as possible, add a few tablespoons of salt to help retard mold. Mix it again with your hands. Once mixed thoroughly, squeeze out any excess water and add a few tablespoons of glue. Now you are ready to use your paper mache pulp!

If you don't want to wait overnight, you can add your newspaper to boiling water and let it boil until the newspaper falls apart. You have to watch this carefully and possibly add extra water if necessary. You can also try letting your newspaper and hot water mixture sit for a few hours and then put it in a blender or food processor. Don't forget to add the glue and salt once your mixture is smooth!

Store your pulp in an air tight baggie or bowl in the refrigerator for a very long time!

Paper Mache Paste

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup non-self-rising wheat flour
* 1/4 cup powdered resin glue
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 1 1/2 cups hot water
* 4 drops oil of cinnamon

Mix flour and resin glue in a saucepan. Make a paste by adding 1/2 cup warm water. Add hot water, stirring vigorously to prevent lumps. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick, clear, and smooth. Add oil of cinnamon.

Makes about 1 pint.

How to use it: For best results, use this paste within a few days of preparation. The paste gives a very hard finish to paper-mache projects as furniture, candlesticks, and bowls. Store paste in a covered glass jar.

Food Gifts Craft Recipes ~ This website has a bunch of recipes for food gifts to make & sell in canning jars..they are great for bazaars, craft shows, or to give away as Christmas gifts, etc.

Canning Jars ~ Get your wide mouthed canning jars for your food gifts here.