These salt dough Christmas mice ornaments really brings back memories. I designed this pattern over 30 years ago. They were fun decorations for our tree, inexpensive gifts to give and gave my children and I quality time together.
Starting in October I started making salt dough and began producing salt dough Christmas mice ornaments. While I was busy making the ones to sell I’d let my children make some for our tree. They really became excellent ornament makers.
I took the mice and other salt dough ornaments to work with me and sold them to co-workers. I remember one year I made enough money that I was able to provide a simple Christmas for the kids and had enough money left to buy my kindergarten daughter a new coat, hat, mittens and boots for her new school experience.
There are a lot of memories wrapped up in these salt dough Christmas mice ornaments and I’m glad to get to share them with you so you can start creating your own memories.
The children and I gathered in the kitchen and made cookies, fudge, and cheese balls. We placed a collection of goodies on plates, wrapped the plates in plastic and added an ornament to the top and then the kids and I loaded them in the wagon and delivered them to neighbors.
Get Ready To Make Salt Dough Ornaments!
1. *Salt Dough Recipe
Here is an age old salt dough recipe that has never failed me. I adapted it to meet my needs.
1 cup salt
1 cup of flour
1 cup of water (may add more)
In a large bowl add the flour *Note: if you use self rising flour your ornaments may become distorted in the oven. I find it best to use non rising flour. I’ve used white or wheat for different variations.
Add 1 cup salt in the water and heat it for 2 minutes so it dissolves and add the water in the flour. * Fine or course salt is fine to use. Add the water a little at a time while stirring. Mine always takes the full cup.
Knead until smooth and shape into a ball *The better you knead the dough the happier you will be with the completed dough.
Wrap the unused dough in plastic or in an air tight container. I keep mine in the refrigerator
Other variations of salt dough:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1 to 1 3/4 cup of water.
Bake for 30 minutes in an oven at 350 degrees.
2. Supplies
*Salt Dough Recipe
Bowl and spoon(wooden spoon is always best)
Pan to cook them on in the oven
Oven
Paper clips
Acrylic paint
Paint brushes
Tooth picks
Water in a cup to rinse brushes.
Acrylic spray to preserve them
Instead of acrylic over spray you can also melt parrafin and dip the ornaments in the melted wax and then hang to dry. It preserves them just as well and I have ornaments made in 1985 that have still resisted humidity and hang on Christmas trees to this day.
3. Instructions for Salt Dough Christmas Mice
Body: A ball about one inch
Head: Ball about the size of a quarter
Flatten balls to begin the mouse. Flatten the top of the body slightly more so the head of the mouse can be affixed to it. Slightly wet the top of the body and the back of the head so they adhere together. Take a tooth pick and go around the edges where they touch and make the connection seamless.
Ears:
Shape balls according the size of the head and make proportional to taste. Repeat the same process of adhering the ears on to the head as you did with the body.
Take the end of the paint brush or toothpick and go around the inside of the ears to give it more depth.
Paws:
Fashion four small balls or squares for the hands and feet and attach them to the mouse with the water/sealing process as described above.
Take a paper clip and twist it in half. Stick one of the halves in the top of the head for the hanger.
Decorations:
Get creative and have your mice hold stockings, candy canes, wearing hats or a piece of cheese.
