These bright-white clay decorations can be used to beautifully prepare your home for a Holy Day or Feast. They are quick to make and an excellent activity to do with younger helpers. Try using different materials like glass cups, lace, or foliage and flowers to make an impression in the dough to add different textures. These decorations can also be painted and sealed with mod-podge or a spray protective coating such as Krylon matte finish, and hung on an Ayyam-i-ha tree or put out for Naw Ruz for years to come.
To make the dough, you'll need:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup water
Directions:
-Pour all of the ingredients into a medium-sized saucepan and stir over medium heat until the mixture thickens and eventually looks like mashed potatoes.
-Remove dough from the pan and put it into a bowl covered with a damp towel. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
-Knead the dough to remove any air bubbles and roll out to be about 1/4 inch thick.
-Cut out shapes using cookie cutters or stencils, and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Add holes to the shapes if you are going to use them as hanging decorations. You can do this by punching out a hole with a straw or using a small skewer.
- Bake at 175 degrees F for 45-60 minutes, or until all of the decorations are hardened.
*Tip: if the dough starts to crack while you are rolling it out, wrap it in a damp paper towel and microwave for 15 seconds to restore moisture before rolling again.
When the decorations are hard and cool, they can be painted or left plain to suit your taste and needs. Have fun!
