So pretty I could EAT them!!

We make a new ornament or two each Christmas for our tree.....including our annual Christmas photo on the tree.  There is just something about a Christmas tree full of handmade ornaments that sets the Christmas spirit!  We cherish each and everyone that our children craft!

This year we have made apple cinnamon ornaments that smell so divine!  We made these when the girls were little before Thumper was born.  This is an ornament he has been wanting to make for a couple years now.  Our original cinnamon ornaments that we made in 2004 still smell of cinnamon!

You will need:

• Cinnamon
• Elmer's glue
• Unsweetened applesauce (store brand is fine)
• Drinking straw/tooth picks
• Christmas cookie cutters (we used heart, gingerbread man, & snowmen cutters in 2004)
• rolling pin
• wax paper
• cookie sheets
• paint (we use fabric paint b/c it stays so vibrant once it dries)

First, in a big mixing bowl, mix 1 cup cinnamon, 1/4 cup Elmer's glue, 1 cup applesauce together with a rubber spatula.  It will be a bit wet, so add more cinnamon until it comes to the consistency of cookie dough.  If it becomes too dry it will flake apart when you try to roll it, so add a little bit of applesauce until you reach the right consistency.  I've never found the exact receipe for this....I just play with it until it's easy to pick up and doesn't stick to me.
Before rolling it out, add some cinnamon to your surface or roll the dough out between layers of wax paper. Then choose your cutters and place each shape on a wax paper covered cookie pan to dry.

**Make sure to put your hole in the top of the cut out for your string.....I use a straw for the big cut outs and for the small ones, I use a toothpick and just go around until I get a big enough hole I need.  You will want it big enough because as it's drying, it will shrink.**

Try to leave your cut outs in a warm, sunny area if you have one.  They will dry faster!  This takes usually 3-4 days, turning the cut outs a couple times a day. (Morning & Evening)  The kids are in charge of this job....but be careful to not break the wet cut outs while turning them.

You could opt to stick the cookie sheets in the oven on 200 degrees for 2 hours or so......this can speed drying but I usually like for them to dry on their own.

When they are completely dry, decorate with paint.....The kids decorate the fronts of the cut outs and once they dry we use paint to write their name & year on the back.  I like to use fabric paint because the colors are so bright when they dry....they dry pretty quickly, too.  They come in little squeeze bottles and are easier to handle with little hands.

Add some hemp string for the hanger or small ribbon and garnish your tree with them.  We make plenty for gifts as well.

For a surprise to Dad, I traced around each child's hand & used my straw to make the hole.  They will shrink a bit and get a bit smaller than their hand, but they look so beautiful.  They each put their name & date on them for Dad......this makes a wonderful smelling Christmas gift!

Happy ornament making!!