Friday, November 19, 2010

Inspiration Friday.....Cinnamon Bird Ornaments

I'm sure you all have a cinnamon recipe or two for making ornaments but these little birds just captured my heart. Lydia and I are planning on making a little bird tree this year and these will be perfect. I may decorate them a little more primitive but aren't they beautiful????





  •  2 medium bowls




  • 1 cup ground cinnamon




  • 1/4 cup applesauce




  • Craft glue




  • Rolling pin




  • Bird templates




  • Utility knife, or bird-shaped cookie cutters




  • One straw




  • Wire rack




  • Paper towels




  • Baking sheet




  • Glitter and beads




  • Bottle with applicator tip




  • Length of thin ribbon for each ornament




  • Tissue paper, for storing




  • In a medium bowl, mix together 1 cup ground cinnamon and 1/4 cup applesauce using a rubber spatula.
    Stir in 1/2 cup craft glue. Stir the dough until consistency is smooth and dry. Let stand 1 hour. Applesauce gives the dough pliability, glue makes it firm, and cinnamon imparts a lovely fragrance and a gingerbread color.

    Turn out one-quarter of dough onto a cool, flat surface; flatten with your hands.
    Flatten with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thick (I like to roll between 2 sheets of wax paper ~ easy plus clean-up is easier).  If dough becomes too dry, spritz with water. If it sticks to rolling pin or work surface, sprinkle with additional cinnamon.

    Photocopy bird templates onto card stock (these are enlarged roughly 150 percent); cut them out, punching holes where indicated. Lay a template over dough; cut out shape with a utility knife (or use bird-shaped cookie cutters). Repeat with each of three remaining quarters of dough.

    With a straw, poke a hole in dough as indicated on template (for hanging). Air-dry ornaments on a wire rack lined with paper towels for 24 hours, turning them over every 6 hours or so to keep them flat. Alternatively, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Transfer ornaments to a baking sheet; bake, flipping once, until dry, about 2 hours.

    Once the dough has dried completely, adorn the birds with markings inspired by nature or your imagination. As you decorate, proceed from the finest embellishment to the coarsest, adding glitter, then beads in order of size. 

    Using a bottle with an applicator tip, spread craft glue over the area you wish to decorate.  While glue is still wet, sprinkle with glitter or beads, holding ornament over a bowl as you work; tap off excess.
     
    Wait for the first area to dry completely (at least 30 minutes) before repeating steps 7 and 8 on another section. Thread a length of ribbon through ornament's hole, trim the ends to prevent fraying, and knot.

    Once you take the ornaments off the tree, store them, wrapped individually in tissue paper, in a cool, dry place.

    You can also find these instruction with step-by-step pictures from Martha Stewart Living here 

    Have a happy weekend!
    Hugs ~ Jenn

    9 comments:

    1. awesome.. bet she will just love making them! hugs to both!

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    2. these are soo cute, bet you and your daughter will have so much fun! enjoy! hugs to you~

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    3. Thanks Patti! I'm looking forward to it. I'll try and post a picture when finished.

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    4. Good afternoon Jenn~ I am so very pleased to visit with you again...I missed your posts very much.

      What a delightful way to spend the day...I can just imagine the aroma of fresh pantry spices...Yummmm. I am certain that your sweet cinnamon birdies with be the very best! I look forward to seeing a photograph(s) of the bird tree...Oh I DO fancy birds so!

      Wishing you and yours the blessings and joys of Thanksgiving. May you delight in the love of family and friends!

      Fondly...J

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    5. the birds sound like alot of fun to make and how special to be able to share making them with your daughter!

      Janet

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    6. Hi Jenn,

      These little birds are really cute and I love this idea. Thanks for sharing, they look so lovely on the tree.

      Happy weekend
      Hugs
      Carolyn

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    7. LOVE your bird ornaments!!!!!! I've made cinnamon ornaments many times over the years. They are so much fun! I still have the ones my daughters and I made when they were little girls. Special memories for sure.

      Tammy

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    8. I love making the cinnamon ornaments..they make the house smell amazing...I've never done birds though..what a wonderful idea.

      Hugs to you my friend,
      Doreen

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    9. Wishing you the Warmest 'Thanksgiving' with your Family Jenn...

      Blessings
      ~Marilyn

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    Your comments are ALWAYS welcome. Thank you!!