How to Make a Cinnamon Bird Ornament
Adorn your Christmas tree with these cute cinnamon bird ornaments.
Although, they smell like cinnamon cookies, they are not edible! I found instructions for these whimsical birds on the Martha Stewart website.
You will need: Cinnamon, Applesauce, Craft Glue, Glitter or Beads, Ribbon Step 1, Mix Dough: In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 cup cinnamon and ¼ cup applesauce with a rubber spatula.
Step 2, Make Dough: Stir in ½ cup of craft glue.
Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and dry.
Let stand for 1 hour.
(The applesauce makes the dough pliable, the glue makes the dough firm, and the cinnamon gives a wonderful fragrance and a gingerbread color.
Step 3, Prepare Dough: Flatten 1/3 of the dough on a cool, flat surface with you hands.
Step 4, Cut Out Shapes: Roll the dough to ¼ inch thick with a rolling pin.
If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water.
If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or flat surface, sprinkle with more cinnamon.
Step 5, Cut out the birds: Lay a template on the dough and cut out shapes using a utility knife (or use bird-shaped cookie cutters).
Step 6, Dry Birds: Use a straw to make a hole for hanging in the area indicated on the template.
Put birds on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels, and allow to dry for 24 hours.
Or, you can bake (without the paper towel) at 200 degrees, in the oven.
Turn each bird over after 1 hour.
Step 7, Apply Glue: Use a bottle with an applicator tip to spread glue over areas to be decorated.
NOTE: I use a toothpick to spread glue to give a more feathered look around some areas, like the belly or wings.
Just my own technique.
) Step 8, Decorate Birds: Sprinkle glitter or beads on the wet glue.
Tap off excess into a bowl, or a paper sheet for easier cleanup.
Step 9, Decorating: Apply glue and glitter or beads to one area at a time, i.
e.
, wings.
Let the area you just decorated dry before decorating another area (about 30 minutes).
Thread ribbon through the hole and tie a knot.
Cut the ends to prevent fraying.
Storage:Wrap each bird in tissue paper, and keep in a cool place.
I store mine in decorative metal cans.
The cans can be displayed and the birds are safely preserved.
Cinnamon Fragrance:You can refresh the cinnamon fragrance by applying cinnamon oil to the back of the bird.
Although, they smell like cinnamon cookies, they are not edible! I found instructions for these whimsical birds on the Martha Stewart website.
You will need: Cinnamon, Applesauce, Craft Glue, Glitter or Beads, Ribbon Step 1, Mix Dough: In a medium sized bowl, mix 1 cup cinnamon and ¼ cup applesauce with a rubber spatula.
Step 2, Make Dough: Stir in ½ cup of craft glue.
Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and dry.
Let stand for 1 hour.
(The applesauce makes the dough pliable, the glue makes the dough firm, and the cinnamon gives a wonderful fragrance and a gingerbread color.
Step 3, Prepare Dough: Flatten 1/3 of the dough on a cool, flat surface with you hands.
Step 4, Cut Out Shapes: Roll the dough to ¼ inch thick with a rolling pin.
If the dough is too dry, add a few drops of water.
If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or flat surface, sprinkle with more cinnamon.
Step 5, Cut out the birds: Lay a template on the dough and cut out shapes using a utility knife (or use bird-shaped cookie cutters).
Step 6, Dry Birds: Use a straw to make a hole for hanging in the area indicated on the template.
Put birds on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels, and allow to dry for 24 hours.
Or, you can bake (without the paper towel) at 200 degrees, in the oven.
Turn each bird over after 1 hour.
Step 7, Apply Glue: Use a bottle with an applicator tip to spread glue over areas to be decorated.
NOTE: I use a toothpick to spread glue to give a more feathered look around some areas, like the belly or wings.
Just my own technique.
) Step 8, Decorate Birds: Sprinkle glitter or beads on the wet glue.
Tap off excess into a bowl, or a paper sheet for easier cleanup.
Step 9, Decorating: Apply glue and glitter or beads to one area at a time, i.
e.
, wings.
Let the area you just decorated dry before decorating another area (about 30 minutes).
Thread ribbon through the hole and tie a knot.
Cut the ends to prevent fraying.
Storage:Wrap each bird in tissue paper, and keep in a cool place.
I store mine in decorative metal cans.
The cans can be displayed and the birds are safely preserved.
Cinnamon Fragrance:You can refresh the cinnamon fragrance by applying cinnamon oil to the back of the bird.
