By Georgia A. Hubley
Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun.
~George Scialabba
I offered to help my neighbor chaperone her daughter's birthday sleepover, because school was out for Christmas vacation, no one would sleep a wink and there'd be shenanigans aplenty. Besides, I enjoyed celebrating the joy, beauty and magic of the Christmas season through the eyes of children.
Perhaps imagination is only intelligence having fun.
~George Scialabba
I offered to help my neighbor chaperone her daughter's birthday sleepover, because school was out for Christmas vacation, no one would sleep a wink and there'd be shenanigans aplenty. Besides, I enjoyed celebrating the joy, beauty and magic of the Christmas season through the eyes of children.
There was pizza for dinner and a chocolate fudge birthday cake for dessert. Afterwards, they watched a popular holiday movie the birthday girl had requested her mother rent for the occasion. As they enjoyed the movie in the den, the four ten-year-old girls whispered, giggled, chattered, danced, sang Christmas carols, and consumed two bags of microwave popcorn.
"I'm so glad they're having a good time," whispered my neighbor as we sat at the kitchen table sharing a piece of the left over birthday cake.
However, their contentment was short-lived. After the movie they joined us in the kitchen. "There's nothing to do," whined the four girls in unison. Before we could reply, they huddled together and shouted, "Let's bake Christmas cookies!" My neighbor's cheeks flushed red... there was no cookie baking on the birthday agenda.
Quickly, I suggested, "Instead of cookie dough, let's make clay dough. It's for crafting, not eating. I'll show you how to make ornaments, jewelry and other gifts for yourselves, family and friends." The girls screamed with glee and sat down at the kitchen table.
Only three ingredients are needed to prepare clay dough: cornstarch, baking soda and cold water: Since I had everything on hand for the project, I ran next door to gather what was needed.
As the girls watched, I cooked the dough on the stove until the mixture resembled dry mashed potatoes. Then I placed the dough on a plate, covered it with a damp cloth and let the dough cool enough to handle.
When the dough was ready, I taught the girls how to knead it until smooth on cutting boards sprinkled in cornstarch and how to roll out the dough with a cornstarch-dusted rolling pin to a 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness.
Then the fun began. We cut out ornaments with cornstarch-dusted cookie cutters into the shapes of bells, trees, angels, wreaths, reindeers and Santas. We also formed by free-hand, initials of their first names and initials for those they planned to give as gifts. Next, we poked small holes with a toothpick at the top of each ornament and initial pendant and placed them on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
When finished, I placed the cookie sheets into a 350-degree preheated oven for one minute, and then turned off the oven to allow their handiwork to dry until the oven was cold.
In unison, the girls asked, "Can we stay up until they're dry?"
"No, it's way past bedtime," my neighbor said. Groans followed, but the girls merrily headed off to bed when we assured them their jewelry would be ready to decorate the next morning.
After an early breakfast, the girls began to put the finishing touches on their creations. They brushed their ornaments with thick white craft glue and sprinkled with red, gold and silver glitter. The initial pendants were painted with felt-tip markers and decorated by gluing on pieces of felt, sequins and tiny beads. Once they were completely dry, assorted ribbons or leather shoestrings were inserted through each hole.
By early evening, the pendants were dry. Each girl went home proudly wearing a pendant around her neck, and with a gift bag on her arm full of clay dough gifts wrapped in red and green tissue. The birthday party was a huge success.
There were many clay dough projects the following year and creativity ensued. Pendants and necklaces were also created for St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July and numerous other occasions. My Christmas clay dough recipe became known as the, "Dough for all Seasons."
"I'm so glad they're having a good time," whispered my neighbor as we sat at the kitchen table sharing a piece of the left over birthday cake.
However, their contentment was short-lived. After the movie they joined us in the kitchen. "There's nothing to do," whined the four girls in unison. Before we could reply, they huddled together and shouted, "Let's bake Christmas cookies!" My neighbor's cheeks flushed red... there was no cookie baking on the birthday agenda.
Quickly, I suggested, "Instead of cookie dough, let's make clay dough. It's for crafting, not eating. I'll show you how to make ornaments, jewelry and other gifts for yourselves, family and friends." The girls screamed with glee and sat down at the kitchen table.
Only three ingredients are needed to prepare clay dough: cornstarch, baking soda and cold water: Since I had everything on hand for the project, I ran next door to gather what was needed.
As the girls watched, I cooked the dough on the stove until the mixture resembled dry mashed potatoes. Then I placed the dough on a plate, covered it with a damp cloth and let the dough cool enough to handle.
When the dough was ready, I taught the girls how to knead it until smooth on cutting boards sprinkled in cornstarch and how to roll out the dough with a cornstarch-dusted rolling pin to a 1/4- to 1/2-inch thickness.
Then the fun began. We cut out ornaments with cornstarch-dusted cookie cutters into the shapes of bells, trees, angels, wreaths, reindeers and Santas. We also formed by free-hand, initials of their first names and initials for those they planned to give as gifts. Next, we poked small holes with a toothpick at the top of each ornament and initial pendant and placed them on parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.
When finished, I placed the cookie sheets into a 350-degree preheated oven for one minute, and then turned off the oven to allow their handiwork to dry until the oven was cold.
In unison, the girls asked, "Can we stay up until they're dry?"
"No, it's way past bedtime," my neighbor said. Groans followed, but the girls merrily headed off to bed when we assured them their jewelry would be ready to decorate the next morning.
After an early breakfast, the girls began to put the finishing touches on their creations. They brushed their ornaments with thick white craft glue and sprinkled with red, gold and silver glitter. The initial pendants were painted with felt-tip markers and decorated by gluing on pieces of felt, sequins and tiny beads. Once they were completely dry, assorted ribbons or leather shoestrings were inserted through each hole.
By early evening, the pendants were dry. Each girl went home proudly wearing a pendant around her neck, and with a gift bag on her arm full of clay dough gifts wrapped in red and green tissue. The birthday party was a huge success.
There were many clay dough projects the following year and creativity ensued. Pendants and necklaces were also created for St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, the Fourth of July and numerous other occasions. My Christmas clay dough recipe became known as the, "Dough for all Seasons."
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