Pretzel Snowmen

White chocolate chips or almond bark
10 pretzel rods
10 apricot rings
10 small, round candies
Fruit leather
50 mini chocolate chips
Frosting

Melt chocolate chips or almond bark and dip pretzel. Immediately push in 2 mini chocolate chips for eyes and 3 for buttons. Dab a little orange frosting for a nose and let cool in freezer 2 minutes. Place apricot ring over top of pretzel for hat and secure round candy for top of hat with frosting. Cut fruit leather and tie around pretzel for scarf. Enjoy!

Cornstarch Clay Decorations

We have been snowed-in here in Iowa, so any craft idea is fine with me! Josiah and I had a great time making some Christmas decorations for our own tree and also made a few to give away as gifts.

Cornstarch Clay Decorations
2/3 cup salt
1/3 cup baking soda
½ cup cornstarch
1/3 cup & ¼ cup water

1. In a small saucepan, mix the salt and baking soda with 1/3 cup water and bring to a boil.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and ¼ cup of water and stir well.
3. When the salt mixture boils, remove it from the heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Stir vigorously for a minute or two to thicken the clay. Spoon it onto a sheet of waxed paper and allow it to cool before working with it.
4. You can make ornaments or Christmas tree decorations. We like to roll it out and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Remember to pierce the top with a straw to hang it on the tree with some string. Decorate with glitter and allow to harden. This takes 3-4 days.

Homemade Play Doh

This play doh is really fun to make AND you don't need to worry if your child tries to eat a little of it;-) Thanks to Jess for sharing the recipe with me.

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2T cream of tartar
1 T oil
1 cup water

Put dry ingredients in a bowl. Bring water to a boil remove from heat. Add oil and pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients. Stir. When cool enough to handle, knead on a lightly floured surface.

For color and scent:
use a pkg. or two of unsweetened kool-aid