Welcome

It' s the 1st November and everyone by now is starting to think about Christmas. We at Serendipity welcome all your orders but do realise that it is an expensive time of the year so we will be posting some great ideas for items that you can make yourselves that involve the younger members of the family. Salt dough Santa hands have always been a favourite in our family although our grandchildren's hands are too big to hang from the tree now, they still have great fun in making them.

You will need :

8oz Plain Flour

4oz Salt

4 fl oz Water

Combine the flour and salt together. Slowly add the water and mix with a fork until you have a ball of dough that is firm but soft enough to knead. The children love doing the mixing and the 'Oooh Nan, it's squishing through my fingers' is a joy to hear.

Knead the dough until small and make into a ball and flatten. Get your child to push her hand into the dough and use a sharp knife to cut out around the edge of each hand print, leaving a thin edge around the whole hand. Don’t forget to punch a small hole near the heel of each dough hand print so that you can add a ribbon for hanging later. Remember that the hand is going to hang on the tree with its fingers down, since the fingers form Santa’s beard.

Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven, mark 200 degrees for approx 2 hours, turning them over halfway through the cooking time.

Paint the entire Santa white, both front and back (you don't have to paint the back but I think it gives it a nice finished look)

After the white dries, paint the flesh tone Santa face. Make sure you leave white around the face for the trim on Santas face and the beard.

Next paint the red hat. Paint in small white eyes, Santa's moustache, and Santa's red nose.After Santas white eyes are dry, paint the outline for his eyes either with black acrylic paint and a fine brush or a black Sharpie (you can also do Santas eyes in "googly" eyes purchased from a craft store - and glue them on if you prefer)

Let the whole thing dry.if you want a more permanent sealant, spray acrylic fixative on the front and back of the ornament (you can get this at the craft store also) This is not a necessary step but is recommended

Add your ribbon to hang your child's Santa hand-print.You're done! Now hang your sweet little ornament on the tree and enjoy it for years to come!