a winter solstice craft | handmade (no-bake) clay ornaments
growing up i don’t remember much talk of, or celebration for, the winter solstice.
learning about the ways in which we can honour this seasonal shift, alongside my children, is both humbling and fulfilling. taking small steps together on a path that will connect us deeper to nature and lead us to a more slow and considered way of being.
this year we crafted handmade clay ornaments to reflect on the solstice and the return of the sun.
here are the steps we followed:
one |
prepare the dough.
combine 2 cups of baking soda, 1 cup of cornstarch, and 1 1/2 cups of warm water water in a saucepan.
mix together on medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens to a paste-like texture.
remove from heat and set aside to cool.
two |
gather.
this step will forever be a favourite for both myself and the girls. getting outdoors together, carefully and intentionally choosing elements of nature to bring home.
for this craft, we were inspired by my dear friend Leslie who incorporated wildflowers into her clay ornaments. we collected mostly dried flowers from the roads we walk so often as a family, but as always, leafs, stones, and branches made their way into our baskets as well.
three |
knead and roll the dough.
once your dough is cooled and you have gathered your nature elements to incorporate, it is time to knead and roll the dough. i found myself in charge of this step, as the girls were very into exploring and sorting what they had gathered outdoors.
dusting the table first with a little cornstarch, i begin to knead the dough. adding small amounts of cornstarch if it is too sticky, until i end up with a dough that is easy to mold. i then use a smooth rolling pin to spread out the dough to about a 1/4 inch thin.
four |
cut out shapes + add foraged finds.
the girls chose circles as their shapes, their own little nod to the sun and the solstice.
we used mason jar tops to cut out our shapes, but any cookie cutter or object you can find at home will do.
we then chose and gently pressed some of our winter floral finds into the circular ornaments.
lastly, we poked holes in the top with toothpicks, to later string with ribbon or twine.
five |
air dry.
place on a flat surface to dry. these take about two to three days to dry completely, so it is a nice little lesson in patience for both myself and the girls.
once dry, lace with ribbon or twine and use as you desire.
this year we are using ours as tags for our homemade granola, but as i type this i can’t help but think of how sweet they would be on a bare brach used a winter solstice tree, as well.
happy making—
