Scents of the season

Strapped for cash? Want a homemade present? Don't have a lot of time to invest on a handmade craft? Love the smell of the season? Then this is the craft for you! I used to make these when I was little with my grandma. She's the one I told you about who always had some fun, crafty, creative idea. You too can make your own scented holiday decorations in just a couple of easy steps!

Here is what you will need:
1 1/2 cups ground cinnamon
1cup applesauce
1/4 cup white school glue


Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Then cover and let stand for 1 hour.

Roll out the dough so that is approximately 1/4-1/2 inches thick. (Tip- if you use your hand you will get the dough to compress better and it will be a more solid appearance than if you use a rolling pin)

Have your child choose the cookie cutters he or she wants to use to cut the dough and place the cut outs on a piece of wax paper.Use a straw (a straw from a juice box is a great size straw to use) and gently cut out holes near the top of each ornament to string them later.

Let the cut outs dry for approximately 3-4 days. Make sure you flip them over a few times a day to allow even drying. You will know they are fully dry by a few things: they will appear lighter in color, they will be slightly smaller and they will be hard. (Tip if you look at the two bells on the right side of this photo- the top bell was flattened using a rolling pin and the bottom bell was flattened using my hands...it's up to you how you want it to look)

Once they are completely dry cut some ribbon to the length you wish and string them through the holes you made with the straw. Hang and enjoy! I suggest placing them in a plastic bag for storage through the year, this keeps them fresh and smelling great come next year.

Something to note- please make sure you tell your husband, significant other, or older kids ahead of time that these are not cinnamon cookies for them to enjoy. My husband smelled the cinnamon like a blood hound and asked when they'd be ready to eat! I assured him that glue and cinnamon doesn't taste very good.

Have you ever made your own holiday ornaments, potpourri or presents?