Easy salt dough Easter decorations

Start a tradition of an Easter Tree — a branch on which to hang eggs, bunnies and colourful Easter-related things. You can make the ornaments out of salt dough, and if you use a spray paint or clear spray paint sealer the ornaments can be hung outside as well. Cheer up the neighbourhood and hang them in your trees or on your fence – wherever you think some colour is needed!

What you'll need:

– a batch or two of salt dough (see recipe below)

– rolling pin

– ruler, to measure dough thickness

– Cookie cutters or a cardboard shape to cut around (you’ll also need a sharp knife if you use this)

– spatula

– a straw, for making holes

– parchment-paper covered baking sheets

– spray or acrylic paint

– paint pens, optional

– clear coat sealer, optional

– string, twine or ribbon for hanging

Recipe for salt dough

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup water

Stir together all three ingredients until a dough forms. Kneading the dough for a minute or two can help make it smoother.

Roll it out to about 6mm thick and cut out your desired shapes.

Place the salt dough shapes on the parchment-covered baking sheets. Remember to make a hole so you can hang the ornaments — a straw works perfectly!

Bake at 130C for 2 hours. Watch them carefully - they can start to go a little brown, but this is okay since you're painting them!

Once the shapes are adequately baked, dried and then thoroughly cooled, it’s painting time. Spray paint is faster and easier but acrylics work just as well. Get creative!

Allow the paint to thoroughly dry. Use paint pens to add polka dots or lines. Optional: to further protect the colour and design, add a clear coat sealer.

Loop twine or ribbon through the holes and hang them up!

IMAGES/designmom.com and Christine Stride