Salt Dough Ostara Tree

  I wanted to make a new Ostara craft this year. I followed my “hard fun” philosophy, and decided to make a salt dough Ostara tree.

I got the idea from The Easter Craft Book by Petra and Thomas Berger

Here is the salt dough recipe:

1 cup water
2 cups salt
3 cups white flour
2 tablespoons liquid starch

Pour the water into a saucepan. Add the salt. Stir continuously as you bring it to a boil. Add all the flour and starch in one go. Stir and knead it all together. Allow the dough to cool.

OK, I probably added more water and starch. And I used starch as a glue as well.

 I made the main body of the tree first. Then added the details. It took about a day and half for me to finish, while also rearing seven children, playing Game of Thrones card game, etc. At night I covered it with a damp cloth – but it was a little mashy in the morning, so maybe plastic wrap would work better.

When it was finished, I baked it in the oven for 8 hours at 200 degrees, checking it frequently.

Problem – I accidentally baked that egg into it. But it was collapsing in the oven otherwise.

 So – how to display it? My brilliant friend suggested I “modge podge” and mount it? I had imagined it to be more temporary, but like this idea. What do you think?

My children also created:

Happy Ostara!