Category: Crafts and Hobbies
Okay, I know this is to late to make for this year, but then you got plenty of time to make a bunch for next year to sell as ornaments, but you will need patience and an oven.
ingredients for Christmas Mice
flour
water
wallnut shell halves, emptied of the nuts
string
cotton balls
small squares of any kind of fabric, preferrably in Christmas colors
process
You need to make a standard paste from the water and flower. You use standard white flour and try 1 cup of flour to 1-1/2 cups of water. If when you mix it it is still watery, add Tbsp. of flour until you get a thick paste. Similar to homade play-dough without coloring.
Next, you need two small round balls, one about the size of the end of your thumb and the other about the size of the end of your pinky finger. Flatten slightly and put the smaller flattened ball atop the bigger one cause this is the head. You can make two very tiny flattened balls for the ears and stick them on either side of the head. Make as many as you have the dough for and you can shape them as you go along once you get the hang of it.
Next, the drying process. Yes, you could let these sit and dry on their own, but that makes them hard and brittle. This is why you put all your mice on a ungreased cookie tray or a pan that has wax paper or some sort os silicon sheet on it so they don't stick. Pop them in the oven at dg300 for about min 3 to 5 depending on the oven. If they still squish, put them in a bit longer.
Next, either take the time of trying to crack wallnuts in perfect halves and removing all the nut or I think you can buy precracked wallnuts at a craft store and that's a lot easier! Pull a large cotton ball in half and glue it into the bottom of your shell half. Once the mice come out of the oven and cool, either you or someone else can paint little eyes on them. Place one mouse lying inside the wallnut shell. Next cut a small squareish piece of your fabric and glue the edges of the cloth to the edge of your shell half, leaving on the oppening wear the mouse head can be seen.
Lastly, glue a string to the middle of the wallnut half so the string goes from the middle of one side to the middle of the other side over the top of the cloth. This makes the hanger. Or, for more security you can glue a string from left corner bottom to right top of the shell and then cross another string over that one from left top to right bottom so it sort of looks like you made the letter X.
We made lots of these and sold them around our neighborhood in the 2 months before Christmas to gain some extra money. Try selling to rest homes, hospitals, co-workers, have your kids take them to school, set up a stand at a holiday craft show, go door to door, your church, mosque, cinagogue, anywhere. We usually sold them for a dollar a piece and yes it does add up if you sell enough of them.
Good luck.