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How to Make a Salt Dough Christmas Garland

by 24 Comments

Learn how to make this salt dough Christmas garland, combined with wooden beads, to create a bright and rustic decoration for your holiday home.

Salt dough christmas garland with wooden beads.

I was thinking about using natural wooden beads with the fresh greenery I always hang on our mantel during the holidays.

Somehow it just didn't seem like enough, so I tried my hand at making a salt dough Christmas garland, by creating stars to add with the wooden beads.

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Salt dough Christmas garland stars

How to Make a Salt Dough Christmas Garland

Suppplies

All-Purpose Flour
Table Salt
Rub n Buff Gold 
Twine
Glitter
White Spray Paint
Mod Podge or White Glue
Wooden Beads

Salt dough stars gilded with rub n buff wax

Steps to Make the Garland

  • For this project, you need to cut out one large star, several medium stars, and a couple of little stars.
  • Make holes with a wooden skewer on each side of the stars. This way you can thread them onto the twine where they would face out and not dangle.
  • Next, brushed them with Mod Podge, (white glue would also work) and sprinkle on a little clear glitter.
  • Then rub the edges with gold leaf Rub N Buff metallic wax.

Basic Salt Dough Recipe

Salt Dough Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup of salt
  • 3/4 cup water 

Salt Dough Instructions

  • Mix the three ingredients together in a large bowl. Add more water if needed to form a nice non-sticky dough ball.
  • Roll out the dough and cut into shapes. Poke holes for hanging with a skewer or small straw.
  • Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes

Note: You can keep the leftover dough in a sealed plastic container for a couple of days.

Salt dough stars with white paint and glitter

I made a second batch of salt dough stars to hang from the dining room chandelier. These were coated with a bit of white spray paint and glitter. 

Salt dough starts on chandelier

Here they are hanging from the dining room chandelier using fishing line. It's hard to see in the light but the have a subtle glitter shine.

Salt dough Christmas garland with cedar

Here is a closeup of the garland. I came up with a pattern for the wooden beads and gilded the smaller wood beads with the same Rub n Buff wax.

Salt dough Christmas garland on mantel

The natural color of the wooden beads and salt dough stars looks great on the mantel with fresh greens and the cream-colored nativity set.

Salt dough stars and wood bead garland.

I can't believe I haven't worked with salt dough before. It's so easy and costs next to nothing to make.

Now the wheels in my head are turning with new salt dough projects.

Patti signature

P.S. I love making natural garlands. Check out this Natural Lemon Peel Star Garland and this Dried Orange Garland. You can find them and much more on my DIY Projects Page.

Click Here to Save to Pinterest!

Large salt dough start strung on string with wood beads to use as a garland.
Salt dough christmas garland with wooden beads.

How to Make a Salt Dough Christmas Garland

Yield: 1 Garland
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Estimated Cost: $15

Learn how to make a salt dough Christmas garland by creating stars to add with the wooden beads. It's such a beautiful addition to your holiday decor.

Materials

  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Table Salt
  • Rub n Buff Gold
  • Twine
  • Glitter
  • White Spray Paint
  • Mod Podge or White Glue
  • Wooden Beads
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup salt
  • 3/4 cup water

Instructions

Salt Dough Stars for Garland

  1. Cut out one large star, several medium stars, and a couple of little stars.
  2. Make holes with a wooden skewer on each side of the stars. Thread them onto the twine so they face out.
  3. Brush them with Mod Podge, and sprinkle on a little clear glitter.
  4. Rub the edges with gold leaf Rub N Buff metallic wax.

Basic Salt Dough Instructions

  1. Mix the three ingredients together in a large bowl.
  2. Add more water if needed to form a nice non-sticky dough ball.
  3. Roll out the dough and cut into shapes.
  4. Poke holes for hanging with a skewer or small straw.
  5. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. 

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

© Patti Estep
Project Type: Home Decor / Category: Christmas Crafts

About Patti Estep

Patti is the creator of Hearth and Vine, a home and garden blog filled with projects to inspire your creative side. She loves crafting, gardening, decorating and entertaining at her home in Pennsylvania. When she is not working on a project at home or searching for treasures at nurseries and thrift stores with her girlfriends, you’ll probably find her with family and friends, at a restaurant, or home party enjoying new and different food adventures.

 

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary

    After seeing y our pretty stars I've decided to give it another try. Because my last years batch was an epic fail.

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Mary,

      I'm sorry yours didn't work out for you. The only tricky part I had was the water, which is why I said 3/4 cup instead of 1 cup. One cup for me was way too wet. At 3/4 cup you probably will need to add some water but not much. The dough should not be sticky or too dry. I'm sure you will get a good batch and great something wonderful.

      Reply

  2. Barbara Chapman ~ French Ethereal

    Hello Patti, such a fun project! My mom and I rolled many little balls back when I was very little. She usually decorated out Christmas trees with cranberries and popcorn, but in Hawaii it was hard to get cranberries {and probably expensive, too}. So, she switched to salt dough "cranberries". They turn out great and last forever! I have some little Smurfs and an ET that I bought at my high school craft fair back in 1978 or so that are still good. Whomever made them stuck paperclips into their backs as hangers. They still work. 🙂

    Happy creating now that the Salt Dough Santa has been let loose! 😉
    xoxo Barb 🙂

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Barbara,

      Yes, it has been a long time but hey it still works out great and maybe some people haven't thought of it as an easy and affordable way to decorate. Love hearing all about your childhood memories. I just might have to make some faux cranberries next.

      Reply

  3. Meegan

    Patti, I am loving your crafty mind and creative ideas. This looks lovely and perfect for any style.
    You are so talented

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Meegan,

      Thank you and I could see some beautiful salt dough creations in blue that would be perfect for you.

      Reply

  4. Florence @ VintageSouthernPicks

    Love your garland and ornaments Patti! And I still remember the egg crate flowers you made last year! I've never made salt dough anything, but it looks like fun, and yours have turned out so nice. Love the look of them on the mantel!

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Florence,

      Thanks for your kind comments.
      Yes, that was me with the egg cartons. 🙂
      The salt dough was incredibly easy to do so versatile I definitely recommend it.

      Reply

  5. Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

    Your garland is beautiful, I love the texture and simplicity! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

    pin

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Marci,

      Thank you. It's been one of my favorite projects this year.

      Reply

  6. Natasha

    I love the glitter and touch of gold!

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Thanks Natasha!

      Reply

  7. Lynn Spencer

    Patti...I love the addition of the gold to the salt dough...a little rustic and a little glam...just perfect. Thanks for the idea my friend.

    Have a great day.

    Hugs, Lynn

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Lynn,

      Thanks for your warm comment. They turned out better than I expected. I love it when that happens.

      Reply

  8. Deborah Regen

    I always embrace natural ornaments for holiday decorations, and this one is simple to follow and looks really nice. Well done!

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Deborah,

      Yep that's me. Natural and simple. So glad you liked it.

      Reply

  9. Angie @ Postcards from the Ridge

    This are adorable, Patti. I've always wanted to make some of these but have never made the time for it. Maybe I'll get it done this year, lol. Thanks for the tutorial!

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Thanks Angie. I hope you do try them. Of course you could go all different kinds of ways with the decorating part. I know you would make something gorgeous.

      Reply

  10. Carole West

    Can you believe this..... as a little girl I made salt dough ornaments with a family friend using cookie cutters. We painted them and they hung around for years. I think at some point my mom had to toss them because they started to crumble. This garland is beautiful and your entire mantle is stunning. You my friend.... Get it!

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      You are always so sweet. I guess we are "birds of a feather" 🙂

      Reply

  11. Michelle | Thistle Key Lane

    I love this project and I noticed you used Rub'n Buff. The stars turned out beautiful! Pinning for later.

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Thanks Michelle. I found Rub n Buff years ago for an old brown mirror. It was so easy to change it to antique gold with a little Rub n Buff so I've continued using it all these years.

      Reply

  12. Rhonda Relyea

    I can't wait to try this! I love making crafts especially for Christmas! Thanks so much for all this and all your other posts! Merry Christmas!

    Reply

    • Patti Estep

      Hi Rhonda,
      Thank you for this wonderfully kind comment and Merry Christmas right back at ya!

      Reply

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