Christmas decorations from salt dough

I invited my friend Pia to try out Salt dough, and she had her little dog Pepe with her as well.
We did different kind of shape of "cookies" from dough, to decorate, and use them for Christmas decorations!
We have some very fun plans to paint them, and use them as a little gifts and surprises for friends.

How to do Salt dough?

2 cups of normal wheat flower
2 cups of salt (fine)
1 cup of water

just mix everything together, work on dough a little to get air bubbles out, as you don´t want your "items" to be too puffed.  Bake them with low temperature before they start looking dry, you can also try them.. we used little higher temperature, 120c was fine and depending on thickness of your cookies it will take 30-45min to dry them. don´t forget them in to the oven.

Before starting, cooks need to have something to eat and drink!

When dough was done, I rolled it as long as it was thin enough

Pia was cutting cookies

we had lot of different shapes, not very christmassy thoug

Lady of the house in action

This is how thin they should be.. or thinner

Ready for decoration! 

Visit in Audley end house

We wanted to see something beautiful today.. so took a car and drove to Essex and Audley End House.
It is one of the most amazing places I have yet seen.
Very grand still, but it is now only third of what it has been on it´s biggest.
Roomes where big but very cosy, and stables where amazing too, accommodating 3 horses.
Garden was beautiful, and little river near the house with it´s black and white swan was like icing on cake.
Audley end house was ones palace, in all but renowed as one of the finest Jacobean houses in England. It is currently in stewardship of English Heritage though remains the family seat of the lords Braybrooke.

Ready for Experiencing amazing house! 

I it amazing, and look at the way bushes are shaped! 

View from the house

He is training he´s dog for hunting birds :(

Snap Shot from upstairs window

Front of the house

Gate to shop and servants

Back of the house was equally amazing

it was all very beautiful, and weather was great too

Black swan.. and white. They where so beautiful

Me dreaming.. and holding my poodle girl Siiri

Stalls

As I was not allowed to Photograph in the house, I have found you few photos to share from internet, so you have an idea how it was.

Entrance to house.. the hall was huge

This must have been ladies day room

Look at the wall fabric. Isn´t it amazing

All amazing paintings, furnirture.. it was just beautiful

Kitchen

Almost like real life Downton Abbey!

This is how big the house has been..

and this is what is left from it.. and yet amazing. 

Hope you enjoyed my photos as I surely enjoyed my visit!

Christmas!! It is getting closer and closer..

I am going to give a "Christmas Treat" for all of you..  with Christmas that is going to start already on Movember.. uups.. November I meant to say! How many of you knows someone taking a part for Movember? I know few, and funniest is Little dog called Pepe who is growing he´s whiskers and taking a part. He is just few moths old so there is lot to grow! Go Pepe Go!

My window will look stunning

..and I am starting my Christmas decorations earlier this year, so that you have some time to
do things well a head if you want to make something that I will post to my blog.

There might be "new type" of traditional decorations coming too...

I have been lazy, but it is simply because I have been singing my first big opera role, Turandot, which was my Operatic Debute, and it took lot of time and effort.. but now, back to basics!!

I love old fashioned Christmas!

I have lot of plans for this christmas, it might be our last in this beautiful Victorian cottage, so I will take everything out of it. I have some fun plans to decorate our window´s some flower arrangements, my "traditional" paper doilies on windows, I try something new with them,  Salt dough decorations, and so much more.. oh I can´t wait to get started!!

Stay tuned!

Love

Serafiina

Victorian Christmas decorations are adorable