Crafty Crafts

Charlie Rainbow Wolf

Lammas—also called Lughnassadh or Lugnasad—marks the harvesting of the first grain and honors the god Lugh. The word Lammas comes from the Old English hlafmæsse, which means “loaf mass.” It shows just how important the grain harvest was.

This is the time of year when the grain mother is ripe, when she blesses us with her bounty, and when there’s a flurry of activity to start gathering in the yield for the rapidly approaching winter. In his role as John Barleycorn, Lugh must sacrifice himself so that others might be fed. He is both the seed that returns to the earth in spring to provide the next crop and the grain that is turned into flour to feed and sustain his children over the winter.

Bread Dough Ornaments

Here at The Keep, we mark this grain festival by baking bread and starting an ale to enjoy at the winter solstice. It’s a good time for making bread dough ornaments to later be thrown in the fire at Samhain or hung on the tree at Yule. This is a different recipe than bread you eat. Preserve them well and they will last for several seasons.

Materials

Flour: Cheap all-purpose flour is appropriate; at least a pound is needed.

Salt: Salt is an excellent preservative. Use everyday table salt. 1 cup salt to 4 cups flour is required, so get a lot!

Water: Tap water is good.

Mixing bowl and spoon

Rolling pin

Toothpick or straw or old knitting needle

Cookie sheets and parchment paper

Cutters and textures: Use what’s on hand; because the items are food safe (though not particularly tasty), existing cookware is fine.

Decorations: Paint and brushes, glitter, glue, ribbon; let your imagination go!

Sealant: I use a clear polyurethane spray, but a “paint” made of thinned craft glue will also work—Mod Podge is possibly the best option.

Cost: This goes from pennies upward. At time of writing, a 10-pound bag of flour was less than $3 and a 2-pound box of salt around the same. Decorations can be spendy or, again, scavenge what you already have. Mod Podge is $10 for a 1-pound tub. Polyurethane spray sealant is $5 and up.

Time spent: An afternoon, plus drying time.

Mix It Up!

The recipe is easy: 4 cups flour, 1 cup salt, and water to mix. The dough needs to be stiff, like Play-Doh or pastry; it has to hold its shape. Sprinkle some flour onto the countertop or table and roll the dough out with the rolling pin. Add texture if desired, and cut the dough into shapes. The dough can also be used to build something rather than cutting it out; a small plaited loaf, a green man—or if these are being made to use at Yule, think about making snowflakes and snowmen. Use a toothpick, drinking straw, or an old knitting needle to cut a hole for hanging the ornament, if desired.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the dough onto it. Bake them in a 300°F oven for approximately an hour. The time depends on the thickness of the dough; they need to be hard and solid but not burned. (Although the burned ones can always just be painted; I won’t tell).

Once the dough is cooled, it’s time to decorate. How this is done is a personal choice; no two ornaments are ever exactly the same. Once they are embellished and thoroughly dry, apply a generous sealant using either the Mod Podge or the polyurethane spray. (Spraying is best done outside, so there’s less mess and smell in the work area.) Add ribbon or another hanger (if applicable) to complete the salt dough ornament.

This is a fun group activity but it is just as enjoyable if you’re on your own. Kids particularly love getting messy with the dough and the decorations. You might even start an annual tradition!

References

Christmas Doughcrafts by Lorraine Bodger, 1986.

Creative Doughcrafts by Patricia Hughes, 1999.

55 Celebration Doughcraft Designs by Linda Rogers, 1996.