With Christmas just around the corner, putting studying aside and taking a break to decorate can be a good way to relieve stress. As broke college students we do not want to have to spend a lot of money on decorations, so why not make them yourself?
Homemade cinnamon cut-out ornaments will not only make your apartment look festive but will give it nice cinnamon smell and all the ingredients can be purchased for under five dollars. In fact, you may already have some of them hiding in your kitchen cupboards.
Ingredients
¾ cup cinnamon
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
2 ½ tablespoons white school glue
Other items
Cookie cutters
Wax paper
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Rolling pin
Straw
Yarn or string
How to: Mix together the applesauce and glue into a bowl and slowly add the cinnamon. Then remove from bowl and knead until it forms into a clay-like mixture. If the dough is too sticky you should add more cinnamon and if dough is too crumbly add more applesauce. Once the dough is finished, let it sit for 30 minutes before rolling.
Once the dough has had a chance to sit, you are ready to roll it out. Place the dough between sheets of wax paper. Dough should ideally be between a quarter and an eighth of an inch thick, and then proceed to cut out into desired shapes. Make sure to create a hole in the top for yarn by using a straw, then place on drying rack or cookie sheet. Let dry for several days, and then paint them if you desire.
There you go, cheap, festive and fun homemade decorations!