This is why we did GAPS. Well, not completely, but it’s a big reward after a couple years of hard work. This is the first year I could do crafts with my 6 year old (before she would get fixated on one aspect of the craft; pouring, cutting, rolling, etc) and we’ve been having a great time.
Two crafts that have been enjoyable, while still being completely nontoxic and made with GAPS friendly ingredients, are cinnamon applesauce ornaments and clove oranges.
Clove Oranges
- Whole Cloves (buy in bulk, you’ll need about 1/4 cup per orange)
- Fresh oranges
- Ice pick, meat thermometer, or wood/metal skewer to poke holes
- Ribbon or twine for hanging (2 feet per orange)
The metal poker makes pushing the cloves in much easier on your fingers, this is what was missing from my childhood attempts at clove oranges. Use a metal poker to poke holes, about a dozen at a time, approximately 1/8 inch deep into the orange rind at an even interval. Fill with cloves. Repeat poking and filling holes until the entire orange is covered.
Tie with ribbon if desired and hang from a cupboard knob, or a hook anywhere you need some fragrant holiday cheer. These last about 1 month possibly more in a dry climate.
Cinnamon Ornaments
- 1 cup cinnamon (purchase in bulk section of a health food store)
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- 2 tablespoons white glue (optional)
- 1 teaspoon cloves, ginger, and/or nutmeg (optional)
- Parchment paper
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
- Skewer or something to poke hole for hanging
- Ribbon for hanging
In a small bowl, add wet ingredients to cinnamon and other spices and mix with a fork until a dough is formed. Roll out between parchment paper to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutter, poke a hole for hanging. Repeat rolling out remaining dough until all is used up.
Place in dehydrator on high for 6 hours or overnight (until dried through), or dry on parchment paper on a cookie sheet as low as your oven will go, for 1 hour or until dried through.
Tie ribbon through hole and hang.
These can be stored and brought out for next year’s decorations too- they still smell amazing year after year!
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Great ideas! Time to do some crafts with my own kids!
How many cinnamon ornaments can you make with this recipe? These are great ideas!
It made about 20 small ones (1-1/2 inch by 1-1/2 inch). And thanks- they’re fun and simple! Clutter free too since they are made with ‘ingredients’ :)
Such a lovely idea – just wondering, will they stick together if the paste is not used – I can imagine them being so crumbly that they fall apart!
Thank you so much for sharing
That’s what I thought too! I did it twice, the ones at the top don’t have glue.
The applesauce is a binder so the glue isn’t necessary. Just read up on The Paleo Mom’s blog the other day about baking and binders. : ) Think I’ll make these to hang in my chicken coop!
Thank you for sharing these! Can be hard to find activities that don’t include white flour playdough or cornstarch! :)
Did you use unsweetened applesauce for these? Will that work?
Thanks!