salt dough ornament molds

by | Jul 28, 2022 | Holiday, Winter | 14 comments

This post may contain affiliate links.

Too soon?  Yes, of course, it’s too soon for Christmas posts, but I am starting to think about Christmas projects and decorations.  I really enjoyed making things for Christmas last year and I would like to do more of that this year.  I sold the salt dough ornaments I made last year because I was pretty sure they wouldn’t fair well stored in a hot container with our other household belongings, so I will definitely be making more of those things year.  I wanted to get some new molds and I decided to shop for them before the Christmas-shopping rush.

Remember these?  You can find a recipe and tutorial for making these “gingerbread” salt dough ornaments HERE.

molded salt dough ornaments | miss mustard seed

You can purchase the windmill mold HERE and the bird & flower mold HERE.  These sold out pretty quickly last year, which is why I am sharing them now.

molded salt dough ornaments | miss mustard seed

I also made some traditional salt dough ornaments and you can find the recipe for those HERE.

molded salt dough ornaments | miss mustard seed

You can also find my post on how to make dried orange slices HERE.  I gave those away at my yard sale, too, and will definitely be making more!

So, I combed through various websites to see what kind of molds I could find.  I have been keeping an eye out for vintage and antique ones – butter molds, gingerbread molds, springerle molds, but a lot of them weren’t quite the right size or shape, or the design wasn’t of interest.  I came across some molds on Etsy in a shop called the Gingerhaus and I loved their designs, many of which are based on antique molds.

I had at least a dozen in my cart, but I edited the selection down to my very favorite molds.  From the top, clockwise – acorn, floral wreath, hiking rabbit, edelweiss, German Christmas tree.

salt dough ornament molds | miss mustard seed

Other than the Christmas tree, I wanted to select molds that weren’t specifically Christmasy for making salt dough ornaments.  These were shapes and designs that I was attracted to because they have a vintage look and I could envision them making great ornaments.  Can you picture the floral wreath with the center cut out, threaded on a pretty ribbon?

I grew up in Germany and have always loved edelweiss.  The flower itself is a fuzzy, strange little thing, but it does make a lovely design pattern.  A funny story about edelweiss – when we lived there, it was illegal to pick them.  As a young girl, I didn’t know that and I picked one when we were on a hike.  My older brother did what older brothers do and terrified me by telling me I would be arrested and go to jail.  Tears ensued followed by reassurances from my parents that I would not go to jail, but I shouldn’t pick anymore.

salt dough ornament molds | miss mustard seed

salt dough ornament molds | miss mustard seed

The hiking rabbit reminded me of the cast iron hiking rabbit I have.  I guess I have a thing for hiking rabbits?

cast iron hiking rabbit with backpack | miss mustard seed

Of course, the Christmas tree looks like an antique German feather tree with candles, a Dresden angel on top, and traditional toys underneath.  Look at the little squirrel!  It was hard to resist this mold, especially for making Christmas ornaments.

salt dough ornament molds | miss mustard seed

And the acorn?  Well, you just can’t go wrong with classic acorn molds.

salt dough ornament molds | miss mustard seed

If you are looking for other salt dough ornament molds or molds for cookies, fondant, marzipan, chocolate, clay, etc. Etsy is a great place to source some unique ones.

If you can’t tell, I am hopeful about having a house to decorate for Christmas!  I was able to fit my large noble fir Balsam Hill Christmas tree in the last container we packed.  It was a little iffy for a while if I was going to be able to keep it, but I was glad that I was.  We spent a couple of hours cutting all of the prestrung lights off of it in January (you can read a review of the tree HERE) and it’s a gorgeous artificial tree, so I am thankful it fit and I get to decorate it again.

hydrangea and homemade Christmas tree | Balsam Hill Noble Fir | miss mustard seed

I’m not in a rush for Christmas to come, but I am excited about working on some new and repeat projects and these molds will be fun to experiment with when making salt dough ornaments and other things.  I may even try making some actual, edible cookies.

salt dough ornament molds | miss mustard seed

In other preparing-for-winter news, I will be making a Selbu MItten knitting tutorial soon for those who want to make them for themselves or as Christmas gifts.  If you want to join in, you can see a list of materials and some tips for beginners HERE.

knitting selbu mittens | miss mustard seed

Receive a Daily Dose of Encouragement and Inspiration!

Stay Inspired with Marian's Daily Blog Posts

Sign up to receive uplifting blog posts directly in your inbox! Join our community of like-minded individuals and start your day with a burst of creativity, motivation, and positivity. Whether you’re seeking decorating tips, DIY projects, or simply a dose of inspiration, Marian’s daily posts are sure to brighten your day and ignite your creativity. Don’t miss out on your daily dose of encouragement – subscribe now!

    14 Comments

    1. Nancy Blaue

      Eeek! I’ve been a reader of your blog for a few years. Imagine my delight to open this newest post and see Springerle molds! I’ve been collecting new and old molds for a while now. The old molds and rolling pins look so good with the ironstone I have. My grandmother made Springerle and now I continue that tradition in our family. I may try and make some ornaments this year! Thanks!

    2. Deda

      I think it’s brilliant you are sharing Christmas projects now. I’m sure I’m not alone in thanking you. The closer to the Holidays the harder it is to get supplies in time.

    3. Betsy

      Marian, Thank you ever so much for your postings even when you and your family probably feel like gypsies some days. This is a wonderful posting and I can’t wait to get going on Christmas. I usually start in August if I’m making gifts. Thanks so much for the springerle mold links. I’ve never had a recipe that worked so if you ever think of it could you post your recipe for the cookies.

      • Claire

        Loved seeing the picture of your Christmas tree again — it is a beautiful tree! Have you ever done a post about the living room ceiling in your MN home? I have checked your blog for one, but have not found it. Really enjoy all of your postings!

      • Katherine

        Betsy –
        I could never get my Austrian Grandmother to write down her recipe but this one hit the mark. Go to
        House on the Hill website. She now only wholesales the gorgeous molds she created but still offers the recipes for springerle and speculaas cookies. She also has a list of the retailers that sell her molds which are gorgeous!

    4. Karen

      You are always so amazingly generous with what you share with us! It just warms my heart when you say you are making a tutorial for us. Feeling the love over here!
      Thank you!

    5. Crystal

      Love that you shared your source(s). I have a major thing for pinecones and acorns but Etsy was a bit out of my budget. But at least now I know what to search for! Thank you!!

    6. Wendy York

      I have been using the Iron Orchid Design molds for the last few years and they are wonderful. (Really all the things those two ladies dream up are wonderful!) The molds can be used for air dry clay, resin or with food crafting supplies. They have this great little “micro-rim” along the top edge making it easy to scrape off the excess before removing the material from the mold. That way you end up with a nice clean edge you don’t have to trim up afterwards. They have a great variety of designs, and come out with new ones all the time. ?

    7. Irene Kelly

      Every year I start sewing my gifts in July. This year I’ve ramped up my “Saks by Irene” designs by embroidering ea persons first name on the outside so far I’ve sewn 76 with about 30 more to go. Forgot I even knew that many women ! ! I have a very small family but lots of friends and I sure hope they will love these designs !especially made for them. So when will you land a new home school will be open soon for your boys ?

    8. Patricia Kasparian

      I was the reader who emailed you to ask for a Selbu mitten tutorial, although, there may have been others. I love that stranded colorwork and felt inspired enough by your posts to sign up at a local yarn store. I’m working now on my first pair and really am enjoying it. No one on YouTube had a tutorial that goes through the fine details necessary like about carrying floats, etc., so I’m sure you’ll be filling that niche online. Great timing on ‘winterish’ posts. It’s always great to begin early for the holidays, for all sorts of reasons! Thank you!

    9. Katherine

      The Springerle mold are also wonderful for paper molds. You can use paper clay (from a craft store) but I use paper pulp to create thin paper impressions. They are lovely as is but are fragile so I tend to mount them on a colored card stock to use as a small framed piece, an ornament or for a card

    10. Christy K

      I loved the ornaments you made last year and have already purchased some molds. We usually start on Christmas crafts in September, so the timing is great. A lot tends to happen between December and September, so I confess to putting a reminder on my September calendar with links to recipes and ideas for the coming year, along with a list of items that I might need to shop early for.

    11. Nadine L.

      After reading your post this morning I thought “I have one of those molds”. Want to a corner of my kitchen where I have my collection of wooden kitchen utensils and sure enough there it was. And, it was an edelweiss. I love it when you run across something that allows you to view your collections in a new light.

    12. Kelsey

      Never too early!! I love the molds. We made our kiddos handprints into salt dough ornaments and they are still one of my favorites!!

    Hello!

    Marian Parsons - Miss Mustard Seed

    I’m Marian, aka Miss Mustard Seed, a wife, mother, paint enthusiast, lover of all things home and an entrepreneur, author, artist, designer, freelance writer & photographer.  READ MORE to learn more about me, my blog and my business…

    Let's Connect

    WATCH ON YOUTUBE

    decorating, projects, and recipes for spring

    Categories

    Articles by Date

     

    our sponsors

     

     

    Bliss and Tell Branding Company

     

    Pin It on Pinterest

    Share This