Wednesday 25 November 2015

Gingerbread Men Christmas Tree Decorations - Tutorial


Is your Christmas tree full of handmade decorations too? Ours seems to have a timeline of my crafty Christmas makes from over the years, from about age 3 upwards! This year I was contacted by Wren Kitchens and asked if I would like to do a little tutorial for their #24DaysOfWren advent calendar - and if there's one thing I like to make at Christmas it's decorations! Try your hand at these super simple fimo gingerbread men. They're made entirely of polymer clay - they won't go stale and will keep for many years to come!




What you will need (Makes 3 gingerbread men):
  • 1x 57g block Fimo "Soft" in Caramel 
  • 1x 57g block Fimo "Soft" in White
  • 1x 57g block Fimo "Soft" in Red
  • 1x 57g block Fimo "Soft" in Blue
  • Fimo in assorted colours for buttons
  • Coloured ribbon for hanging
  • Small, sharp knife
  • Rolling pin

1. Print and cut out the gingerbread man template. If you prefer you can use a cookie cutter!

2. Line a baking tray with tinfoil.

3. Roll your 50g block of Caramel fimo out with a rolling pin. Roll it quite thin and flat. I've experimented and thin gingerbread men turn out much nicer than thicker ones!

4. Lay your gingerbread man template on the rolled out clay. Using your knife gently cut around the template.

5. Pull the excess clay around your gingerbread man cut out off and lay to one side. Using your knife gently pry your gingerbread man off the surface you are working on.


6. Using your finger gently dab around the ragged edges of the gingerbread man to smooth them. Lay him aside on your baking tray for later.

7. Roll the excess caramel clay in a ball and roll out again with your rolling pin. Repeat steps 3-6 until you have as many gingebread men as you like!

8. Now to make the icing for his hands and feet! Wash your hands thoroughly so you don't stain the white clay. Roll a small ball of white clay and then roll out into a sausage shape. Keep rolling until you have a very thin line of clay. Cut little strips of white clay and lay around the gingerbread man's wrists and ankles. Ice all your gingerbread men before you move onto the next step!


If you would prefer to paint your faces (using acrylic paints) then skip ahead to step 11!

9. Take a small ball of red clay. Roll out into a very thin sausage shape as in step 8 and cut small strips to give your gingerbread men mouths.

10. Roll tiny (and I mean tiny!) balls of blue to use for eyes and press them flat in your hands before pressing them to your gingerbread man's face.

11. For his buttons, roll 2 same sized balls of your desired colour. Press flat a little before putting them on your gingerbread man.

12. Pop your gingerbread men in the oven at gas mark 1 for 30 minutes. Watch them carefully as white clay tends to go brown in the oven sometimes!

13. Let your gingerbread men cool down completely. Glue one end of the ribbon on top of the other  to the back of his head. You can even purchase special Fimo varnish to make them shiny if you like!



Once dry hang on your tree! This is a great craft to do with your kiddies, so simple and will last forever.

Merry Christmas when it comes!

 Julie xxx 

2 comments:

  1. They look so great! I thought they were cookies ;)
    http://soldenochedecocrochet.blogspot.com.ar/

    ReplyDelete
  2. Get the Best Balsam Hill Christmas Tree Decoration to enhance the decoration and celebrate the Christmas Day 2015

    ReplyDelete

I'm a 27 year old pattern designer from Scotland! I love designing cute, crocheted toys. This blog documents my journey in pattern design, come follow me and pick up every new pattern I design for free along the way!

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