OCR Text |
Show Page IB Lakeside Review Thursday, December 4, 1980 Meeting Holiday Deadlines Dough Decorations Take Time, - CLEARFIELD People think that homemade items are expensive, but homemaker Gaye Cook, who makes and sells salt dough decorations for the holiday season, said that this is not the case. I guess they think they are made on the assembly line, she said. They just dont seem to realize the amount of work that goes into making them. . Mrs. Cook, 1485 S. 1000 W., Clearfield, said she will spend about 10 minutes Christmas tree forming a decoration and even longer putting the paint on it. She said when you figure the expense of her time and materials shes probably not making much. I get my enjoyment out of my work by coming up with my own ideas for things, she said. I dont like getting my ideas from someone else. Mrs. Cook has been doing salt dough decorations as a business for seven years. She said she just taught herself one day after seeing a friend working with it while her family was living in California; ; She said she started selling her creations after a friend told a lady in a gift shop about them. She said she and her sister are- - now in the business together. The sisters are planning to start exhibiting their decorations at art shows around the Rocky Mountain area. Mrs. Cook said they havent attended any before but are looking forward to the experience. The making and selling of the salt dough decorations is a real family affair for Mrs. Cook. She said that all of her sisters are making them and selling them around the country, even one living in New Jersey. Her sister in Salt Ldke City has a number of outlets for her decorations. Mrs. Cook said that the support her own family gives her is definitely a large factor. During the week the children help with the house work. She said, I rely on the children to do a lot of the work. She starts working on the decorations at 5 in the morning and said she often does not get to bed until around midnight. She said that this is a common day during the holiday season, but thats the busiest time for her. Her five children not only help with the house work, but the younger ones are home during the day, and still manage to stay out of her way. A lot of women ask me how I dare work on projects like this with the kids around, but theyre really good. She said she often holds the youngest Bradley, whos 18 months old, on her lap while working with salt dough and he never bothers it. She said the kids will often try their hand at making something and shes really enjoyed watching the improvement in their designs. The recipe she uses for her salt dough is: ," cups flour 2 cups salt 2 cups water (warm) She recommends mixing the ingredients until the dough is smooth and satin before starting to work with 4 it. Its important to keep the dough covered while working with it, she said. Otherwise it dries out too fast. She also suggests cover the decorations after they are made before putting them in the oven. Mrs. Cook does not use any special tools in making her designs except tooth picks and a knife. She said that as a decoration is assembled the pieces need to be moistened where they are attached and she suggested licking them. The items then need to be baked for several hours in an oven on a low heat around 275 degrees. She said the size of the items will determine the length of time and she lets some of her items turn just a little bit brown on the edges before removing them. After they are baked she uses acrylic or oil paints to decorate them. She recently has tried adding paste water colors to the dough before shaping the decorations and has been fairly satisfied with the results. NATIVITY SCENE is displayed by Gaye Cook. She and in the business together and often come up with their own ideas for things to sell. A SALT DOUGH her sister are SHAPING A DECORATION from salt dough on the back of a cookie sheet is the easiest way Mrs. Cook has found to make her creations. A KNIFE AND TOOTHPICK are the only tools Mrs. Cook uses in making her designs. Sons Tyler 3, and Bradley, 18 months, stay out of her projects. Burger, Fries, Medium Drink & Sundae ONLV GOOD THURS, FRI & SAT, DEC JLAA 816 So. Main, Layton I 4,5,6 brazier |