Mothers Day Tea Light Holders

Glitter salt dough, cookie cutters, and tea lights are all you
need to make this easy and economical craft for Mothers Day. 

Old fashioned salt dough can be updated with the simple addition of Wilton gel food colors and glitter. I was visiting The Imagination Tree looking for a Mothers Day craft for church when I saw Anna's post for Rainbow Glitter Salt Dough. Wow, why didn't I think of this? Anyway, I knew I wanted to have the kiddos make a tea light for mom using this great salt dough idea. Read on to see the basic recipe and directions.

The basic recipe for one pound of salt dough is:

1 cup of flour
1/2 cup of salt

1/2 cup of warm water

2 1/2 - 3 tablespoons of glitter

a small amount of Wilton gel food coloring in the desired color

Extra Item 

1 can of clear spray paint

Salt Dough Directions

• Place the flour, salt, and glitter in a bowl.
• Stir until well blended.
• Add the warm water
• Stir with a sturdy spoon until the dough begins to cling together.
• Knead the dough by hand until it forms a ball.
• If the dough is sticky, add a small amount of flour to the bowl and knead it into the dough.
• Continue to do this until the dough is no longer sticky.
• Divide dough into four balls.
• Flatten the balls slightly and add desired amount of gel food coloring to each ball.
• Fold the dough over on itself and knead the color into the dough.
• This makes four 1/4 pound balls, or enough to make 8 - three or four inch tea light holders.

Tea Light Directions

• Begin with a two ounce ball of one color. (Slightly larger than a golf ball)
• I flattened the ball into a disc that was a little larger than the cookie cutter I wanted to use.
• Then I added designs with two contrasting colors before cutting the dough into the desired shape with a cookie cutter. 
• Center a tea light over the dough and press it into the dough.
• Wiggle gently until a well is created for the tea light to sit in. Remove the tea light.
• Bake at 200 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit for two to three hours.
• Let tea lights cool.
• Spray a light coat of clear paint onto the tea lights to help keep the glitter from "shedding". 
• Your beautiful tea lights are finished.

For a look at painted holders go on over to Life as a Mom and see Janel's tutorial.