How to Make an Autumn Salt Dough Garland

* 1 Cup Plain Flour 

* ½ Cup Salt 

* ½ Cup Water 

* Mixing Bowl

* Greaseproof Paper

* Twine 

* Food Colouring - Red, Orange and Green

* PVA Glue

* Pizza Cutter or a Knife

* A Selection of Leaves

Before you begin, you may want to lay down some greaseproof paper to protect your work surface.

To make the salt dough, tip the flour and salt into a bowl and mix them together. Add the water a little bit at a time, mixing with your hands, until it comes together into a ball and is well mixed.

Split the dough into three roughly equal pieces, roll each piece into a ball and make a little well in each with your thumb. Squeeze a small amount of red food colouring into the well of one ball, orange in another and green in the third ball. Knead each ball until the colour is thoroughly mixed in. You might want to wear gloves!

Roll the pieces into long, thin sausage shapes. Twist the pieces together, then coil them and knead until you're happy with the effect.

Dust a little flour onto your work surface so that the dough doesn't stick. Roll out the dough to about ¾ cm thick.

Press the leaves into the dough and cut around them using a pizza cutter or knife.

Make holes in the leaves with a matchstick, ready to add the twine after baking.

Next, place the leaves on a fresh sheet of greaseproof paper and bake in the oven at 100ºC for about three hours, or until they are hard.

When they've cooled down, seal the leaves with some PVA glue thinned out with a little water.

Lastly, thread a long piece of twine through the holes in the leaves, tying a knot around each one to stop it from sliding along the twine.

Your garland is now finished and ready to hang up to enjoy all autumn!