Cursing Martha Stewart

I found an awesome Gingerbread Man Wreath on Pinterest last week and I was determined to try it myself.

 

It was created by Martha Stewart.  I've always loved Martha, up until now.

 

Imani and I prepared the recipe and put it in the refrigerator, as instructed.

 

But the consistency of the dough didn't seem right. I was expecting it to be like the gingerbread wreath ornaments we've made in the past . . . but this felt like real cookies.

 

 

Upon a closer look at Martha's recipe, I discovered that her recipe actually used real gingerbread cookie dough, which would mean the wreath wouldn't be that sturdy.

 

I was devastated.  Her recipe stated at the end that the wreath would last for approximately TWO weeks.

 

What?  I wanted my wreath to last year after year, just like the gingerbread ornaments Imani and I made several years ago that go up on our tree every year.

 

 

Who would make a wreath with real gingerbread cookie dough?  I should have read the recipe more closely before I started making the dough.

 

I decided to give it a go anyway, since the dough was all made and in the fridge.

 

 

We rolled out the dough and began cutting our gingerbread men.

 

 

 



Martha's recipe called for placing the gingerbread men on a piece of parchment paper that you've cut into a circle but since I didn't have parchment paper, I put a bowl in the center of the pan and lined up the feet of all of my gingerbread men.

 



 

Do anyone else's pans look all burnt like mine?  Keepin' it real.

 

 

 

I sort of pinched the feet and hands where the gingerbread men overlapped. 

 

At this point, I just didn't trust Martha or her team. 

 

I did make one wreath EXACTLY as Martha instructed and it broke apart when I tried to hang it.

 

I figured as much.  I figured that Martha probably just made her wreath for the photo and it broke within minutes after.

 

I wanted to strengthen my wreath, so I gave it a layer of Modge Podge.

 

 

 

 

The wreath now looked very shiny.  I liked the more natural look, but I didn't want my wreath to break.  I could see some of the feet and hands were starting to lift apart so I got out the old hot glue gun and secured them.

 

 When you apply the Modge Podge, it looks white, but it will dry clear (you can see the white in some areas in the picture below).

 

 



Finally, I strung a ribbon through my wreath and hung it, praying it would not break.

 

So far so good.

 

 

My advice to you would be that if you want to make a gingerbread man wreath, use a recipe for gingerbread or cinnamon ornaments.  It will be much sturdier and I don't think you'd need to hot glue it or add Modge Podge.

 

We'll see how long this wreath lasts.

 

I have a feeling these little guys might not be one big family by the time Christmas rolls around.