Make It: Playdough

We finally made playdough, which has been a to-do 

for the better part of a year.  

I even had containers for it, which have been sitting 

in my cupboard for the better part of a year. =/

(Am I the only one motivated by containers? Did you know, professional organizers say not to buy containers until you know exactly 

what will go in them?) 

The players: water, salt, vegetable oil, cream of tartar, food colors (I used gel, which are less watery than regular food coloring). 

Mix it all up, according to this playdough recipe 

courtesy of Susannah at An Art Nest). 

 Put a quarter cup or so in a smaller mixing bowl and add the food gel.

Mix some more. Try to contain your emotions 

while your little brother takes his turn. 

Pour the colored mixture into a frying pan on low heat. Let it sit a bit and stir/flip/smoosh together with a spatula.

I don't think I've ever made such a pretty little mess. 

Put the little lumps of cooked dough on parchment paper or similar to cool off and knead them as soon as they are cool enough to the touch (happens fast).

I didn't knead the blue soon enough. 

See how it's crumblier than the others?

Play with the dough.

Stack it. Slap it. 

Pat it. Cut it. 

Self-narrating Little D says, "Eat it. Eat it." 

I love concentration-tongue. 

And concentration-lips.

One sweet girl kept making and bestowing hearts. 

And one little boy made a workspace all his own. 

His sister had no objection.