The request for Playdough started early this morning... something I was pleased about as I didnt really have much energy with the ridiculous heat. I also want to keep things simple and relaxed over the next few days as Jumeirah starts school on Friday ! Ack!
And so we started to make it. Now I have been making playdough for about 15 years, for probably about 10 of those years I made it 5 days a week ( it does get a bit manky with lots of kids using it, runny noses sneezed on it, taste testing then spitting it out... its safer to make a new batch in preschools). I love the stuff and the things you can do with it. I have always used the recipe on the back of the cream of tartar tin. Its a great, easy recipe that never fails...until today. I have never in my life made such a mess and stuffed up such a simple batch of this wonderful stuff. It was horrible.
Crumbly, shockingly puce colour, texture was gritty... it was bad to the point of Jumeirah saying to Jared in secret " lets get the real stuff out of the cupboard". REAL STUFF?!?! You've got to be joking. Now I know the "real stuff" feels lovely and smooth but it comes in a jar smaller than baby food and contains about half the amount of playdough. But seeing as mine was a disaster I let them attempt to play with it. Jared got about half way through making hair and realised he didnt have enough of it to finish and its also to stiff to push through for little fingers.
Jumeirah squeezed it in her hands and said " Um.. its too small to make anything but an ant and I dont want to make that." And so all of us decided to try again at making some new playdough.
This time, I used boiling water and mixed the oil, salt and cream of tartar together, thinking that maybe I should have dissolved the salt first. Then instead of whacking the heat as high as it will go and stirring the crap out of it so it doesnt burn, I left it on a lower setting and stirred with love and care :) Surely now it will work....
And its AWESOME. Smooth, silky, easy to manipulate and put through the squeezers. I find myself once again in love with this simple but very therapeutic lump of gunk.
And so happily, all of us with our now huge lumps of dough, create and explore to our hearts content.
Jumeirah creates a bowl of spagetti
And I make a rose :)
This afternoon we headed out the back for another cheap but just as entertaining in our household.
Bubbles. If I blew bubbles with these kids everyday for the rest of their lives, it still wouldnt be enough. All three become totally mesmerized and then run around like crazy, squealy lunatics popping them. And the bonus for me? I can do it sitting down :) Or better still, get daddy to do it so I can sit and watch the clouds........
I love the pictures. Looks like your guys had a blast with the lump of gunk.
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