Crafting Recipes and patterns

Puffy Paint:

1. Combine the following in a little bowl:

1  teaspoon flour
               ½  teaspoon salt
             ¼ teaspoon baking powder

2.  Add a few little drops tempra paint or food color to each cup and then add 11/2  teaspoon water to make a nice smooth paste- like peanut butter.

3. Paint on a nice thick sheet of cardboard using Q-tips or black bristled brushes. May paint area with both the regular and puffy paint for a more interesting picture. With the puffy paint, be sure it is thick.

4. Microwave the design on high for 30 seconds until the paint puffs and it's all nice and dry.  


Lava Lamps:

1. Get a 8 oz soda bottle. Remove the label and be sure it has a tight fitting lid.
2. Fill the bottle 3/4 of full with vegetable oil. Add water to the remainder of the bottle, almost to the top but without overflowing. Drop in 3-5 drops of food coloring, to make the solution appear fairly well colored.
3. Cut the Alka-Seltzer  tablet into 8 pieces. Drop one, or more than one for cooler effects, of the tiny pieces into the vegetable oil and water mixture. The mixture will start to bubble.
4. Wait until the bubbling stops and add another piece of Alka-Seltzer add more than one for cooler effects. Continue until there is no more Alka-Seltzer left, and the bubbling has completely stopped.
5. Tip the bottle back and forth and watch the fluid appear. The tiny droplets of liquid join together to make one big lava-squirt blob.
6. Place a strong flashlight or search light under the bottle. This will illuminate the bubbles for maximum effect.
7. If you don't have Alka-Seltzer, then salt works just as well as does generic alka powder. We used 1/2 pkg of these or 1-3 tsp of salt.

If you missed the recipe for the clay, I'll share it again so that anyone who wants to make some can do that. I found it on the internet and am in love with it as you can make volumes of great colored clay for pennies!

Thanks to Susan Caplan at Suite101 for this great air dry clay. http://kidscrafts.suite101.com/article.cfm/salt_and_flour_craft_dough_recipes

Cooked Flour Dough

This is another play clay, although this one needs to be cooked.

· 1 cup flour

· 1 tablespoon salad oil

· 1 cup water

· ½ cup salt

· 2 teaspoons cream of tartar

· A few drops of food coloring or tempera paint until deep enough color is achieved

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and use a wooden spoon to stir over medium heat. Stir constantly. The mixture will be soupy for several minutes and then will suddenly stick together and can be stirred into a ball. When the dough thickens, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring. Turn the hot ball of dough onto a floured surface and knead as it cools.