Play Dough

Master 5 is constructing an artwork at the moment using the theme 'beauty is'. I asked him to brainstorm ideas for what 'beauty is'... he came up with a list, including "hundreds of colors of play dough mixed together". I thought he might somehow be able to incorporate play dough in his artwork - so went in search of a recipe - so we could mix up a variety of colors (but not necessarily hundreds!)

I have been put off by play dough recipes in the past - due to the vast quantities produced, or the massive amounts of cream of tatar required (an expensive addition when all one can buy are small containers at high prices).

I found the following recipe over at Moms who think blog. This blog also includes a number of edible dough recipes!

Here is the recipe.

PLAY DOUGH

Ingredients

1 cup flour

½ cup salt

1 cup water

1 tblsp oil

2 tsp cream of tatar

Food coloring

Directions

Place all ingredients except food coloring) into saucepan. Cook over a low heat, stirring constantly, until a ball forms (ingredients form a stiff dough).

Divide dough into several balls. Carefully mix color gel through each ball of dough until desired color is reached.

Store in a ziploc bag or covered container.

Notes

I have been using the Wilton color gel food coloring. I was recommended this brand by my friend Jo - who always came up with 'dramatic' looking cakes - the colors of which I could never obtain with the supermarket food dyes I had been using. These gel colors have been a good investment as they have lasted a number of cake and cookie events.

In the future I will buy bleached, cheap flour - it seemed a little extravagant using organic, unbleached and unbromated flour for this purpose ;-)

Apparently, cream or tatar is a by-product of wine-making.... so if you have a vineyard handy, this might be able to be purchased it in large quantities for a reasonable price.

This is the artwork produced by Master 5. He won first prize at his school and at County level. He won a Highly Commended at District level. 

PostSecret

image from post secret.org

This morning I listened to an interview with Frank Warren - the man behind the idea for PostSecret. I had heard vague things about this project in the past, so it was good to finally know the name of the project and find out a little about the original intent.

The project commenced in 2004 with Frank requesting anonymous postcards be sent to him, describing a personal secret. The postcards must be homemade. The response was huge and Frank still receives some 200 postcards with secrets, via mail, per day. This is in addition to the 'online' secrets he receives via email, Twitter, etc.

Beginning as an experiment, this project has consumed Frank's life and he now does speaking engagements, has written a couple of books, and has assisted in many ways he had never fathomed - including being questioned by the FBI, assisting in Suicide prevention programs, etc.

Fascinating, compelling, upsetting, uplifting... and at times scary! 

Things I have learned in my life so far...

all images from stefan sagmeister site

This is a lovely site. It began as a project by Stefan Sagmeister as a list heading in his diary... and grew into a collaborative project with people submitting imagery relating to things that they believe in or are 'fairly sure about'. There are some lovely and original photographs, montages, video and slideshows - using typography in interesting ways to describe a message or thought.

Photographs by:

Adrien Pritchard - I believe in God only I spell it Nature - quote by Frank Lloyd Wright

Rachel Katstaller & Eduardo Lovo - Designing makes me happy

Marie Loïc Sénamaud - Every Aquisition weighs me down

Ruxandra Duru - Beauty Inspires Me

Found via a Twitter on mapbrisbane

What's for lunch?

Coolish rainy afternoon... what's for lunch? How about some goat cheese toasties?

CHÈVRE TOASTIES

Ingredients

4 oz soft goats cheese / chèvre

2 slices ham, chopped

½ large onion, chopped

1 tblsp olive oil

2 tblsp chopped herbs (parsley, oregano, basil)

6 slices crusty bread

Method

Preheat oven to 400℉.

Gently heat olive oil until fragrant. Fry onion until softened and golden in color.

In small bowl, combine cheese, onion, ham and herbs.

Spread onto bread and bake in oven for 15 minutes or until topping is warm and bread crusty.

Notes & Variations

Add some paprika or freshly ground pepper for more adult tastes.

Use thick slices of baked ham (leftover Christmas ham is perfect) or fry several chopped bacon rashers with onion (omitting olive oil).

Doh the deer!

As I raced to get my camera to take a photo of the *cute* deer in our backyard, it decided to help itself to my basil! I was horrified to see that the deer had decapitated seven full-blooming chrysanthemum plants earlier this week... although I thanked them for resisting the temptation to eat them before our Little Miss's garden party.

When we moved in to our house, I mentioned to several neighbors my plans to plant a vegetable garden next season. This statement was met with non-subdued guffaws and wishes of 'good luck'. Witnessing up to nine (yes, 9!) hungry deer in our garden at one time, and being informed that deer can easily jump 8 feet from a stationary position... means that a vegetable garden might indeed be a challenge.

I tried to thwart devouring deer by planting herbs close to the house. Obviously, with the deer adding my herb garden to their smorgasbord, this hasn't been totally successful. I now declare it deer season in our garden. My planned arsenal of weapons is going to include an exuberant 3 and 5 year old with flailing arms, and some strategically placed cayenne pepper.

Does anyone else have any suggestions?

52 Suburbs

all images by Louise Hawson

I was really inspired by the 52 Suburbs project undertaken by Louise Hawson after reading an interview with her at Inside Out. The year-long project is based in Sydney, Australia - Louise's home town for over 30 years - and focusses on one of Sydney's 637 suburbs each week. I totally agree with her philosophy of forcing herself to look at a city through tourist / new eyes to "search for the beauty in the 'burb". Louise sees this beauty in people, architecture, history and nostalgia, nature, a fair share of tattoos and the purely mundane.

I love how Louise juxtaposes (most often two) beautiful images, using texture, shape, color, pattern, number, ethnicity, concept... as the relationship.

Via Inside Out

All photographs by Louise Hawson

Kia Hing-Fay

all image by Kia Hing-Fay

What a delight to reconnect with an old friend Kia. I was checking out the Australian Inside Out blog site and came across Kia's gorgeous crocheted rattles, digit dolls and applique kits. With a unique name like Kia Hing-Fay, it had to be my lovely friend from Brisbane! We had lost touch when Kia and her husband Chris moved to the UK... then we left for the US. I'm always amazed how the internet can play such a role in reconnecting broken links.

Via: Inside Out

All photographs by Kia Hing Fay