It's Flour, I Swear!

Just in case you thought I was posting photos of illegal drugs, (Ha ha...me?  Those days are long over), honestly officer, it's really just self rising flour.

Have you received the email that is going around about burns and using flour to heal them?  I received it the other day.  It told me that if I get a burn, to submerge it in a bag of flour. (refrigerated would feel the best.)   Obviously the person writing it isn't a lampworker, because I still haven't figured out how to stick my neck into a bag of flour.  That is funny just imagining it!

Of course, it got me wondering.  It just didn't make sense to me, so a quick visit to my BFF  "Google" which told me differently.  I checked Snopes, which tends to give me great answers and they said...don't do it.

So instead, I'm giving you a fun recipe for Play Doh to use with that flour that you've had your hand in.  And even if your hand hasn't contaminated a bag of it, try this anyhow.  You can test new sculptural bead shapes, play a little and of course, that baby oil scent always smells nice.  Have fun!

PERFECT PLAY DOUGH

Although this recipe takes a little longer than some to make, the final product is well worth the added minutes.

2 cups flour
1 cups salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons baby oil ( works better than regular oil)
2 tablespoons cream of tarter
liquid food coloring

Combine dry ingredients. Add water and oil. Stir well. Microwave on high 4 to 5 minutes. Stir again. Microwave another minute. Stir. Continue to microwave one minute, then stir, until dough is the consistency of mashed potatoes. Cool it enough to touch. Knead in food coloring until dough is desired color. Store in an air-tight container or ziploc bag.

Figuring Out Glass Presses

Once in a while, a new glass press can give you a bit of a fit. The glass just doesn't seem to be going in the way you think it should.

I was just having this conversation with a friend and took this photo to illustrate what I was trying to explain to her.

You see, my trick is to take a little piece of playdoh, and figure out the new press with it. I'll see how large my initial glass shape needs to be and then where I need to add more glass and how. If I might need help remembering, I'll let some of the playdoh examples dry out, and store them with the press. That way, I have a visual frame of reference, when I next go to use it.

I use playdoh for other things in the studio. We'll chat about them another time. Just thought I'd mention this use for now. Do you keep it around too? What do you use it for?