SWELTERING HEAT---SUMMER'S HERE!!!

SWELTERING HEAT---SUMMER'S HERE!!!

Sweltering heat!  Summer's here! A time to enjoy and a time to feel the heat!  Oh my!  My granddaughter came to visit and it was time for my KITCHEN ART philosophy to kick in.  Water is ever so refreshing and soothing.  The sink, the pool, the river.  When I babysit Zora I often put her in the sink and play with the rubber duckies and running water.  Visiting us, when everyone was outside, on that sweltering hot weekend, it became time to be creative.  What do you do with a one-year-one when the temperatures are soaring?  Open those cabinets and search for water toys.  Cups, Tuperware, spoons and your child's beloved 'baby' make an afternoon of delightful fun.

Besides opening your cabinets  here are some recipes to beat the August heat!

BOATS BOATS BOATS

WATER TOYS:

Your kitchen holds the ingredients for many floating water toys.  Wine corks are buoyant and the perfect substructure for a variety of boats.

INGREDIENTS:  recycled corks--all sizes, recycled 1/2 gallon milk cartons, recycled spice jars, recycled spice boxes, water resistant glue, toothpicks

TOOLS:  scissors, glue brush, recycled jar lid

INSTRUCTION:   1.  Cut an empty, clean milk carton in half, lengthwise.  This is for your boat base.   2.  Squirt glue into jar lid.  3.  Completely cover the outsides and bottom with glue then press on corks. Line corks up side by side, lengthwise.  Glue and dry.  3.  Let your imagination go wild--create cabin and smoke stack using spice jars and tins.  Use toothpicks as flags etc..  5.  Float in the tub or pool.  Make two and have a race!

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Use recycled paper towel tubes as smoke stacks.  OR cut the boat base from a recycled Styrofoam tray and add lightweight objects for cabin.


SPONGE BOATS:

It is amazing how many water resistant objects there are in your kitchen.  Sponges can also double as floating summer toys.

INGREDIENTS:  Sponges---all sizes, toothpicks, water resistant glue.

TOOLS:  scissors, glue brush, recycled jar lid

INSTRUCTION:  1.  Pick a large sponge for your boat base.  2.  Cut other sponges into shapes (heart, rectangles, circles, etc.).  3.  Squirt glue into jar lid.  Brush glue onto sponges and stick shapes together.  4.  Use toothpicks to hold in place or as flags and decorations.  5.  Set afloat!

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Combine corks, sponges and milk carton.  Make more than one and have a race!

INSPIRING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

                                               INSPIRING BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

I am amazed by the far-reaching surprises inspired by KITCHEN ART.  My youngest son, Teal, a junior at UC Merced, is home for the summer.  As part of his family participation he volunteered to create each project  in KITCHEN ART to fine-tune the instructions and product results in the final steps before I publish my book.

Making his way through Chapter One Food Coloring and Chapter Two Printing Teal became excited by the blending of colors.  He quickly realized how simple it is to turn a paper towel, coffee filter, or freezer bag into beautiful art.  Although he found adding the rubbing alcohol to the food coloring and water (used to set the dyes) created a powerful smell, he really enjoyed the 'surprise' element of unfolding the dyed product and appreciating the results. 

My nineteen-year-old-son, a scientist and mathematician at heart had his creative juices inspired and flowing.  Suddenly KITCHEN ART had both his right and left brain working!

So now he is tie-dying.  From flimsy paper towels and coffee filters Teal is now making tee-shirts and wall hangings!  He plans to take them back to college and create a small business.  So open those cabinet doors and get creative---you never know what you will inspire!

                TIE-DYE TOWELS

Tie-dye was the rage in the 1960's and returned in the 1990's and stayed!  Following simple steps your child can create their own folded tie-dye patterns.

INGREDIENTS:  Food coloring, water, paper towels

TOOLS:  Muffin tins, clothes pins and line, measuring spoon

INSTRUCTION:  1.  Place small amount of food coloring into muffins tins. Hint: Start with red, yellow and blue, each in their own tin. Dilute with one tablespoon water.  2.  Fold paper towel several times into fan or square shape.  3.  Dip corner into selected color.  Watch the ink soak into the toweling.  4.  Repeat with different colors.  Continue until all white areas are dyed.  Hint:  DO NOT OVER WET CLOTH!  Hang on line to dry, or place in warm oven.  7.  Unfold and admire your results.  Notice how blue and yellow make green and red and blue make purple and yellow and red create orange.  REMEMBER:  The stronger your dyes the deeper your colors.

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Try coffee filters or paper napkins as a base.  Add alcohol to set the colors.  Enhance your design with potato stamps.

                POTATO PRINTING

All types of vegetables can be used for printing from celery to slices of pepper but for a more controlled stamping technique try potato printing.  Using 1/2 of a soft potato and a paring knife you can cut your own simple designs.

INGREDIENTS:  Food coloring, soft potatoes, recycled freezer bags.

TOOLS:  muffin tins or recycled Styrofoam trays, paring knife, cutting board, measuring spoon

INSTRUCTION:  *Adult supervision required.  Set up:  1.  Cut soft potato in half.  2. Using knife, sketch design, centered, on flat half of potato.  A star,  crescent moon or heart can be easily made.  Carve around pattern so your design is raised about 1/2".   3. Place a few drops of food coloring in muffin tins or on Styrofoam tray plus one tablespoon of water, mix.  Begin printing:  4.  Carefully dip design into ink, covering only the raised area.  6.  Print onto paper, pressing gently.  Dry.  Repeat patterns or make a picture!

ADDITIONAL IDEAS:  Use small cookie cutters to make your designs in the potato.  OR stamp on your tie dyed napkin and frame!  BE CREATIVE!