<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-002.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-896" alt="salt dough" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-002.jpg" width="500" height="314" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">A couple of weeks back, our friend, E, came over to spend the day with us.  Once the two kids had tired of destroying the entire first floor of the house, we decided to try a craft: <a href="http://theimaginationtree.com/2010/10/salt-dough-handprints.html">salt dough handprint ornaments</a>.  It went surprisingly well.  At first, I thought that a craft with multiple toddlers and only one adult was a bad idea.  But, E is such a mellow kid that everything worked out just fine.  She seems to have enjoyed herself, no?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-004.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-897" alt="toddler crafts" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-004.jpg" width="500" height="336" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">E is still a bit young for crafts (only 17 months).  The only SNAFU we hit was when she tried to eat the dough.  Luckily, once she realized it was 50% salt, she took the spoon out of her mouth.  Ha!  That's one of the many reasons we love working with food-based homemade doughs.  Their hands are always faster than yours!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-020.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-898" alt="toddler" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-020.jpg" width="363" height="500" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Sometimes life gets a little overwhelming, but it's nothing a little thumb sucking and hair twirling can't fix.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-022.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-899" alt="salt dough" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-022.jpg" width="341" height="500" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Doughs are great for sensory play.  I'm hoping to try a <a href="http://kidsactivitiesblog.com/49815/best-play-recipes">bunch more </a>before spring comes and we head outdoors for play.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-035.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-900" alt="salt dough" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-035.jpg" width="500" height="295" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">They are so sweet together.  E's mom and I have been friends for 20 years.  Watching our children grow and play together is nothing short of miraculous.  I just hope they make better choices as teenagers than we did!  Ugh.  Let's not think about that yet!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-039.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-901" alt="toddler crafts" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-039.jpg" width="353" height="500" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">When we finished mixing and playing in the dough, I made 2 small disks.  Each of the girls pressed their hand into one.  Then, I used a skewer to make a hole so that the ornaments can hang from a ribbon.  The disks can dry at room temperature, but it is much faster to put them in a 200 degree oven for a few hours until they are sufficiently dried out.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-044.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-902" alt="salt dough handprints" src="http://www.karolineskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/butternut-curry-044.jpg" width="500" height="233" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Looking forward to the next time we get to babysit E.  She is always an absolute delight.</p>
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