Ideas for Food Coloring

I saw a segment on Food Network about Food coloring and they had a few cute ideas for kids.

Colored Pasta Necklaces:
Materials:
different shapes of hollow pasta
food coloring
rubbing alcohol
string
zip lock bags
paper plates

Directions:
Put several pieces of pasta, a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol and a couple drops of McCormick food coloring into a zip lock bag, close, and shake until colored. Spread on paper plate to dry. Make several different colors. String into a pretty necklace for mom!
(http://www.mccormick.com/Products/Extracts-and-Food-Colors/Food-Colors.aspx)

Homemade Play doh
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup water
Mix well until it forms a ball. Knead add food coloring if desired. If sticky add some flour and if to dry add a small amount of water.

or...

1 cup flour
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons cream of tarter
1 teaspoon oil
1/4 cup salt
food coloring


Mix all ingredients (add food coloring last). Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan, let cool slightly, and knead until blended and smooth. Store in a plastic bag or airtight container when cooled.

and...

Fairy Play Doh (glitter)
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Food coloring gel (this will make the colors more vibrant)
Glitter
Mix all ingredients with the exception of the glitter in a sauce pan well heat stirring the mix constantly until it forms a ball remove at once. Add the glitter and knead until smooth and uniform.Store in a tight sealing container.This mix stores at room temperature.
(Playdoh recipes from http://www.simplymoms.com/art/playdoh.html and they have a few more too)


a few more fun ideas for food coloring...

1. Food coloring can also be used to tint glue, for use in construction paper and glitter projects, where extra color is desired.
2. Cornstarch, water and food coloring mix up for fine finger paints that can be blended and mixed on the paper for young artists.
3. Take some Epsom salts, fragrance and food coloring, and get perfumed bath salts! This easy project mixes quickly in a baby food jar and is pretty well goof-proof. Children love making these little crafts for their teachers.
4. Red food coloring in a sugar
solution also attracts hummingbirds. The red liquid in a hummingbird feeder signals to the birds that a food source is nearby and they will congregate around the feeder.
5. Food color also finds uses in flower arranging. White flowers can actually be easily dyed with food coloring. One good candidate for this technique is the wildflower Queen Anne’s lace. All the flower arranger needs to do is to fill a jar with water, add four or five drops of the desired color and put the flowers in the water. They will take in the colored water and will take on the color in the petals. Flowers dyed in this way can be used to coordinate in bridal bouquets and other decorative centerpieces. Daisies will also work with this method. In fact, almost any white cut flower will change color if the water has food coloring in it. Some florists use colored water in clear vases to enhance the appearance of their arrangements, also.
(compliments of...http://www.essortment.com/hobbies/uniqueusesfood_sujg.htm)

People also add red dye to cherry pies to give it a more "cherry" look and for those people who churn their own butter, a little yellow to give it more of a golden look.

A post on food dye wouldn't be complete without the coloring blending chart:


Deep Purple:
Blue + 15 Pink
Apple:
25 Green + 2 Blue
Apricot:
8 Green + 3 Pink
Turquoise:
10 Blue + 3 Green
Dusty Rose:
6 Pink + 1 Blue
Sky Blue:
12 Blue + 6 Purple + 2 Green

Enjoy!