water paints with children

We have rain forecasted for most of this week.  We have been under a burn ban since late December, so the rain is much needed and appreciated.  Especially since John built me a fire pit for my birthday!  I'm ready to have friends over again and get that thing lit!

One of our favorite "in the house all day" activities is water painting.  It isn't a fancy craft, but it keeps us busy and happy.  Add some Enya on Pandora and we have a peaceful afternoon creative outlet.

When water painting with children, it is best to purchase the best you can for your budget.  There really is a marked difference between the pallets that are ready made, and the liquid paint that you add water to.

To prepare liquid paints, get a small cup or jar.  Squeeze a bit into the bottom of the cup (I bought a six pack of shot glasses at the dollar store).  Add water half way up and give a little stir.  I like to leave a concentrated amount at the bottom so the child can determine the shade of color they would like to use. A more diluted, lighter shade, or a concentrated, opaque shade.  They can do both using the same cup of paint.

It is best to only use water painting paper for projects.  Printing paper will rip apart or dry warped.  Water paint paper ensures a nice weight for proper absorption and distribution of color.

A great project for this time of year is the winter trees over at Meet the Dubiens.  It was a good opportunity to discuss negative space in art.  And it turned out beautifully!

No after pic here...

go create!

it's all how you look at it

what an adventure we had today! we were set to leave the house to go buy new mud boots for moonpie. we have been having massive rains of late and the flip-flops in the puddles don't mix well for us (we seem to lose them mid-puddle and mama has to step in to save the day, err, the flip-flop). so we were on the porch, i had locked the door from the inside and left it open so i could see to the cat and then grab my keys. uh-huh, not the best plan when your fellow adventures are 2 and 5. so, you guessed it, buddy shut the door and we were officially locked out. i made a quick attempt to find a neighbor but all were out. and then it hits me, we can walk to the church to find john. not too far of a walk and PLENTY of puddles in between. i love the world after a good rain. everything glistens and the same things we see everyday are transformed into small ponds and rivers! we stomped through puddles and found new flowers. we watched the birds skitter about and sailed leaf boats down the street. it was lovely and other worldly, until we had to cross the street. with buddy in my arms and moonpie at my hip we set across one of the busiest intersections in town (i should add that our town is sorely lacking in appropriate pedestrian aids- no lights, hardly a crosswalk, and NOBODY slows down for a walker-even with kids). we reached the corner and then SPLASH- were soaked by a SUV barreling down the road. remembering that i set the tone, i squealed with the kids and we laughed and laughed. and then, the rain started. and you would think that rain + mom + young kids = cars stopping to let you cross. ha! we stood on the corner waiting for cars to pass in pouring rain. and again, we attempted joy at this situation. because i mean really, what else are you going to do? let it ruin the day?
we arrived at john's office wet, really wet! but laughing. buddy said "let's tell daddy the whole story". turns out his favorite part was getting splashed by the car- big surprise!
when we got home, we found that the panty fairy had visited! the kids had a box of new undies on the porch sent from my step-mom- perfect seeing as we had to strip down on the porch!
that's how life is, right? setting out to do something and when it doesn't work out, being able to roll with the everyday adventures.

cure for a muggy day

after a few days of glorious rain, yesterday was muggy and hot. my pumpkins are very happy, but my sissy self does not like being out in high humidity. not so much a frizzy hair issue, more of a mosquito thing. so to counter the effects of being cooped up inside all day, we invited a friend over and made play-dough. we have a drawer full of partially dried play-dough, but there is no better play-dough than the kind you make yourself. it's all warm in your hands and you get to mix your own colors. very fun!
there are hundreds (or at least 10, i've been known to exaggerate such things) of variations of this play-dough recipe, but i promise you, this is the best:

2 cups flour (i use white for a smoother texture)
1 cup salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tablespoons oil
1 tsp food coloring
2 cups of water

mix ingredients in a saucepan. cook over medium heat, stir constantly, until dough leaves sides of pan.

remove from pan. when cool, knead in your favorite color(s).

very easy! very fun! very salty (just ask buddy- after a mouthful he can testify to this)!