WFMW: Mess-Free Painting For Your Preschooler

Wendy, at almost 4 years old (!!!), loves anything artistic. Coloring, drawing, Play-Doh, painting...she does it all! In the past I have unintentionally stifled her creativity because I was afraid of the mess. Well, no more! (See the masterpiece she made the other day?)

I've come upon a fairly mess-free way for Wendy to paint to her heart's content. All it took was a few inexpensive supplies. Here are the important points:

Paint: I am a huge fan of Crayola's washable products. I found this six-pack of washable paint at the grocery store, and it works really well. It's thick enough to stick to brushes so that kids can achieve really vibrant and colorful effects. It washes right out of the brushes, off the wall, off the floor, out of the clothes, off the skin...you get the idea.

Brushes: I found a package of paint brushes at the grocery store that has worked out great. It was around $5, and has 8 brushes of different sizes and shapes. (It's similar to this set, but not exactly the same.) Wendy loves experimenting with them and seeing the different looks each brush can give.

Palette: Instead of using some sort of paint cup or palette, I use an egg carton. Since our paint set has 6 colors, I cut the egg carton into 6-cup segments. With a small blob of paint in each cup, Wendy is all set! When she's finished, I either throw away the egg carton or, if we're going to paint more later in the day, I'll stick the egg carton in a quart-sized zipper bag to use later.

Water Cup: A sturdy glass votive holder works great! It's low and heavy, so it's less likely to tip over, and it cleans up easily!

Paper: We've used poster board, construction paper, drawing paper, and card stock. It all works equally well for the paints we're using. If using watercolors, I'm sure watercolor paper would be the best bet. Just tape it up on the wall, making sure it's secure. No easel needed!

Location: We have a little space of wall in our kitchen, behind our back door, where I set up a painting station for Wendy. It is out of the general traffic area, in plain sight, and (most importantly) is on an easy-to-clean vinyl floor. I really like having it there, because she can paint while her brother is napping and I can get some much-needed kitchen work done. I tape up the paper, place her supplies on a low stool, and she's all set!

When the artist has decided that her composition is finished, I leave it taped to the wall to dry. Wendy helps me clean up her water cup and brushes, and we wipe off any drips on the floor or wall.

And that's it! Painless painting fun for a preschooler!

(I'm really proud of the egg-carton idea. Can I get some kudos for that, please?)

Mess-free painting works for me! For more great ideas, visit Works-For-Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family!

Top Ten Tuesday: Make Cleaning Fun!

Some people enjoy cleaning and organizing. I enjoy the idea of cleaning and organizing, and typically get 1/4 of the way through a project before getting distracted, leaving things in more of a mess than they were originally.

In an effort to keep myself motivated to make progress on housecleaning, I've compiled a list of things that make cleaning fun! Well, not quite fun, per se, but not excruciatingly yucky.

1. Coffee - starting with a good cup of coffee while planning the day's tasks really helps get things off on the right foot.

2. Attitude - having a good attitude for cleaning is ESSENTIAL. Absolutely vital. Are you muttering while you clean, berating the people in your house for being messy? Or are you thankful for having a comfortable home and for the ability to serve your family?

3. Playlist/Audiobook - a little entertainment goes a long way toward making a dreaded task enjoyable. Energetic music, especially the sing-a-long kind, really helps keep me going. A good audiobook can do the same thing, as long as it's not so interesting that you find yourself just sitting & listening!

4. Movie - I'm sure this seems out of place on the list, but I like watching something good while I fold laundry. Even if I'm way behind on folding (and when am I not?) I can get all of the folding done while doing something fun.

5. Checklist - the Motivated Moms chore planning system has really helped keep me on my toes. I highly recommend it; I'm definitely going to buy it again next year.

6. Apron - I don't have an apron, but I want one! I like the idea of putting it on to remind myself of what I'm supposed to be doing. And besides, they're cute!!

7. Scented Cleaner - to me, a house doesn't seem clean unless it smells fresh. Just yesterday I tried Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Geranium All-Purpose Cleaner, and it is fantastic! I want to use it all over the house, so that I can just sniff it all day long.

8. Tools - you don't need a lot of supplies to clean, but there are a few things that are very helpful. A bucket, good rags for scrubbing, a good duster, and a good mop help get things done in an efficient manner. (I would really like to try the Shark Steam Mop. Have you tried it? Is it a good as it looks?)

9. Snack/Water Breaks - making yourself work too long without a break is counterproductive. It's much better to plan on a short break every hour, with a glass of water and maybe a small snack. Otherwise, you'll exhaust yourself way too soon, and only get things half finished.

10. Flexibility - another essential if you've got littles underfoot, flexibility can help you keep your sanity on cleaning days. Gone are the days when I could whip my house into perfect shape with two hours of work. Instead, it's an all day or many-day process, and it never really gets "perfect." That's just how life is when you are raising small children! It takes longer. Being flexible about the timing of your cleaning helps keep the frustration at a minimum.

What do YOU do to make cleaning more enjoyable? I could always use more motivation!

For more great Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!

Do Be Do Be Dooo...

Over the last few weeks, I've been making some major changes in my life. I've kept quiet about them on the blog, but I think it's time to share.

Here's what I'm up to:

1) Recording every single thing that I eat in a food diary. I am using FatSecret, which has an easy-to-use calorie counter that helps me stay on target. I've lost 5 pounds in the last two weeks. So there.

2) Exercising! I've never been a fan of exercising - it's hot and sweaty and UGH. But I feel so much better when I get regular exercise.

3) Studying the Bible every morning. I'm participating in Beth Moore's Breaking Free study through our ladies' class at church, and it is wonderful and challenging and refreshing.

4) Trying to be fully-present in my kids' lives. I have a tendency to just do my own thing and let the kids play, but I need to interact with them more and spend more time teaching them and reading to them and cuddling them and wrestling them.

See? We need more of this.

Basically, these changes can be summarized in one idea: I want to stop being and start doing. Life is short, kids grow quickly, and this, now, is the time to get busy!

Masterpiece

"Is God watching me paint?"

"Yes, baby."

"Do you think He wikes it?"

"I'm sure He does!"

"I think He thinks it is very beautiful!"



I think YOU are beautiful.

Things I Love Thursday: Buds n' Branches

Back in June, we had the privilege of going to the wedding of my husband's little sister and her long-time sweetheart. I took that opportunity to look for matching outfits for Wendy and David - how many excuses to you get for dressing your kids alike??

After searching high and low, I came across the Buds n' Branches store on Etsy. I really liked what I saw, but nothing was just exactly right. I send a message to the seller, and she graciously agreed to make me a matching set for Wendy and David, complete with their names embroidered on the front.

I was especially delighted by the quick turn-around; I placed the order and had the outfits within the week! The workmanship is great, the fit is great, and the kids were SO cute for the wedding!

If you're in the market for matching apparel for your kiddos, or just want a nice monogrammed outfit, go visit Buds n' Branches! You'll love it!

For more Things I Love Thursday posts, visit Jill at The Diaper Diaries!

(p.s. - I also love the kids' shoes! Wendy's sandals are Stride Rite's Lollipop sandals and David's shoes are Converse One Star shoes from Target.)

Top Ten Tuesday: Makes Me Smile!

I had a bit of writer's block when I was trying to think of a topic for today's Top Ten Tuesday post. I asked Twitter for suggestions, and Heather came to my rescue! Thanks, Heather!

Top Ten Things My Kids Have Done To Make Me Smile Lately:

1. Wendy was holding the front door for me as I was bringing in groceries last week. I walked through and she didn't shut the door. I said, "Close the door please, baby!" and she replied, "I'm holding it for God!" She always asks us if God is in the car with us, and of course we say yes...I guess it makes sense that He would come in the house when we do!

2. David has been really interested in Signing Time lately. He was watching a video the other day and I saw him grab one plump wrist with the other plump hand and sway back and forth - he was trying to copy the sign for "baby"!

3. Wendy was coloring very intently during our devotional on Sunday night. When she finished, she handed it to Miss Rachel, and said, "I made this for you!" (Miss Rachel is our church's resident grandmother. Everyone knows her and loves her.)

4. David knows that the first thing we do when we come home is take off our shoes, and usually his Daddy helps him with that. Now, whenever we come in, David plops down on the floor in front of Daddy, grabs the toes of his shoes, and asks, "shushuf?" which must be his form of "shoes off?"

5. We've definitely entered the phase of sibling squabbles, but today, all of her own accord, Wendy shared her snack with David! She saw that he was hungry, and said, "I'll share wif him!" She pinched off little pieces of her bread and popped it in his wide-open baby-birdie mouth. It was sweet!

6. David has entered a very hug-y phase, and we are loving it! He will be busy playing, and walk over to us, give us a hug, and continue on his merry way!

7. Wendy laughed in her sleep the other night. Like, a full-out, wide-awake sounding laugh. Even though it woke me up, I had to smile - she must have been having a good dream!

8. David has finally discovered that books are not just for chewing. He has a little touch-and-feel animal book that he will "read" for ten minutes at a time - he's fascinated by it!

9. Wendy makes everything into a song these days. It can get annoying, but it's also pretty funny. It turns simple requests for more milk into quite an entertaining show!

10. David's determination in exercising his new walking skills is really impressive. I have to smile when I see his focus as he holds his balance during a wobbly spell. He is such a busy boy!

Those are ten ways my kids have made me smile lately - and I must say, it was a good thing for me to focus on. These days of parenting an almost-4 year old and a 14 month old can be draining and exhausting. Revisiting all the ways they make me smile sure makes it seem worthwhile!

For more Top Ten Tuesday lists, visit OhAmanda.com!