I'm about to go and make my own creative space for today, but yesterday afternoon the short people and I did some potato stamp painting. (Cole and Immy were completely amazed that their mama is so brilliant she can even make painting utensils from potatoes! Imagine! I intend to soak all these moments up whilst they last!)
We hopped between inside and outside depending on the wind, but lots of fun was had - I forgot how enjoyable something like that can be...just sitting and mixing paint colours, and creating patterns...it's a lovely way to spend a few hours. Of course, I also did a bit of sitting on my hands and not intervening (I find it hard not to step in when there's some particularly lovely stamping and it's about to be all covered up because l'artiste has decided to use the spud as a paintbrush and drown every detail in some indistinguishable shade of mud. I am fiercely proud of not stepping in though, because it's not my work, but theirs, and how can they own it if I don't give them the opportunity to do things their way? At the end of it all, it doesn't matter whether the work has been done the way I prefer, but that Cole and Imogen are proud of their creations, and that they are allowed to create them as they wish. My fingers still get itchy, but I've just gotten really good at sitting on my hands!)
We have a plan for these little canvasses...
...and in the meantime late yesterday evening we found a perfect easel substitute for hanging wet paintings...that poor plant needs to go, but it was nice to give it a job in the meantime!
Pop over to Kirsty at Kootoyou for more creative spaces.
oh that looks like terrific fun! I look forward to some times like that in a year or 2 when my toddler is ready for it. Love it! The pics look great on the tree.
Posted by: Mandy | June 24, 2010 at 10:05 AM
perhaps i will do this today with my kids...its raining again and yuk.xx
Posted by: angelina | June 24, 2010 at 10:17 AM
It's great fun - and we've been painting since the twins were about 19 months...once they don't eat the paint anymore (much!) you're good to go - school paints (aka washable) are your friends!
Posted by: Jolie | June 24, 2010 at 10:25 AM
ugh, isn't it a pain?!? We've had a whole slew of wet miserable weather - a whole 3 fine days and it's back to the wet and freezing. Enjoy your painting!
Posted by: Jolie | June 24, 2010 at 10:26 AM
Great painting fun! I find it hard to sit on my hands when my girls are crafting and painting - my compromise when they paint is to confiscate the black!!
Love the drying tree too!! :)
Posted by: Jill | June 24, 2010 at 12:26 PM
...and I mix the colours (we have just the 6 basics) so I guess there's a little infiltration there too on my part!
Posted by: Jolie | June 24, 2010 at 01:12 PM
love your "drying tree" idea! i too am working on the "sitting on hands" skill!
Posted by: Catherine | June 25, 2010 at 08:37 AM
the drying tree is ace although it looks like its days may be numbered. enjoy the littlies admiring your never ending wisdom and knowledge for as long as you can. i think i may even introduce my big/little ones to this activity in the holidays.
Posted by: michelle | June 27, 2010 at 11:22 PM