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Kid diy screen printing

That whole “I do it” phase most certainly did not end with self-feeding or dressing … It crept into everything from teeth brushing to pushing the shopping cart to writing the answers to everything … In marker. And now Matt wants to bake and use the oven on his own and K and C want to turn on the tv, iPad, computer, phone and find what they want there as well. I find at six and four and a half parental controls and use (or not) of options is already getting tricky… So lord help me in ten years when the “I do it” de jour is driving for Matty and make up for the girls… I need to get good locks on our doors – or a tougher backbone.  

In the meantime though, I’m always happy to have those strong self moments expressed through our kids creativity – so I loved when I found cheap ($5 each) iron on transfer packages that allowed kids to colour their own design/message.  

the transfer paper and crayons

 
We had white shirts from a sale a few weeks earlier and I showed the kids through a mirror how to backwards print and why. They made their own designs and chose where on the shirt to position each one.   
   
 
   

I ironed and they peeled away the backing …eh voila! A great kid diy project.  
  

  … And yes Kate and Charlie chose to write who they loved on their frocks while our little rocker replicated a logo he’d designed for his pals’ band and made the first of many groupie shirts for the “bird band”.

  

Returning to what I love

  It’s been over a year – the longest of my many absences over this blog – but I think now it’s time to come back. Again. A few things came together over the past few days that have helped me to overcome an all to familiar running excuse in my brain, that I’m too busy and what is the point… The point is that I love being creative and love sharing that passion with people. Mostly, it would seem, with my kids.  The point is also that “busy” isn’t a destination – it’s a roadblock, one that I’d like to overcome.

Why now? We’ve done so many fun crafts and events over the past year and I’d love to  share them here and to use this to push me to stay inspired.

So – let’s start at the end – what brought me back? 

1. Last week my little cutie fell on her face with her hands caught behind her back and in the blink of an eye a very busy Easter weekend and work week ahead was hurdled aside.  Through the blood and tears and the five loose teeth and broken palate, through the sleepless nights, liquid diet and multiple medications for infections and pain, and through the eyes of everyone that looked sadly at her broken face – my Kate smiled. Her crazy beautiful spirit shining through – and her words to me as she wriggled out of my hand for the tenth time today to walk faster than I was comfortable? “Mom- I just want to have some fun”… Right. Life isn’t about the cautions and the issues and the what ifs … As much as I want to hold tight and slow her down – she’s right – life is about moving forward. So I thought for a nano second in that moment – what am I holding back from? Ah yes- this. Then I ran to catch up – within a hand length so I could catch her if anything happened 😉

2. I am reading my kids the best book right now in a series called the Magical Animal Adoption Agency – by Kallie George. It’s brilliant and despite few actual images, I see the pictures she writes about coming alive in their heads. We finished book two tonight… I flipped casually to the author flap- She’s an awesome author I thought – must be British … Nope! Imagine my surprise – She graduated from the same university as me, and lives in the same small part of the world. It’s possible. She chose to pursue creativity in a world over crowded with mediocre authors and she rocked it. Huh. Possible. Right here. 

3. The final push was our Matty – I think he’s always the final push for me.  This kid.

This weekend when we were all sharing what we wanted to do with our days off – Matty predictably started talking about two craft ideas he had.  Tonight we embarked on the second of his ideas – and he led the way – our six year old- instructing the rest of us on how to make cherry blossom trees. At one point I recorded him because he talks like he’s leading a class most of the time – check it out  

 
With a kid like this how can you not stop and smell the … Blossoms? 

Hoping to be back for real. Even if no one reads this except us with a big glass of wine in 20 years when these cuties are grown… I think it’ll be worth it. 

If you do read this – thanks 🙂