Make-A-Messterpiece

Well I've been meaning to write this, and since I leave soon for vacation (that will probably not have internet access!) I thought I should post this now! LOL!

Last week we went to Make-A-Messterpiece in Glenview, IL. It was SO fun. I was invited to them via the blog since I sometimes post about crafting/creating with the kids. Here's where I say I don't get invited to things often - maybe 5-6 offers so far ever. This is the second I've responded positively too and I'm SO glad I did!

I was completely blown away by how fabulous this place is! My kids did NOT want to leave and constantly ask when we get to go back - all three of them were happy all day long! Amazing, and not always something that happens when we go places.

First of all, we were treated so well while we were there - so thanks for that! We were at the pre-grand opening, and were treated to yummy treats, lunch, and no lines LOL! =) We stuck around for the grand opening to the public because my kids had that much fun!

So, tons and tons of things to do there - creative kitchen, club m, drum roll, bubble-ology, little sprouts, experimentation station, and two (not one but two!) play areas!

Of course, we have to start with the rules

My kids did especially well at following make a mess rule ;-)

There was lots of painting to be done too!


(a bubble-ology creation!)


free painting

The area that looked the most fun to me was Drum Roll - where you go play drums that have paint on them, so it all splashes everywhere!


And I have to admit it, they all looked so cute just wearing their little suits to protect their clothes!



At Little Sprouts we made rice shakers and flower pots - very fun, and all but 1 of our pots are now sprouting! Yeah!








In the creative kitchen they made banana/graham cracker treats - and I sampled them - they were yummy, and we have plans to make them at home!




Experimentation Station had them sprouting some beans - fun! And something I remember doing as a kid!




Club M is where the moms can sit and hang out while the kids get creative!



And one of the play areas:



And when we got home, we had to hang up our new art on the art wall:




I so recommend taking a day/afternoon to head over there and let the kids have fun and get creative and explore. It's nice to have a spot where they can get a taste of so many ways to be creative - all while not having to worry about cleaning it up!

We will definitely go back again - I'm just not sure when =)

To see more pictures (yes, there are more LOL) you can click here!

New shirts!

The kids got new shirts yesterday. Well, actually they made new shirts yesterday - which of course they HAD to wear today.

Painting the shirts:







And wearing them today:



My 3 year old especially was so proud to tell people he painted that dinosaur. I think a few people doubted him so I stepped in and said yep! We did it just last night!

We used the freezer paper method - in which hubby and I cut out the shape from a square of freezer paper, ironed the whole piece to a shirt and paint! When it's dry, you peel the freezer paper off and what's left is the shape you cut out. So it's looks great and beautiful and no one has to actually be able to draw the shape they want (we googled silhouette for the shape we wanted and just traced it!)

We got the idea from The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule (aka Soule Mama - whom I adore and would like to be like when I grow up!)

New Art Gallery!

Our house got a new art gallery installed today.

The kids love it as well!

I've been wanting to do this for a while. We've been thinking of ideas on how to display the kids' art work. First I thought about frames, but, those are really expensive and plus, you never know what size art work they will produce! Then we thought about getting some cork board. But most of them were too thin, the pins would have gone right through and made marks on the wall behind it (which dh was opposed to doing because he doesn't want to patch a million holes LOL!) I asked around for ideas - and heard lots of great ones, but none I could make work in our house.

Finally, this morning I told dh, forget it looking "nice." We are not a real gallery. All that is important to me is that we hang up some of the kids stuff because they make so much and I feel like we display so little of it. So go buy 4 eye hooks and some wire and even if it doesn't look "professional" it will be awesome!

So, he did. And we hung it up tonight. And I have to say, I LOVE it. I absolutely love it. I just keep walking by and looking at it. The kids, they love it too. It may not look professional, it may not look like a real gallery, but you know what, it's our gallery. And that makes it wonderful in my eyes! =)

More drawing ....

I've been drawing again, and this time I added a bit of color to my little drawings. These two were both made using a how to draw book that is actually for my kids! But I figure I have to start somewhere, right?




Anyway, I showed these too my hubby and he said that my koala bear is the wrong color (which it is) but I used creative license to do that (and plus a real nice soft gray is not in our colored pencil box anymore LOL). But I think he was shocked to see it. He looked at me funny and said something like "really? you did that?" I think I kind of shocked him because he's never seen me draw before (well, because I haven't really drawn before!). Then I told him as soon as we are debt free and in a better position, I will definitely want to take some classes!

So there you go .. they aren't perfect, they aren't worthy of being in an art museum, but you know what? I don't care! I had a lot of fun making them. And frankly, I'd like to keep drawing a lot. But I also think that I will be looking at our library for some drawing books so that I can start to draw things I see around me and not just follow the steps in a book. Not that following the steps is bad mind you, I enjoy it. But how cool would it be to be able to draw my children, or my husband or other important things around me? I would LOVE be able to do something like that as well.

Drawing ....

At some point recently, I decided I wanted to learn how to draw. I'm not sure really how this came about ... except I've been listening to the Creative Mom Podcast lately and there is a LOT of drawing talk there. So I'm pretty sure that's what gave me the bug. Anyway, I've been playing around just a teeny tiny bit - which means I've done all of two drawings.



I know they aren't the easiest to see because they are in pencil and admittedly very light. I don't know exactly how to color/shade them in very well. Really, I have lots of boxes of 24 crayons and 1 box of 12 colored pencils. Which, maybe I could really use those and color them in, but I don't know ... I don't trust myself yet to add color in and make it look that good.

Anyway who knows where else this will go. Or if I'll actually want to draw for more than a few weeks before I maybe move on to something else. I don't know, but for now it is kind of fun =)