Easy kids artwork

I have thought for some time that Naomi's room is rather drab. I made new curtains for her, but the paintwork really needs refreshing and she had nothing else interesting to look at. As it is highly likely that we will be renting out this house and moving some time in the next few months, I didn't really feel like painting and decorating (and the fact that I have been threatened with dire consequences by Brad if I even think of climbing a ladder at 30 weeks pregnant!).

So instead, I came up with this easy and fun idea for some interactive artwork to brighten the walls. I bought some cheap art canvases at the crazy bargain shop, and 2 tubes of pretty contrasting paint. Brushes, a roller and other bits and pieces we already had in the craft stash.

Step 1 was to roll the background colour on each canvas. Using a slightly damp roller produced the soft wash cloudy effect. Naomi loved this part, and proceeded to roller paint every surface in sight... thankfully, after I had rinsed out the paint and it was just plain water!

Step 2, when the background paint is dry, is to let your child go crazy with brushes and the contrasting coloured paint. Naomi adores painting, so this bit was easy to get her interested in.

Step 3, after allowing the painted masterpieces to dry, is just to raid your buttons / ribbons / scrapbook supplies and stick things on to your heart's content! Naomi helped choose the ribbons and buttons that she liked, and picked the flower stickers. She also pointed out where she wanted each one. Warning - this step can be just a little frustrating for the adult ... "there... no, um, there. This one. Or maybe this one...."

Step 4, we added a little ribbon loop to hang the canvases from, and allowed the whole lot to dry.

We think they came up looking pretty darn good. And when Brad got home, he actually thought we had bought them in a spending spree! In fact, he has taken one to work to hang on his office wall ... so we need to make another one for Naomi's room!

A couple of hints --

Check your perfectionism in at the door, before beginning this project. I had a mental image of what I wanted, which at times didn't coincide with my darling toddler's spontaneous creativity.

All sorts of ideas for embellishment spring to mind - sparkle pens? glitter glue? ribbon bows?

Frugal cheese

What is working for me this week? Well, a number of things aren't working for me, but this one sure is.

Miss Naomi likes cheese. Oh, boy, does she like to eat slices of cheese. And not the cheap processed stuff - it has to be the real McCoy block cheese that costs an arm and a leg. So how to make this fit into the Cherished Household budget??

Take 1 vegetable peeler. Take your block of cheese. Apply one to the other. Voi'la, as the French would say!

I use the peeler to shave off very thin slices of cheese from the block - enough to satisfy the tastes of our little cheese monster, but frugal enough to make the block last for ages, and soooo easy to cut. I am useless at cutting straight slices off with a knife - they are too chunky, hard for little ones to easily eat and wasteful of the cheese. But this way, everyone is happy! And it makes slicing cheese for sandwiches so easy as well.

Now head on over to Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer for more great tips.

Found a bargain!

Brad worked on Saturday, so I found myself driving to the shops with Naomi, at around 8.30am. On the way I happened to pass a sign advertising a garage sale. Maybe it is the wee drop of canny Scottish blood in my veins, but I do love to find a bargain. I quite enjoy rummaging through garage sales! But as it is not really Brad's thing, and sleep on weekend mornings is at a premium, I rarely get the chance.

But here was my opportunity - footloose & fancy free, and with money in my purse! Browsing through the items, I spotted a lovely little set of shelves & drawers for a kids room - but sadly, it was already sold. Then I hit paydirt.

These pillowcases were bundled together with a sign saying "Pair of pillowcases, $2". Seriously?!?! I liked the fabric, could see that they were mariner's compass quilt block patterns, and snapped them up. When I got them home and had a closer inspection, it is clear that these are hand-quilted! Someone's mother / aunt / grandmother has put hours of work into them.... and I got it all for the princely sum of $2!!!

PS -- please ignore the fact that we have a pink floral bedspread on the bed today... I was so excited by my find that I had to use them straight away -- matching linen, or not!

WFMW - Frugal baby fruit

I don't mind cooking and puree-ing veges for baby food but I am not one to fiddle around cooking fruit. But I am equally not happy buying those teeny tiny cans of baby fruit, which are expensive and don't g very far at all!

So my WFMW tip is to buy large cans of baking fruit (peach, apple or apricot) and blend it with a blender of any description. Then freeze in cubes and store in zip-lock bags. Be sure to buy the baking fruit, because it is 100% fruit with no added syrup or sugar. More food for much less cost!

Head on over to Rocks In My Dryer for more Works for me Wednesday tips.