Pepper Paints

Shaving Cream

My sensory loving kids love the mess that shaving cream can become!  We started off with cookie trays turned upside down for trays and a squirt of shaving cream.  Then I added a bit of tempra for color.

Then we placed a piece of finger paint paper over the top to make a print.  Freezer paper works well too.

Then it the shaving cream started covering feet and legs..

At this point I went in to finish dinner and took the camera with me.  I could hear them squealing with delight through the kitchen window and when I came back out they were completely white!  All except for eye balls.  I didn’t get a final shot but I am sure you can imagine the sight.  A quick dip in the baby pool and it was all gone!  Before bed tonight Ginger told me next time she wants me to put grubby clothes on and have a shaving cream fight with them.

Tonight Joe and I attended the Opening Reception for the Fine Arts Exhibit of The Ohio State Fair.  One of my photographs was accepted in the show.  I felt so proud to be brushing elbows and guzzling all the free local wine we could with the other artists!  If you are local and are planning on attending the Fair-check out all the great art in the Fine Arts building.  My photo is on the back wall in the case.  You can even purchase it!

From The mixed up Files of Pepperpaints

Set up for KidzArtz is underway.  We met tonight and some built the stage, some painted and hung curtains and I sorted through tons of cool recyclables and donations and things picked up from the Waste Not Center for use on the kids create art table.  I will be hanging out and working  this table so be sure to stop by and say Hey! if you are around.

These are some fellow Kidz Artz friends.  Taking a beer and Klondike Bar break.

I entitled this mixed up because I’m combining the photo (s) of the day with a post.  I really liked the way several photos turned out and I couldn’t pick just one.

This is Alissa. She wanted a photo of herself, because like me, she is most often behind the camera.  I love the way this photo turned out.  Whatcha think Alissa?

This cute pooch was hanging out tonight too!

And Ginger spent most of the night tapping….

Alka Seltzer + Water + Film Canaster=Explosion

Today we rode our bikes up to the library to see a Mad Science program but it ended up being cancelled.  So we came home for a lttle of  our own mad science.  The supply list is short:  package of Alka Seltzer-or generic brand- cold medicine, bottle or pitcher of water, empty film canaster.  I got ours from our camera shop, free for the asking!  You need the kind with the lid that snaps on on the inside.  And you may want eye protection.

Let kids experiment with different amounts of water and different size pieces of the Cold Tablets-1 whole tablet, 1/2 tablet, 2 tablets…

Drop them into the canister

Add water

Or do it in the reverse order, tablet first then water.  Either way quickly replace the top on to the canister and you can shake it if you want to and then stand back and watch…

It should pop up into the air at varying lengths depending on how many tablets and how much water.

Be sure to keep hands away from mouths as this is medicine.

Strawberries and Whine

It was a beautiful day for strawberry picking and eating and picking and eating….

And for picking peas

And by late afternoon it was one of those days when I  want to run far, far away from my children.  It doesn’t happen too often, thank god, but when it does it makes for a long day.  The fighting, crying, arguing, testing and what really got me yesterday ; the rudeness, selfishness, meanness.  I was even down one child for a few hours and I was still brought to tears of frustration.

I ask very little of my kids, which is part of the problem, so when there is an opportunity for them to help out I stupidly expect them to, if not willingly volunteer, at least unbegrudgingly help upon request.  These are not characteristics that I can change with a word and my impatient self can’t think of ways to discourage these attitudes for the long haul. I just wanted to wake up today with a bright look on a new day, with different kids but so far it ain’t lookin’ to be that way.   I am all ready annoyed at the prospects of the day and I only have my “easy” kid up and about so far.  It is already after 8 am as I sit on this time sucking computer and I still have 2 bags of strawberries to contend with among all the other day to day grind.  Part of it is my pessimistic attitude that needs some regular exercise and partly the results of an extremely laid back parenting approach.

So what do I do?

I will now walk out of this house into the park behind me with my camera in hand for a mini vacation and re-focusing.  I will return shortly to 3 kids, that I am hoping my husband, who has taken a little extra time home this morning, will have straightened out a bit. And if that’s not the case, I will muddle through one more day, because tomorrow is Thursday-and on Thursdays days all is right in my world.  At least from 1:30 until bed time my outlook on life is sunny.  And it seems to carry me through till at least Monday when I may once again be ready to give my kids away to the nearest taker.

We Have A Winner!!!!!!!!!!

Insert drum roll…………………………………….

And look what she won!!!!

James Cooter the cat not included!

Thanks for all the great comments!  This was fun, maybe we can do it again soon-even before post 200!

Yesterday was a day fit for water!

Molly noticed the rainbow and of course, I ran for my camera!  I took about a hundred photos!!

Later in the day we headed to some water fountains to play with some friends.

There was a bigger fountain located on the other side of the mall.  The teenagers led the tweens over there like ducks in a row.  Jake was laughing so hard he could barely keep up!

Then it was off to Thursday potluck.

I need to make another pot of Joe-it’s been a slow morning!!  I need more caffeine to get me moving today.  There is some painting on the agenda for this afternoon.

Lucky me! And the unplugged weekly project…Sticky

Do you notice a big new something in my hand?  A new camera!  And not just any camera..She’s a Nikon D300.  WoW!

Whenever I get money for a holiday I put it away.  Whenever I clean my husbands office, I put it away.  Whenever I sell anything I put it away.  I have been saving for awhile, years actually, so I had a good bit of stash.  She is AMAZING!  Look at what she can do…

And even this with NO FLASH or tripod….(Wasn’t happening with my XTi)

I haven’t had much time to get to know her but I have been admiring her from afar.  I  had her picture taped up on my kitchen cupboard for a while.  And it was love at first sight.  As I said in my previous post (Where there is a chance to win a party favor!) I am obsessed with taking pictures and photography in general lately.  Lucky for me, my husband believes in me and supports my creative endeavors or else I would have been short a little bit of dough.  Thanks honey!!  Now on to the unplugged project.

STICKY

We cut a piece of contact paper, pulled the backing off and taped it down to the table.  OUTSIDE for those that are mess-phobic!  Now let them shake  the glitter all over the contact paper.

Cut a second piece of contact paper the same size or a bit bigger to stick over the top.

Trim the edges if you want…

Hang in a window…

Selling, Donating, Swapping and Shopping (a sad but true statement about my life!)

Well the garage sale is now just a memory! Saturday it rained until early afternoon. As soon as the skies cleared I ran outside to set up, when RockToWindAStringAround showed up to shop but ended up shuffling my goods from the living room floor to the front door step so I could feed the hungry shoppers! Sadly most of the goodies she eyed drove away with a starved shopper who left the buffet overstuffed and with a dogie bag!!! Thank goodness that guy bought as much as he did because about 1 hour later the skies opened up once more. So we tried again today and ended up selling a good bit of stuff. My pockets are full and my house clutter a bit lighter. We took all the leftovers to the thrift store drop box immediately after the sale so all’s well that ends well!!  Here is the sun setting through the wet palstic tarps that were covering our treasures.

But because I am such a pack rat I got up at O too early hundred hour to shop at a Swap. We scored a Video Now player complete with a Sponge Bob movie! A bit of yarn, a couple of vases, some art books and a nice set of wooden bowls for our nature table. I love stuff!! Especially free stuff!!

After the sale was all cleaned up we were able to grant Ginger’s earlier this week wish for a bike ride. She is now big enough for the tandem and is loving it! While out in the park we saw a group of people dressing up and playing instruments. They were definitely a photo op!! After retrieving our cameras Molly and I combed the park looking for them but didn’t catch up with them until they were packed up and headed to their cars. But a few of them were nice enough to pose for a sorry old lady for a couple of shots.

Molly and I continued to trek around and take lots of photos.

And roll down hills!!

This is Birthday week at our house. Both Jake and Ginger have special days that are fast approaching. Must shop soon!!!  Ugg, it’s a vicious cycle!