Face Paints

 

For my daughter's birthday last year, I hired an artist to paint the children's faces. She did a wonderful job of transforming the girls into fairies and butterflies. Thankfully she shared with me the name of the paints (Snazaroo) and I had to buy a set.

The paints are easy to work with and if you use real paint brushes, or even make up brushes the effects are remarkable.

Dragon wings.

A very quick butterfly.

The kids try to wait patiently, some do better than others.

A friend's belly - just in time for Easter

Onesies

For my baby shower six years ago, I had my friend Jill run a workshop for me and my party guests painted onesies for my soon to be baby. Since then, I've been using the idea for other friends and family. The project can become clothes, banners, quilt squares, place mats and almost anything fabric.

Instead of buying fabric paints or fabric markers from the craft store, I buy fabric silk screening inks. I've used different brands in the past, but since I was out and "needed" to stock up I did a little research and bought Permaset Aqua (solvent free & water based). I take a small amount of the concentrated  paint and put it in a mason jar, or this time around up-cycled fudge jars from my mother-in-law, add water to dilute and mix them up. I ordered a rainbow of colors so we would have wonderful choices.

Onesies from my baby shower 6 years ago

To set up the fabric, I cut cardboard squares and slip them inside the t-shirt or onesie and use masking tape to fold the edges over. It helps to give people a small canvas to work with and the cardboard absorbs the water from the paints preventing it from soaking the other side.

The process is simple once the paints and fabric is set up. Choose your canvas. Draw with sharpie. Paint! Iron to heat set (once the paints are dry). Wash.

A few weeks back, I hosted a laid back pre-baby gathering for a friend.  The kids drew out their ideas and I helped transfer them to the fabric. I copied their ideas exactly with the permanent marker and the creations are darling. To see more of them, Shel over at One Sweet World documented it well.

Baby quilt made for me by friends.

Rainy Day Collage

 
Seems like these days most of my art is either with my kids or about my kids. I know it won't always be this way, but I do dream about working on a project for more than a few minutes at a time!


We've had some rain and time when the youngest is sleeping. I pulled out two board frames that I rescued from our "swap shop" (a shed at the town transfer station where you leave/take items). They were dark brown "art" from Target, but they boards had mounts and were in good shape. I stashed them for some yet to be determined project.


Also in my stash was some collage paper. A pack of assorted papers that I used two Christmases ago to wallpaper my girls' doll houses.

I had the kids paint the boards with sponges and they picked yellow and orange acrylic paint. The back ground still feels a bit dark, but the color really helped. 

Then we (I mostly) cut all sorts of shapes and while the paint dried we built flowers on the floor. It was fun to make patterns and layer. Once we had our ideas in place we stuck them to the sticky drying paint. We did use a glue stick here and there and later that evening I did a light layer of modge podge. 

Tuesday Fairies

Tuesdays are now our official art class day when the little one is napping. The class originated after our 6 week session of yoga ended and I asked the 3yr old what she'd like to do next. Art. I looked into programs at a museum school but I simply couldn't afford the price tag. 

Then I pitched the idea: Tuesday afternoons would be art class. I would officially teach and get materials together. I would stop doing "mommy things" (all the never ending chores are now titled in our house) and sit with the girls while they worked. The class would start as soon as baby E (15months) went to sleep and there would be snack. 


Last week we checked out a fun art book at the library, I may need to track it down for our collection but you can look at it here. It is a sweet spiral bound book of drawing and painting techniques that the kids can do with very little help from an adult. The book inspired us to learn how to paint and draw some fairies. 

We started with watercolor shapes. Basic head, triangle body, two wings, hair and a dot for the top of a wand. I brought out the hair dryer to speed up the drying a little and once the paint was dry we added our detail in pen. 


Tracing the head, dress, adding feet all made for fun conversation and a very satisfying product. I think I may have to go back and dabble now that the girls are asleep.