Yep, it's that time of year again, peeps!
MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!
Like 'em or not, everyone has one and what better excuse than Mother's Day to celebrate their decision to give us life... and then later, when we are teenagers, attempt to take us out! Oh, wait, my mom never did that...(really, she was TOO nice to me when I was a sassy teen!). I don't know if I'll follow in her sweet lil' footsteps but I'll sure as heck try!
And if you are like me (though for your sake, I pray that isn't the case!), you are racking your brain this time of year to think of what to give Mother Dearest. Something from the heart, of course and perhaps on a reasonable budget (boring I know but I have to answer to boss-man there!).
This is an idea I came up with last year (though I'm sure it's been done before, I'm not that original!!) and it turned out to be pretty fun to make (minus the mess and mayhem and drama and...hmmm...maybe it wasn't that fun to make come to remember now!). So, I thought I'd pass it along this year to you, my dear blogger-friend, in case you want to give it a whirl.
The main cost other than the watering-cans and a bit of paint is the price of time. It really is a two-for-one-deal: You get the finished product of the gift and the kids get to dunk their feet in paint and make a crazy-mess. Mama's happy, kid's are happy, that's a win-win I'd say!
Here's the step-by-step instructions:
(Note: all photographs were taken by a four-year-old since my hands were covered in paint so they may not be of exceptional quality, please just go with it.)
Prepare your station. Set up the paints you want to use (pick any color theme of your choice, I let the kids each pick what color they wanted) and if you have it, throw down some big paper or a drop cloth for them to clean their feet off before running on your white carpet inside (live and learn).
Make a pile of paint, dunk the kid's foot and press onto watering-can. (Yes, this is WISCONSIN at this time last year...try not to be too depressed at the memory of it)
Gabby picked orange paint and ate some of the blue. Glad I got cut off in the picture, I think I was having a revisit to the teen-facial-break-out days.
It was difficult to find Judah's foot under all the DIRT, but wet-wipes are salvation. (Note, I have never been asked to be a hand-model, don't ask me why they look like granny-hands here!)
Once all feet are painted on (I made two by the way, one for my mother and one for the MIL, hope I scored some points for that!) and names/ages if you so desire then spray on a few good coats of an OUTDOOR, CLEAR, PROTECTIVE coating. VERY important if you don't want the foot-prints to wear off since this will be holding water!!
Also, after posting this, my mother pointed out an IMPORTANT detail I spaced on (mommy-brain-drain?), I painted, "Grandchildren leave footprints on the heart" along the top. She also suggested (if only I had HER brain!) you could paint on something about "Little Helping Hands or Feet" and use handprints with the same saying (above) instead.
As for the paint, any kind is okay (I used acrylic crafting paint, purchased at any craft store or Wal-Mart) as long as you have a good, thick coat of the protection spray-paint upon completion!
Also, after posting this, my mother pointed out an IMPORTANT detail I spaced on (mommy-brain-drain?), I painted, "Grandchildren leave footprints on the heart" along the top. She also suggested (if only I had HER brain!) you could paint on something about "Little Helping Hands or Feet" and use handprints with the same saying (above) instead.
As for the paint, any kind is okay (I used acrylic crafting paint, purchased at any craft store or Wal-Mart) as long as you have a good, thick coat of the protection spray-paint upon completion!
Here's my gang before church posing with the watering-can, shouting stuff like, "How much longer do I have to hold this fat baby??" and, "Water is leaking on my pants, Mom!" Love them. We got through it and everyone got too many marshmellows to qualify me for Mother-of-the-Year award.
This is my beautiful mom!! She's the best (I know, you think the same about your mom too). She loved it (I had the kids hand them out, again, using a marshmallow-bribery-reward if they did it with big smiles and hugs!!)
(I look really tired here, must have stayed up too late spray-painting watering-cans! They are worth it. Just thought I'd throw that in for your sake, Mom. Love me more now.)
Oh, I should mention: I picked up two bouquets of flowers to give the watering-cans with, just seemed to jazz up the gift a bit more since it could be used as a vase if so desired!
This is my oldest girl and my beautiful MIL, she's the best too!
My goofy boys and my patient, lovely mother.
Happy Mother's Day to all YOU lovely moms and to my own mother and mother-in-LOVE!!
4 comments:
Great idea, Tara, but soo much fun to read and see the photos too!
Thank you, Sandy! Glad to hear that, hope you have a wonderful Mother's Day, you are a fabulous Mother!!
Very creative! I love your hands, your kids' dirty legs, and the big smiles all over your mom and MIL's faces!
For my mom, I was thinking of packing a box of spring and mailing it to her. I would have girly stuff like, facials, mud masks, springy fingernail polishes etc. And if I'm super crazy, I may send one to my MIL too?!:-)
That's a fantastic idea, Rachel. I think you should be my guest writer here! :) "Spring in a Box" since we ain't getting it in real-life, right!? Just the other day i painted my nails a cheery pink & green so when i put gloves on to go outside in April it wouldn't seem as. ..sad! Oh, and i think your MIL would like the same! Double-score. ;)
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