Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Making It Work 2

As I mentioned yesterday, in Making It Work part 1, most of our stuff is packed up right now. This makes crafting quite the challenge. I'm not sewing, painting, coloring or anything right now. I think I might be going through minor withdrawals. (Hence the headaches...or maybe that's just a sign that I need more coffee?) This past weekend I rummaged through the recycle bin to see what I could use for an art project with the littles. I had seen the following amazing pieces on pinterest and was majorly inspired...

via poppytalk

via etsy

Amazing right? Don't they both just inspire the pants right off of ya? I mean, how can you look at these and not want to create something? Impossible. Unfortunately, I couldn't find our art supplies that we had brought to the summer house. Thankfully, Super Target is right up the street and Rose Art has these fabulous neon and sparkle crayons. Love fest! I left spending less than $5 on two boxes of crayons and was immediately supplied with endless hours of creating.

mine

my bigs'

Next up, mixed media... Yup, I found the art box. Woot...

I opened up the Honey Nut Cheerios box and cut out the two big panels - viola, instant canvases. I also cut up the newspaper and the coffee filters into little squares.

Tip: I've learned through great, experienced art teacher mommies that pouring glue into a container and letting your littles paint on the glue with a paintbrush is loads easier than a dab here and there. Genius.

Armed with water colors, glue, paper, crayons, oil pastels and colored pencils, I'd love to say that we all created masterpieces. We didn't. My littles gave up mid-craft. It was a major disappointment for me. One that happens often in my home, when it comes to crafting/art. I have boys. Active boys. And one perfectionist boy that gave up when his piece wasn't "perfect". Enter teachable moment: I shared with my little perfectionist that mistakes can often be turned into things of beauty. I showed him Jackson Pollock and how his one little mistake of a paint drip opened a whole new world for him. My guy didn't buy it. But, I won't give up. In fact, it gave the hubs and I an opportunity to talk about quiting/giving up and how important it is to follow through on things and just try your hardest no matter what. Ha... there's a lesson in there for me too.

Never give up. Some of the best things lie in the midst of our mistakes. Try, try again. xo