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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query WAter. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query WAter. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query WAter. Sort by date Show all posts

Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps Recipe like P.F. Chang's

P.F. Chang Cloned Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Angie's Recipes: Lettuce Wraps Recipe a great way for diabetics to save on carbs. These vegetarian lettuce wraps are made with tofu. Enjoy!


P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wrap Clone Recipe.
P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wrap Clone Recipe.

Okay, first I will let you know I found this "Clone" Recipe on-line after craving these for over a week. To give credit where credit is due, I found this on the website Food.com. I did change a few things after reading the reviews and looking at the ingredient list to find Oyster Sauce ( I chose to omit to make it actually a vegetarian dish). This was an easy dish to make and pass off to the family.


The family fell in love with the chicken version of the lettuce wraps when I introduced them to the restaurant and after making several dishes with tofu; the family fell in love with that too. So no one in my house was going to complain about this dish! Score one for mom. :-)

P.F. CHANG'S VEGETARIAN LETTUCE WRAPS 

(copycat recipe)

(4 servings; you can double recipe for 8)

Tip: When buying bamboo shoots, get the strips. This cuts down on prep time, all you have to do is dice them.

I've also included a sauce for adding to the individual wraps after cooking (just like in the restaurant!) I like my sauce spicy so you may want to experiment with the ingredients for a milder version.

FOR THE COOKING SAUCE:

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 tablespoon. water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon cornstarch

FOR THE MARINADE:
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoon dry sherry
2 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoon water

FOR THE TOFU MIXTURE:
1 cup baked tofu with 1 T Chinese Five Spice added before baking, diced
2 tablespoon peanut oil plus 1 Tbsp. sesame oil, mixed
1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
1 Tbsp. Chinese chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, minced
1/2 small or 1/4 large red onion, minced
1/2 can bamboo shoots, diced
1/2 can water chestnuts, diced
TO SERVE:
Cellophane noodles, prepared according to package directions
Iceberg or green leaf lettuce
Spicy Sauce (optional, recipe follows)

TO MAKE THE COOKING SAUCE:
Mix the cooking sauce in a bowl and set aside.

TO MAKE THE MARINADE:
In medium bowl, combine sherry, soy sauce, chili sauce, sesame oil, cornstarch, and water. Mix well.

TO PREPARE THE TOFU:
Stir tofu into the marinade. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
Heat wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mixed oil and stir fry tofu for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Add the ginger, garlic and onion; stir-fry for about a minute.
Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts; stir-fry for another 2 minutes.
Return tofu to wok/skillet. Add cooking sauce and cook until thickened (about 2 minutes).
Combine  mint, cilantro and lemon juice to taste at the end to tofu mixture

TO SERVE:

Place prepared cellophane noodles onto a platter. Pour tofu mixture over them and serve with lettuce and Spicy Sauce.

SPICY SAUCE

1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard (e.g., Coleman's)
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Chinese chili sauce
In small dish, mix the dry mustard and water until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.



Recommended Reading:



Meatless: More Than 200 of the Very Best Vegetarian Recipes*

Kids Creative Chaos Recipes



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What are Good Outdoor Games to Play?

10 Great Outdoor Games for Kids


The days of simple parties where balloons, music, and a cake with candles were enough are long gone. In 2019, fun birthday ideas are at a whole new level. You need these 10 great outdoor games for kids to get moving and enjoy their special day.
Kim and Kanye set the bar high with a "kidchella" themed party, featuring bouncy houses, a Ferris wheel, and several music stages. While you won't have the same budget as the Kardashians, take inspiration from their intuitive ideas and create a party with good outdoor games to play.
If you're arranging a summer party for your kid's birthday bash, what outdoor games can you play? Read on for the 411 on which outside games your kids will actually love!

This post contain Amazon Affiliate Links.


What are Good Outdoor Games to Play?


Outdoor Games Kids Will Love


We all know the math. Kids + Birthday parties = Chaos!
Instead of expecting kids to sit around, drink tea, and chat like adults, prepare some cool games that will burn all their pent-up party energy. We've chosen 10 outdoor games that will have your guests giggling from beginning to end. Are you ready? Let's get this party started!

1. Hop Your Way to Victory
Try a traditional sack-race to get the kids moving. Give each child a good quality burlap bag or king-size pillowcase. Line them up in a grassy area and have them hop their way to victory down a marked path.
To mix it up a little, decorate the plain sacks. Make it more challenging and make the marked path curvy. Even if you just do it the old-fashioned way, it'll get a lot of laughs on the way, Scout's honor!


2. Make Your Birthday Party Pop
Balloon stomping is one of the best group games for parties. What's a party without balloons popping?
Before the party starts, prepare by blowing up at least one balloon per guest and a few extras just in case. Tie a long string or ribbon around the end of the balloon so that it is long enough to tie around the children's ankles.
When the party gets started, tie a balloon around the ankle of each child. The aim of the game is to pop everyone else's balloon while protecting your own. The last kid with an intact balloon wins.

3. Jump to It
Let the kids blow off a little steam before you sit down to open presents. One of the best outdoor games for kids, is an outdoor bouncy house. Hiring a bouncy house is an exciting treat for the kids! It really is fun for all ages (even big kids!)
From bouncy houses and inflatable water slides to blow-up climbing walls and bouncy bungee runs, knowing which one to choose boggles the mind. Do your research to find out more about the options and you'll find the perfect match for your big outdoor birthday bash.

4. Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunts have been around a long time, but they're still one of the most interesting outside games for kids to play. Adapt the hunt depending on the ages of the guests and the style of the party. Be sure to offer prizes and other birthday party favors for the winning team.
For instance, create a list of items in nature they have to find in a certain time limit. Give each guest some magnifying glasses, binoculars, and a treasure bag for their adventure. They can search for various bugs, pinecones, daisies, leaves, and more on a nature scavenger hunt or you can hide items throughout the yard and give them a list of riddles to solve to find the next treasure. As an alternative, hide pieces of treasure and candy for the kids to find. Give them a bucket and send them on their scavenger hunt,

5. Cool Pool Party
Fun birthday ideas for the summer usually involve water. Wet and wild games give kids the chance to get soaked and cool off. A pool prize search is one of the most fun outside games for a kid's party.
Use an inflatable pool filled with water. Hide weighted treasures at the bottom of the pool. Then, fill the rest of the pool with floating toys and balls, so that it's hard to see what's at the bottom. Give the kids a time limit and tell them to find the treasures at the bottom of the pool.
If kids are a bit older and it seems too easy, try blindfolding them. Their teammates can shout out directions to help them find the treasure.

6. Use Your Noodle
One of the cheapest outside games for kids is Pool Noodle Croquet. It's budget-friendly but takes a little bit of time to set up.
Create several pool noodle arches in your back yard and stake them into the ground. Give each child a pool noodle and an inflated beach ball. The idea is to be the first to get the ball through the course of arches.

7. Make a Splash
Another variation of a classic game is water balloon baseball. It's one of the easiest outdoor games for kids and parents because it's so easy to set up.
All you need is a baseball bat and some pre-filled water balloons. Make sure the guests are ready to get soaked!

8. A Tasty Mess
Fun birthday ideas have got to include cakes and treats, right? So why not turn your dessert into a game? When played outside, this donut game is lots of fun.
Tie dangling donuts from a high place, such as a tree or doorway. Then have a donut eating race, without using hands. Chocolate donuts make the most mess, so be ready with a cleanup team when the game is over.

9. Water Shoot
Here's another outdoor water game for you. Divide the party into two teams. For each team, string a plastic sand pails onto one end of a clothesline.
The concept of this game is for each team to work together to move their bucket along the clothesline, using only the spray water guns. Of course, if you don't have enough squirt guns for the party, you could fill up plastic bottles instead. Be sure the squirt guns are powerful enough to make the pails move!

10. An In-Tents Party
Another awesome outside party activity is camping. If camping somewhere remote is too much of a task, just set up a camp ground in your backyard.

Set up tents and a supervised fire-pit. Play some camping-themed games during the day. And when it gets dark, roast some s'mores on the campfire and tell scary stories.

Keep Calm and Party On!
We hoe you like this list of outdoor games with a twist for parties. Pick one, two, or as many outside games as you want, to make your birthday bash super fun!
What if it turns out to be a rainy day and you can't have fun in the sun? For some more games inspiration, both inside and out, check out the "Games" section of our blog.


Recommended:


Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss - Daisy-Head Mayzie Activities and Craft

Daisy Head Mayzie Crafts and Activities

Today's Companion Craft and Story is themed on Dr. Seuss' book, Daisy-Head Mayzie not Maisy. We have lots of Dr. Seuss activities. You might Also like Dr. Seuss's Sue Snue and a fake cake messy play craft to celebrate his birthday! This is a fun project to do with Daisy Girl Scouts. Enjoy!



How to make your own DIY Edible Face paint Ideas & Recipes & Build Self-Esteem: The Thing About Monsters is

How to make edible face paint and recipes for Toddlers and Kids of all Ages

Remember, You Can do it with Creative Play and a Can-do Attitude. Recently, we did a post about Monster Trouble (Our first KCC Kids Video) check out the fun here. SCROLL DOWN to see DIY Face Paint Recipes for face paint/makeup, lip gloss, sensory play and Witchy Me.


Monster Trouble?
Face Paint for Kids
Face Paint Kit by Alex Toys.

In the video in the post, a sneaky monster is made with items from our costume trunk/creative play stash and Alex Toys Face Paint Studio. Not once, have we posted pictures or recipes of our homemade and edible face paints. During our creative play and messy classes playing with face paint has been a staple. So, read on to discover many ways to create self-esteem, a fun day of creative play, how to make less of a mess, and enjoy the little time you have with your littles and not so little ones.


How to make edible face paint and recipes.
Sneaky Monster peeks out of the brush.


DIY Face Paint Recipe and Monster Face
I see you and your Monster Face paint.
It's hard to see, but he was modeled after the Connect a giant Monster kits above from Alex Toys. The Monster has a purple and green nose and red and orange eyes. This is a great kit for your older kids. Give them a mirror and a book of silly face ideas and let them go wild! Creative Play is a great self-esteem builder. Let them try out different faces, remove the paint with a little water or vaseline on a cotton ball, and be sure to tell them how great it looks. No buts or maybe ifs allowed.



Homemade face paint.
What's that you say? You don't want to have to clean up the mess? Put them in an empty tub the mess will clean itself, but make sure your little Max Factor helps. They might complain, but cleaning up after themselves teaches responsibility and independence. I can do it! Yes, you might have to tidy up- just don't complain about it.  You don't want your child thinking they can't do anything. If they can't even clean up after themselves they'll stop trying! So, count to 10, take a deep breath, and then say, I love how you are learning to clean up after yourself; it makes me so proud!

Do you want to be remembered as the Mom with the spotless house or the Mom who was so fun and positive? Your choice, you decide.



how to make your own face paint recipe
Crazy Blue Face Paint Fairy.

How to Make your own Face Paint (Recipe):

Cold cream, Food coloring, Cornstarch, Egg Carton.

Start with 1 C. of cold cream (Noxzema type)
Slowly mix in 1/2 to 1 C. cornstarch until it is a smooth, creamy consistency.

Divide into an egg carton or muffin tin.
Add 1-2 drops of food coloring. Experiment with more or less and color combinations.

Use cotton balls or paint brushes to paint a masterpiece on your face.

Most colors will wear off quickly or wipe off easily with water due to the cold cream. Sometimes, yellow requires a little petroleum jelly to remove all the residue. 

With experimentation you can get professional results with these ingredients. It does dry and get crackly. Some kids don't like this sensation others think it's cool.

Homemade Face paint and makeup recipes for Toddlers and Preschool.
Homemade Face paint and makeup recipes.

Make your own Edible Face Paint for Preschoolers and Toddlers:

Caregivers, do you need 20 minutes of me time? This is AMAZING. If you don't want to leave the little alone in the bathroom spread an old, white sheet or vinyl tablecloth on the floor. Cornstarch, food coloring or colored drink mix, water, white flour, big spoons, and mixing bowls.

Start with 1/4 C. of flour
Mix in 1/2 C. of cornstarch or powdered sugar (think icing)
1/2 to 1 C. Cool Whip (Readiwhip doesn't work.)
Sift with fingers to mix and enjoy the sensory aspects.
Slowly add 1/4 to 1/2 C. water stir with spatula
Water and cornstarch make an interesting science experiment so make sure to add the flour and Cool Whip first. Mix to a creamy icing consistency ~ Spreadable.
Divide into egg carton and add food coloring or Drink Mix powder (Kool-Aid) works best.

The little will have a blast studying their face and admiring their handiwork  Let them remove their shirt and paint tattoos on their belly or  bugs on their hands. This is a fun way to teach babies eyes, nose, mouth, etc.

The ingredient measurements are guidelines. Warm water vs. cold, warm house vs. cool all of these can affect the makeup- experimentation is key.

Mixing paint is great for fine motor skills and sensory learning.
Mixing paint is great for fine motor skills and sensory learning.


Kid’s Yummy Lipstick Recipe:

Petroleum jelly, honey, maple syrup, or non-imitation vanilla, unsweetened drink powder for color and flavor.

Put Petroleum jelly into microwave safe dish

Microwave the petroleum jelly for 30 seconds to one minute until 

warm, remove and stir.

Add Kool Aid and Honey

Mix well
Spoon into gift containers, refrigerate.

Changing Hair Color:

Experiment with Conditioner or Petroleum Jelly and unsweetened drink powder, & Baby Powder. Spray Aqua Net to set the color. May take several washings to wash out. We found a YouTube Video here.



Happy Halloween and Haunting  or Go break a leg!



Recommended Reading:

When is Chinese New Year? It's the Year of the Water Snake Printable Coloring Page

When is Chinese New Year? It's the Year of the Water Snake

2013 Chinese New Year was Sunday, February 10. What animal is it? Nope, they don't do a Chinese Dragon every year. 2013 is the year of the Water Snake. What year is 2016? 2016 is the year of the Monkey. Here's a free printable snake coloring sheet. Enjoy!

When is Chinese New Year 2014? It is the year of the horse!

Snakes are revered, but not as much as the dragon. The snake is poised said to posses great wisdom, morality, and generally be financially secure. On the down side, a snake can be jealous and fickle.

When is Chinese New Year? Year of the Water Snake Printable Coloring Page
2013 is the year of the Water Snake. Right click to save to your computer and print or click here to print Snake Coloring Page PDF.

Find a Circus Dragon printable here.













ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Easy Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels Recipe

Beer Cheese and Pretzels Recipe


This homemade Easy Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels Recipe is delicious! You'll feel like you're eating restaurant or bar food at home. Who can resist the warm baked goodness of homemade soft pretzels? Beer Cheese and pretzels are the perfect fall snack. Enjoy!


This post contains affiliate links.

Easy Beer Cheese Dip for Pretzels Recipe


How to Make Beer Cheese Recipe


Ingredients:
2T butter
2T flour
1/4 t salt
1 c beer
1/2 c milk
1/2 t ground mustard
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t pepper
2 - 2 1/2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour. Whisk, while heating, until mixture is golden brown, 1-2 min. While continuing to whisk, gradually add the beer. Cook, with stirring, until mixture partially thickens. Add milk; continue to whisk until mixture reaches desired consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in mustard, garlic powder, pepper and cheese. Stir until cheese has melted. Adjust seasonings as desired.


Homemade soft pretzels for beer cheese recipe
Homemade Soft Pretzels.


Homemade Soft Pretzels for Beer Cheese Recipe


Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. lukewarm water
1 package active dry yeast
1 t salt
1 T brown sugar
1/4 c butter, melted
4 c flour
8 c boiling water
1/2 c baking soda
1 egg, beaten and diluted with 1 t water
coarse salt


pretzel dough recipe


Directions:
Dissolve yeast, salt, and sugar in warm water. Allow the mixture to sit until the yeast begins to foam or bubble. Add the melted butter, followed by the flour, 1 c at a time. The dough should be workable and not sticky. Knead the dough on a floured surface for several minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl,  cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled in size.


how to roll pretzel dough
How to roll pretzel dough.




The perfect homemade pretzel.
The perfect homemade pretzel.


While the dough is rising, boil water and add the baking soda. Stir until dissolved. The baking soda bath with be used to give the pretzel a puffy dough with a golden and shiny crust.  You should also assemble a few handy tools:  a tape measure, a large flat spatula, your baking sheet, and parchment paper. The parchment paper is not essential, but it will make the pretzel much easier to remove from the baking sheet.

How to Make Pretzel Shape Pretzels at Home
Divide the risen dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20 inch rope. To form the pretzel shape, bend the rope into a "smile" shape. Cross the ends slightly. Grab the cross and fold it towards you, bringing it down to meet the front loop of the pretzel.


How to Make Pretzel Shape Pretzels at Home
How to Make Pretzel Shape Pretzels at Home.


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using your large spatula, place each pretzel individually in the baking soda bath. Allow it to sit in the bath 30 seconds to 1 minute, making sure the top gets wet as well. Carefully remove the pretzel with your spatula and place on the baking sheet. Once the sheet is full, bake for 10-12 minutes. Repeat as needed until all pretzels are baked.





Hand twisted, homemade baked pretzels.
Hand twisted, homemade baked pretzels.



Recommended Reading:

How to Make Butternut Squash Soup

Don't have time to make them? Just buy Bavarian Soft Pretzels and Beer Cheese Dip on Amazon.

Oldies but Goodies to do with the kids
Make Heart Shaped Pretzels with Kids
Pound out a Pretzel Cornucopia





Craft Fail: Kid's Science Celery Experiment

Celery Experiment: How do plants drink water? 

Good question. We never found out! This celery science experiment for kids is easy and educational if you do it right. It proves why it is important to carefully follow instructions. So, how do plants drink water?  Enjoy!

Celery Science Experiment for Kids
Celery Science Experiment: 
Grab a glass of water, insert a few drops of food coloring.

Celery Food Coloring Experiment
Stick in the celery and wait twenty-four hours.

My fellow Kid-Bloggers have been posting those beautiful colored carnations and various plants soaking the water up through their stems and coloring the tips of their leaves or petals.

First, ours started to die and turned brown. Then, I moved it to the window-sill. We've watched it everyday for three weeks. Along the celery stalk you can see very faint purple lines that stop long before reaching the leaves. I added more water. This celery is going to sprout roots before the leaves take color.

We'll keep it going until it rots or colors. Science or BUST. 

TIP: Wanna know why we failed?  

Yep, I didn't follow the instructions and cut legs in my celery. Do that first!

Recommended Reading:

How to color celery science experiment for science success.

Scientific Explorer My First Mind Blowing Science Kit*

Pass the Celery, Ellery!*

 Celery Book
Pass the Celery.












Gift ideas for Call of Duty Fans

Call of Duty Gift Ideas

Do you have a Call of Duty Fan in the house? These gift ideas for Call of Duty Fans are sure to please even the most discriminating gamer. Enjoy!


Gift ideas for Call of Duty Fans Video Gamers
Gift ideas for Call of Duty Fans and Video Gamers.






Gift ideas for Call of Duty Fans Gaming Headphones
Gift ideas for Call of Duty Fans: Gaming Headphones.




  • Gaming Headphones* - These WIRELESS gamer headphones by Polk Audio Striker are for the Xbox, they also have headphones for other gaming systems. There's also a RETRACTABLE, flexible MICROPHONE for ingame chatting. If you purchase it through Amazon* and you are a PRIME MEMBER*, you'll get FREE SHIPPING!

Call of Duty Sentinel Task Force Jacket
Call of Duty Sentinel Task Force Jacket.
























Call of Duty Sentinel Task Force Jacket* Whether your COD fan is a boy, girl, man, or woman, they need to keep warm! This cozy Call of Duty Hoodie with kangaroo pockets will make you their favorite gift giver this season! These run a little small, so order the next size up.

Gift Ideas for Gamers: Call of Duty Water Bottle
Gift Ideas for Gamers: Call of Duty Water Bottle.









Deluxe Video Gamer Chair for Call of Duty Fans
Deluxe Gamer Chair.





  • Deluxe Gamer Chair* - This ain't your baby brother's gaming chair, no siree! It has a wireless receiver and RCA cables and outputs. Use it for relaxing and listening to music too. Includes padded headrest and arms.


Ultimate Gamer Desk for Computer Gamers
Ultimate Gamer Desk.




  • Ultimate Gamer Desk* - Just say, "Awesome". This is so cool! Everything your gamer needs within arms reach. Includes Charging Station, Speaker Trays, Storage Drawer, Table-top Reinforcement Bar, Monitor Stand, 2 Controller Hooks, Game Storage Rack, Wire-management Trim Plates, Rear Power-strip Holder, Headphone Hook & Cup Holder. 



Recommended:

Coloring Pages for Call of Duty Fans

Call of Duty Craft for Kids

Call of Duty Birthday Party Ideas





ADS DISCLOSURE: We've partnered with some wonderful advertisers who may sponsor blog posts or send us samples to test. Some companies pay us to review their products.

*We also use affiliate links, if you make a purchase we get a tiny commission. Kids Creative Chaos participates in the Amazon LLC Associates Program*, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a mean for blogs to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon properties, including, but not limited to, amazon.com, endless.com, myhabit.com, smallparts.com, or amazonwireless.com. We also offer Tapinfluence, Google Adsense, SoFab, and Izea ads here. Thanks so much for helping us keep the lights on! :)


Jake's Journey in Art - Homeschool Lesson - 4 Watercolor Seascape (Wet on Wet)

Jake's Journey in Art: Watercolor Wet on Wet techniques for Homeschoolers

Kids Creative Chaos building Self-Esteem one art lesson at a time.


Lesson:  Choose one of the seascapes and one watercolor technique you've learned.

It was time for our next art lesson. Jake moaned and complained as usual, until I reminded him this week's lessons involved painting. "Yay! I like to paint. I never got to paint in art class."  Say what you say?  Catch up here. Art is about the journey, not the end result.

Homeschool Art Project How to paint wet on wet watercolor technique
Jake's seascape is on the left, Mayhem is on the right. She's added some embellishments.
Did you notice his attention to detail?  This is not a child who should despise art. Thankfully, we are making amazing progress.

Now, what Jake really meant to say was- I love it when I'm allowed to make a mess. He chose the sailboat scene and the wet on wet technique. Which is exactly as it sounds, paint water over your entire paper, dip your brush in water and the color, and let it bleed blend. Don't move it until it is dry.

We also did the salt painting technique and sprinkled salt on the wet sand area. When it dries it looks like real sand.

We first traced over the image to get a feel for it and then we lightly drew it in pencil on our watercolor paper. When painting with watercolors it is important to use the right paper. Copy paper will deteriorate with too much water. The fibers in the watercolor paper are designed to soak up the excess. Still, we laid out three layers of newspaper and had a roll of paper towels ready and waiting. Inevitably, someone always spills the water.


Our art table, okay, it is our dining room table. We never use it for that!

I am pleased to announce this assignment was our turn around lesson. In fact, his feelings about art have changed so much in a recent lesson on mask making he said, "Mommy, it is really awesome that I have a teacher who knows so much about art. You can teach me so many cool things!" (Insert tears here.)

I am quite skilled in the art of mask making. My highschool, art teacher, Mrs. Conway did a lesson on mask's with handmade paper. I made 3 or 4 different projects, entered them into an art contest and won some sort of an award. 

Oh my, I wish I could tell you what it was but a lot of time has passed since then.  After, I took a tiny scholarship to college and studied theatre design, art, and architecture. I've used the skills I learned in those classes to make many a mask for many a child in an after-school program, made some great mardi-gras costumes, and designed many theatrical props and sets. We'll post mask making 101 next week.

Hooray! Someone finally took notice.  My college journey was not a waste after all :-)

Okay, the real point is that Jake took notice. Chuckle-chuckle and all it took was some fancy paper curling around a pencil and a cool, paper snake. Mom's have mad skills, don't they. I'm gearing up to ask Jake to draw a new picture of how he feels about Mommy's art class-eh. Maybe I'll just take a photo of his expression.

Things are looking up!