Not too long ago, my sister called and asked me to measure The Poo’s waist. My girl is lucky enough to have a very talented auntie, who makes her Halloween costumes from scratch every year.
Last year she was a sassy girl-pirate, and this year she will parade about the neighborhood as Angelina Ballerina.
So.
I needed a tape measure to get my sister an accurate number. The Poo and I ventured out one recent Sunday morning to the Huge Craft Emporium to procure said item.
We got to the store and entered into the gates of hell - the staff was offering a craft for all youngsters. Buy a plastic pumpkin, paint it in the store, and take the whole shebang home for five bucks.
You know I wasn’t getting out of there without letting the girl paint a damn pumpkin.
As I waited for Picasso to complete her masterpiece, I wandered the aisles. A trance-like state overtook me, and somehow I emerged from the store $121 lighter than when I walked through the door.
The tape measure? Seventy-five cents. One painted pumpkin with googly eyes? Five bucks.
You do the math - that is a crap-load of craft stuff.
So now I have all this stuff and I don’t know what to do with it. Here’s a brief list:
-
Pipe cleaners
Acrylic paint
feathers
pompoms
stamps
construction paper
art paper
craft glue
glitter
googly eyes
stickers
So I have all this stuff. Now what the hell do I do with it?
Tell me. Please.
by A.L. Hatch
[tags]kids, children, parents, parenting, crafts, home, holidays, advice, costumes, questions[/tags]
Photo graciously provided by Ben McLeod, through a Creative Commons license, some rights reserved
21 responses so far ↓
margaret // Oct 30, 2007 at 5:56 am
Give it to the Poo - she’ll figure out something!
I can’t wait until the craft store opens up near by, the girls would love the art classes.
Amy // Oct 30, 2007 at 7:59 am
First, hide the feathers, give them away, throw them in the trash, but don’t let them out of their bag or else they will explode all over your home and you’ll really have a craft 911 to clean up.
Then, next time you are at the grocery store, pick up a bag of cheap paper plates, the white kind with ridges? Not only do they make excellent canvases, they contain the messes.
Next, don’t put all the craft materials on the table at the same time. Or if you do, only put out 5 pompoms and 10 googley eyes, otherwise, there will be tears.
My kids love to make masks with paper plates - I cut out the holes for them and then they decorate, with paint or with glue and glitter or yarn or anything I happen to have.
Old paper towel rolls make great telescopes, make them sparkle for a princess.
Wendy // Oct 30, 2007 at 8:22 am
Glue everything to your body and go as Crazy Craft Lady. I say we take back Halloween from all the Sexy (insert whatever here) and replace it with Crazy (insert whatever here).
Jennifer (Faking It) // Oct 30, 2007 at 8:35 am
All I can say is take it from me: RETURN THE GLITTER.
janet // Oct 30, 2007 at 9:20 am
I’m sorry, I have no idea. I am not a crafty girl.
wordgirl // Oct 30, 2007 at 10:01 am
Save that stuff for a rainy day. Get some papier mache masks (add sequins and rhinestones to your stock of supplies) and you’ve got a project for a day. Also? Those colored foam door hangers which you can get by the pack make great projects for little hands. She can use them to decorate every door in your house. Stick-on letters can be had by the bucket, but use foam glue for anything else. You can get them with Christmas themed foam pieces, too. What better gift that a Christmas door hanger from the Poo?
JenK // Oct 30, 2007 at 10:02 am
Take Amy’s advice above but also get the Poo started on Holiday cards for her school and your family. She colors, paints, glues, and stamps You write whatever she tells you to, word for word. Last year my mom’s card said: Grandma, I love you. I want to go swimming in your pool. Happy Christmas.
Classic.
Slouching Mom // Oct 30, 2007 at 10:08 am
I agree with the commenter who wrote that The Poo should decide. We’ve got all the craft supplies in a bin. The kids decide which ones they want and then have at it…
Jennifer // Oct 30, 2007 at 11:36 am
I’m with the commenter who says to return the glitter!
Carrie // Oct 30, 2007 at 12:09 pm
http://www.everythingpreschool.com/art/
Jenny // Oct 30, 2007 at 12:23 pm
Bonfire?
Arkie Mama // Oct 30, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I second returning the glitter.
Once it’s been opened … well, let’s just say our dog has, on occasion, been very sparkly.
nutmeg // Oct 30, 2007 at 1:13 pm
How about letting Picasso eat it all and then poop out an ornament? Okay, kidding. I just watched Bruce Almighty!
All I can say is, whoever came up with that make-a-pumpkin marketing strategy had you squeezed in his grubby little fist!
Jen M // Oct 30, 2007 at 1:39 pm
Yup - early start on the Christmas cards sounds perfect.
Heather // Oct 30, 2007 at 1:52 pm
Return.
I’m so NOT a craft-with-the-kids kind of mom.
Stephanie // Oct 30, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Find a place to make craft supply storage for the kids. I keep some of ours in easy reach for the kids, but things like glitter are on a high shelf and available only on request and under supervision.
My kids keep their freely accessed craft supplies in a cheap plastic toolbox. It keeps them organized sufficiently and is light enough for the kids to take off the shelf and to the table or work area on their own.
Damselfly // Oct 30, 2007 at 6:59 pm
Feathery, pom-pomy Christmas ornaments!
Another Amy // Oct 30, 2007 at 7:36 pm
You could donate it all to The Poo’s Preschool. I disagree about returning the glitter. My kids love to glitter and I sweep it up the best I can but I don’t let it bother me because glitter is not food so it doesn’t attract bugs. We just sparkle!
Aimee Greeblemonkey // Oct 30, 2007 at 10:20 pm
See, I am in the Craft Day With Poo camp.
Julie // Oct 31, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Googly eyes can be added to anything — http://redhenstudios.blogspot.com/2007/10/little-bit-of-this-little-bit-of-that.html
nan // Oct 31, 2007 at 1:54 pm
Flowers are fun to make, and they can be glittered and feathered. Then, you can attach a few to grandparents and other families’ presents. Buy plain wrapping paper, that will match the flowers. It will look so pretty, and Gran will be overjoyed. She will keep the flowers for ever, and the Poo will be so proud!
Use the pipe cleaners as stems, and construction or crepe paper (or both!) for the petals. Check online for full instructions, there are several methods out there.
Do not supply the glitter until LAST. Squeeze glue in a line or dots on the edges of the petals, then do the sprinkling of glitter over a tray.
Clean up glitter and glue with a damp J-cloth.
And yes, the Poo can manage plenty of this, you just need to “help”! Good luck!
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