(words and inspiration via Soulemama.com)

Or our latest experiment...

...of standing them up in muffin tins! Something we've never thought to do before, it worked out really well. I love the tie-dye effect it created on them. My most favorite part, however, was watching the evolutionary journey that came first. 

We began by diluting different colors of liquid watercolors in our muffin tin, then Isia began painting. At first she was content just painting on top of the filters and watching the pigment move across the surface.

Then something sparked her curiosity. She began to dip parts of her coffee filters into the pigment... which evolved to scrunching them up and dipping them entirely into the pigment. She wasn't getting exactly what she wanted though, and her burrowed forehead said so. Dipping the same area into different colors was causing all the colors to muddy together. I asked to share an idea with her, and she agreed.

I suggested we fold them, then dip different parts of the folds into different colors. We tried it together- and she was much happier with how the colors turned out. Then we had one more evolution! Since I had over-estimated how much water we really needed to add paint to (ahem), we had a lot more paint than we needed. Trying to use up the paint- which always ends up tipped over when stored- I stood a coffee filter up in it to see what would happen. Isia watched, then did the same thing herself. 

It was so much fun that we kept doing it!  Then we started dipping one end in one color and the other end in another color, watching them meet in the middle. Finally we were done for the day with a table full of drying filters- and a few lessons too. This project helped me to learn a little bit more about how Isia's mind works. She really enjoys the process these days, almost more than the product she creates. Which was a lesson to me as an adult artist. For these days I often approach my media with a product in mind, and limit process to the bare minimum that's needed to bring it forth. It's helpful to be reminded of the evolutions that can occur when we revisit the same materials, and ideas, over & over & over again. Sometimes our best teachers come in the smallest packages! 

This week I am...

...mulling over how to create messy art experiences for Billy (here) that don't overtake our staged home.

...thinking about creating a series for our experiments. Surely I'm not the only one trying to simultaneously raise creative kids and keep a tidy home at the same time?

...reading, "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" for the first time, and enjoying it.

...amazed at the world that Jules Verne was able to envision, and how right he was in his predictions!

...wishing Isia was old enough to read it- and discuss it- with.

...reading her  "The Little House in the Big Woods" instead. She simmers down and follows along well, even if she still doesn't understand why Laura calls her parents "Ma" and "Pa." (smile)

...enjoying the snow- although our quick glimpses of Spring haven't hurt!

...wondering if Spring really might be around the corner?

Or when you're in your high chair, watching the big kids make stuff. Being little has been especially hard on Billy lately. As he's entered 17 months he's realized he doesn't want his own activities- thankyouverymuch- he wants to be doing exactly what big sis is doing when she's doing it. And this has forced me to adjust a bit. I've gotten in the (not so great) habit lately of allowing her messier materials while offering him cleaner options. Which is not fair. As my toddler art guinea pig, Isia was making all kinds of Big Messes at his age- and he deserves the same.

Which he knows already, and is more than happy to point out to me. So I'm planning on working on that- staging our house for selling and all. Because we all know that paint splattered walls are a huge selling point, right? (wink) 

My little people definitely know what they want, and I'm grateful for that. I'm happy that Billy has opinions about what he wants to be doing, although I would like to (quickly) move through this screeching phase. It will go away with time, right? Along with the chubby hands and tight hugs around my neck and sloppy kisses. Hmm... maybe the screeching can stay for a tad bit longer after all. Here's to seizing the moments- to Big Messes and happy little artists!

There are some people who seem to settle into their Forever home right away. They find the job of their dreams, the house they've always wanted, and they're settled. I admire those people, but we seem to be cut from a different cloth around here. Which means in twelve years of marriage we've lived in nine homes, two of them overseas. This definitely has its advantages- being able to pack really, really well is one of them- but it's also been tiring at times. It always seems once we've got the walls painted, all of our art hung, and that last box unpacked, we find a great opportunity somewhere else. 

So it was with great relief, and a very large pregnant belly, I moved into our current house almost two years ago. Before this house we'd been living in the duplex next door. We'd bought it and renovated it, living in one side and renting the other. When our neighbors found their Forever home, and this house went up for sale, we dreamed about how nice it would be to have more room for our growing family. And then we decided to buy it. I moved in, eager to settle in before the new baby and relieved we wouldn't be moving again for awhile.