On our recent trip to the Ft. Worth Zoo, Brandon's mom Barbara shared with us that her very favorite animals have always been penguins. When we stopped by their exhibit, toward the end of our visit, she was practically giddy. It was hard to not be tickled by the little dressed up guys. There is something about them just makes you smile. So, when I came across this adorable project on Pinterest, I thought -- we have to make this!
I decided to make a framed set of penguins uising a frame I already owned. I spray-painted my silver frame using a black lacquer that we also already owned (double score) and got to painting Jackson's adorable feet. He giggled the entire time -- so ticklish and cute. We pressed his feet, heels up, to regular computer paper (I think next time I would use card stock just to fancy it up a bit). While the black paint was out, I added on the little penguin wings and then let it air dry for a day before going over it with white paint to create the tummy area -- once this dried, I glued on googly eyes and painted their little orange beaks. Voila!
I am really happy with how they turned out and Barbara was very touched with our homemade gift. I think I'm going to make another set for our home. They just make me smile.
In the business of the hoiday season, I didn't get a chance/forgot to take pictures of each gift that was made -- whoops. Bare with me and I will do my best to fill in the holes. :) I recently purchased a plaster kit to memorialize Jackson's baby handprint and try as I may -- it just didn't turn out well at all. I kept the plaster print in a ziploc and dated it but it wasn't something I would want to hang up or anything so I'm keeping it in a time capsule that Laura (Gigi) gifted to us. I decided to make my own "plaster" out of salt-dough so that we could have an ornament for our home and also gift them to loved ones. I painted them with silver glitter acrylic paint for a little pizazz and then tied twine through to hang them. They turned out precious and it is a tradition I think I will do as long as their little hands allow. I will definitely treasure ours forever and judging from the reactions of the Nana, Gigi, Gromimi and great Grandmothers, I think they will too.
Jackson's handprint -- 15 months
My mom, after seeing a canvas that Jackson and I had been working on at our home, requested a painting of her very own by zee little ar-teest. So what better time to gift her with her request than Christmas? I set Jackson out on the kitchen floor with a blank canvas, some non-toxic paints and a couple paint brushes. Over four our five seperate sittings of Jackson painting all by himself, this is what transpired:
I had to redirect him from painting on the floor or eating the paint (he did, twice) but once he understood where the paint was supposed to go, he went to town. He actually went over it one last time with a bit of purple and the finished version was really beautiful and cool looking buuuut I forgot to take a picture so, the next time I visit my mom and dad's home, I'll be sure to take a snap shot of it. Jackson's painting is already sitting on top of their mantle in the living room next to all of the ceramics my sister and I have created over the years.
We worked on several other projects -- a few of which have inspired the start of an exciting business endeavor which is part of the reason I haven't been blogging much lately. Stay tuned and I will try and get my act together in the mean time and do a better job at staying up to date. Happy living.
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