Fingers and Sometimes Toes Redux

Here's another art and/or gifting idea. I made this when my third child was just a newborn, she turned five in February. I gifted it to my hubby for Father's Day. I'm not a big sentimental person when it comes to gift giving or even card exchanging on holidays. I'm also inconsistent which is why this is the only one we have. Sorry, other two kids. Maybe I'll get my act together at some point and do another with all of them.

The oldest two kids, almost three and almost two at the time, contributed their hand prints in any random place they decided to put them.  I only helped by making sure they used an opened hand.

I used a hard backed canvas and acrylic, washable, paint in a variety of colors. We used one to two colors at a time, wiping off hands before the next color application so it didn't turn into a huge brown gooey mess. At the very end each child put on a single red handprint and baby Cordelia added her tiny foot print. I had it professionally framed without glass (which was recommended by the framing person).

I see this every day and sometimes take a moment to remember that day. It was fun. I remember holding a tiny Cordi in my arms and that she really didn't like her foot squishing in the paint. I remember the kids going ape over being able to come in full body contact with paint. I like the unique gift we made for Rob and I think he appreciates it too. Sometimes we compare their hand prints to how big they are now and it always pulls tears from my eyes.

Just another idea for any of you looking for easy, inexpensive gift ideas that also contain a wealth of memories and emotions.

fingers and sometimes toes

Its about time for me to break out the cement again. I started a ritual four years ago (has it really been that long??) of casting my kids hands in cement as a mother's day gift to myself. I'm a fairly simple girl in the present department. I had originally meant to do it every year but, well, life happened and by the time I got to getting the supplies the next mother's day had already come up.

It's bittersweet to see how the kids have grown, though some aren't that different at all. 2006 we had Alex, Livi and Cordi. 2008 Emmy's foot got added since she was too small to contribute her handprint without the whole thing getting redone. 2010 will probably be Max's foot next to the hands of the rest of them.

I kept the fancy stamps so I can do them over and over and have them look similar. I might even have a little bag of the glass somewhere too.

The kit even came with number stamps which I placed the child's age in the center of their print.

Even though these are two years apart, Olivia was three on the first one but hadn't yet turned five in the second.

As they age and get dirty it accentuates the impressions in the stone. I used various glass shards and baubles to decorate them. It's a quick, easy project that will last a tremendously long time as long as no one drops them. It will be neat to have these year after year, then adding grandkids to the mix.

I might have to make my own mold this year though, to fit them all in.