B00AFU6252 EBOK (42 page)

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Authors: Jessica Alba

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FRAMED FABRIC AS ART

I found these happy vintage sheets on a trip to France years ago and had no idea what to do with them until we started on Haven’s room and I realized—art! (I always pick up scraps or yardage of fabric I fall in love with and inevitably find something to use it for down the road.)

I think it’s fun to mix frame sizes and shapes for a more eclectic effect.

Materials

Frames (I pick these up from thrift stores or places like IKEA and Bed Bath & Beyond)

No-VOC latex paint (that color-coordinates with your fabric)

Fabric of your choice

How-To

1
Pop out the frame glass (so it doesn’t get paint-y). Sand the frames if they have glossy surfaces; this will help the paint adhere. Using a small foam brush, paint the frames in colors that coordinate with your fabric, applying thin and even coats (you’ll probably need two coats, especially if the frames are at all ornate).

2
While your frames are drying, measure the space inside your frames (you can usually use the glass you popped out as a template), then spread out your fabric and decide which section you’d like to frame. Use the glass template to trace that area, then cut it out with fabric scissors.

3
When the frames are completely dry, reassemble them, framing your fabric just as you would a regular photo or print. (It may help to stick the fabric to the piece of cardboard that comes in the back of the frame with a little double-sided tape so the fabric doesn’t slide around.)

Honest Play

B
EFORE
I
WAS A MOM
, I thought of “playing” as just something kids did to kill time. But now I know playing is basically their job—it’s how kids use their imaginations, expand their minds, and explore the world. We’re always encouraging Honor to think outside the box when she plays and finding ways to sneak a little learning in, too. If we’re drawing with chalk, we might draw a road and get Honor to tell us where she’s going (and practice telling our left and right to get there!). If we’re doing a craft project, I’ll ask her to count up the glitter stars for me. Trust me . . . it doesn’t feel like “education” or “work” when you’re having this much fun.

Keep a stockpile of frames and paint on hand so you can add to this collection over time—it will be so cool to see how your little artist’s talents and style evolve!

Artwork Displays

I absolutely love making art with Honor. It’s such a fun way to talk to her about our imaginations and how completely limitless they are—that she really can be anything and go anywhere in her own mind. When we’re painting or crafting together, I’m careful to compliment her creativity. My comments aren’t along the lines of “I like how you stayed inside the lines,” because to me, life is so not about staying inside the lines! It’s “I love how many colors you used” or “I love how you decided to put feathers on this part—what were you thinking about when you did that?”

This project gives you a way to keep your little Picasso’s treasures . . . without succumbing to kid art overload all over your house.

Materials

Art and collage supplies

Thrift-store frames

Nontoxic paint

How-To

1
Get your mini-Monet to work creating some masterpieces—finger painting, collage, whatever medium she loves. (Honor was really into feathers, so our artworks were a mix of finger paints with some feathers and other fun stuff glued on.) If your child’s room has a specific color scheme, try to limit the art supplies to that palette. Otherwise, go wild!

2
Carefully remove and discard the glass from your thrift-store frames, then give them a fresh coat of paint—match your paint choices to your kid’s room and/or her artwork creations.

3
Let everything dry, then slide the new masterpieces into their frames and group them on a wall of her room.

I love to store extra artwork by slipping pieces into three-ring binders (you could label one for every school year!) or rolling bigger pieces around reused wrapping paper tubes, which are easy to stash in the attic or a closet.

HOW TO FIND NONTOXIC ART SUPPLIES

This is such a bummer, but a lot of art and craft supplies (even those aimed at really little kids!) can contain hidden health hazards like lead and solvents. Companies aren’t required by law to list toxic ingredients, only whether the product contains a serious hazard—indicated by statements like “fatal if swallowed.” The good news: A nonprofit called the Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) will grant its Approved Product (AP) seal to any product proved to contain no hazardous ingredients through testing by independent toxicologists. (If a product does contain something sketchy, it gets a CL, or Cautionary Label.) It’s not fail-safe, but it’s the best benchmark we have for now—so check for the AP and CL labels on any art supplies you buy for your kids. (I’m a big fan of Todd Oldham’s Kid Made Modern line at Target!) Some other tips:

  • AVOID ANY ART SUPPLIES THAT WARN AGAINST USE BY GRADE SIX AND UNDER.
    (California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has a useful list at
    www.oehha.org
    ; search “art hazards list.”) Watercolors and water-based tempera paints are safer than anything oil or acrylic based.
  • CHOOSE PRODUCTS LABELED “LOW ODOR,”
    which means the markers, pens, or paint thinners have been formulated to produce fewer fumes. Bypass permanent or waterproof markers, which emit higher levels of toxic particles; scented markers are also a no-fly zone because they contain synthetic fragrances.
  • IF A PRODUCT SAYS “DANGER,” “WARNING, “CAUTION,”
    steer clear.
  • GET YOUR MINI-MONETS TO WASH UP WELL
    after they finish their art projects.
  • LOOK FOR SOYBEAN- OR BEESWAX-BASED CRAYONS AND “NO DUST” CHALK
    —these may be safer than regular crayons and chalk, some of which tested positive for asbestos in a 2000 study.
  • CHOOSE LIBRARY PASTE OR GLUE STICKS
    (Elmer’s is a good brand) over liquid glues that can get on the skin and are more easily inhaled; definitely skip rubber cement, which contains a super-sketchy chemical called hexane.
  • LOOK FOR BEESWAX-BASED PLAY DOUGH
    instead of conventional polymer clay, which contains PVCs softened by phthalates. (ACMI says the amount is too small to cause harm so it labels them “nontoxic,” but FYI.)

Honest Outdoors

W
E GET THE GIRLS
outdoors as much as possible, whether that means simply hanging out in our backyard, swimming and swinging, or heading to the park or a local nature trail. You can’t teach your kids about being kind to the planet if you aren’t out showing them the planet—plus going out to play is what being a kid is all about!

Wrap the ladder and legs of your playhouse in marine-quality rope for a fun nautical look!

Pirate Ship Playhouse

When Honor got big enough to start climbing, swinging, and sliding, we broke down and purchased one of those enormous play sets, complete with slide and playhouse, like so many parents do. I researched which brands were the most eco-conscious and went with a company called Play Well, which uses sustainably sourced redwood and environmentally friendly finishes. Then we had this big hulking play set in the backyard, which Honor and her friends loved . . . but I thought could be a little more stylish and more inspiring for their creativity. I started hunting for ideas on Pinterest and saw fabulous handmade versions, but I knew it would be way too wasteful to dump the play set we already had. Instead, I brainstormed some easy ways we could dress it up. Honor loves mermaids and pirates, so I went with a nautical theme and got her and both her cousins involved in the fun.

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