Paint The Rainbows--A Pinterest Poser Challenge

I haven't been crafty lately.  I haven't really even been on Pinterest lately. Whaaaaat? It kind of bums me out. I like making and creating and searching for pretty, colorful things.  So the other day when Wade said "let's make a craft," I jumped on it.

I searched for St. Patrick's Day crafts on Pinterest and found lots of shamrocks and rainbows.  We painted a few shamrocks and then decided to paint a giant rainbow.  It was gray and cold outside, the perfect day to paint a giant rainbow.  

This week's Pinterest Poser Challenge* is painting giant rainbows.
*In an attempt at not being a Pinterest Poser,** every week-ish I detail a new project/idea/recipe inspired by Pinterest.
**My definition of a Pinterest Poser is someone who is all pins and no substance. 

We used brown paper that we bought at the Dollar Store. We set out the paint (old, cheap paint we got at Michael's a while ago) and looked at a picture of rainbow so Wade knew what color to paint next.  He sang "Let It Go" while he painted.

As he painted and sang, my heart pounded with love and my head reminded me to enjoy this moment.  Wade will be in kindergarten next year painting pictures with his classmates and teachers.  Our spontaneous let's-make-a-craft-and-go-check-out-Pinterest moments will be rare.  Our moments alone together will be even more rare.

"Oh no!," Wade said looking very upset.  "I spilled blue."

"Wade, geez," I scolded trying not get upset that he had spilled blue paint on all the other colors.  Trying not to get upset that he had ruined our giant rainbow.  

But then my head and my heart reminded me to let it go and be right there in that moment with my youngest child.  

"That's okay pal," I told him.  "It just makes it more colorful."

We had a glorious time painting and singing and spilling paint the rest of that afternoon.  We painted more giant rainbows and little rainbows and I'm so glad that we did.  

Just like that old song about dancing..."if you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance," well my advice is if you get the chance/choice to paint giant imperfect messy rainbows, I hope you paint the rainbows.  

Maybe that's the real Pinterest Poser Challenge for all of us, to make stuff and not care if it's all messed up.  To enjoy the process and who we are making the stuff with, even if it is by ourselves. To not only be in the moment but embrace the hell out of the moment.  To be thankful and colorful and loud and messy and original.  

And maybe I'm not just talking about crafts. So yeah, go out and paint the rainbows, spill the paint, add more color, make more messes and memories and feel the love.

Our giant rainbow held up by blue painter's tape and full of blue splotches of paint makes me smile everyday.

Have you made anything inspired by Pinterest lately? Let me know in the comments or over on my Facebook page.

Come follow me on Pinterest (click here).

Here are some of the Pinterest projects I've done/made/attempted.
DIY Trundle Bed- Click here

DIY Artemis Costume- click here

Taking Pictures of Your Kids- click here

Gluten Free Pretzels- click here

Cinnamon Sugar Doughballs- click here

Painted Lockers- click here

Melted Beads- DIY Suncatcher- click here

Tissue Paper Pom Pom Garland-- click here

A Delightfully Simple Birthday Party--click here
Make An Awesome Omelet--click here
Outdoor Lights Inspired by the show Parenthood- click here
Herb Garden with Chalkboard Pots- click here
Backyard Graffiti Art with kids- click here

Happiness Notecards- click here

Gluten Free Rainbow Cake- click here

Fruit Roll-Up Fortune Cookies- click here

Make Your Own Magnets- click here

DIY Painted Clay Necklace- click here

Dixie Cup Lights- click here

DIY Ornaments-click here

Gluten Free Clay- click here

Make Your Own Stamps- click here
Birthday Shirt- click here

Gluten Free Pop Tarts- click here
Front Porch Kid Art Display- click here
Door turned into Table- click here

Summer Wish List Chalkboard-click here

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie Sandwiches-click here

Painted Mason Jar Vases-click here

Cinco de Mayo Paper Flowers- click here

Earth Day Cupcakes- Click here
Nail Art-click here

Homemade Photo Booth Fun- click here

Fake Bangs- click here

DIY Subway Art- click here

Furniture Painting and Bench/Chest Makeover- click here

Thanksgiving-y Project/Gratitude/Holiday Countdown- click here
The Smoothie-click here

The Free Printable Turned Artwork in a Boring Hallway- click here

The chalk board-click here
Seven Layer Dip in Individual Cups (my favorite so far!)-click here
The pumpkin address-click hereThe Kitchen Dancing Sign--click here

The Lesson of The Frame of Broken Ornaments

A few years ago we had a tree incident and Wade almost ruined Christmas.  

When Wade was a toddler, he climbed up the Christmas tree like a cat.  The Christmas tree came crashing down.  Wade crawled out from under the wreckage a little dazed and confused and with a few scratches, but mostly okay.  Many of our ornaments? Mostly not so okay. 

Lucy and JT cried because the tree was on the ground and bits and pieces of their favorite ornaments were everywhere.  I was yelling for no one to move because I was afraid someone would step on a sharp ornament bit and cut themselves.  Wade had already moved on to climbing up on top of tables.  He was a very busy toddler.

"Well, Christmas is ruined," Peyton said quietly under his breath.

I wanted to agree with him but knew that wasn't the good parent thing to do.  "No, no it's not," I replied through my own frustrated why can't anything go right tears.  "We are going to pick this up and put everything back together."

So we swept up the broken bits.  Tim tied a rope around the tree and anchored it to the wall, attempting to Wade-proof it. I turned up the Christmas music and made cookies while we cleaned up.

"What are we going to do with all the old ornament pieces," Lucy asked.  

"Throw them out I guess," I shrugged trying to not get too sentimental and sad.

Her eyes got big, like Cindy Lou Who big, and she smiled, "I know what we can do.  We can make a craft with them!"

So we did.  We glued the bits and pieces of old ornaments onto a wooden picture frame.  We put the picture of the kids and their cousins with Santa that we had taken a few weeks earlier inside the frame. It turned out beautifully.

Every year since the tree incident of 2011, I display the frame of broken ornaments with the other Christmas decorations.  The frame represents the true meaning of Christmas to me, and maybe even life.  Life/Christmas isn't about perfection. It is about the ability to turn the bad into good, seeing the beauty in the brokenness, paying attention to the simple wisdom/joy/hope of children, and not staying devastated when it, whatever it is (Christmas/life/jobs/relationships), feels ruined, and having a really good sense of humor.  It's about picking up the pieces and putting everything back together.   

Every year, I set out the picture frame and we tell the story of the tree incident of 2011 and how Wade almost ruined Christmas.  And we laugh and laugh and remember there is beauty in the broken bits and pieces, of Christmas and life.