I know I've mentioned it a few times before, but I've joined my local CWA branch. Our hall has recently had some work done so it was pretty dusty and in need of a good clean.
So after our meeting the other day we got into it and cleaned the windows, some of the walls and the bathrooms.
It was then that we realised what a big job it is to clean a public hall. We'd been going for about two hours and had only done that much! There was SO much more to be done!!!
So, on the weekend I got a text inviting me to come and do another stint. The Big Fella was at work so I got to take the Little Big Fella with me. I packed a bag full of toys, and he decided to wear his Darth Vader costume. We jumped on our bikes and went to the hall.
I got the joyous job of cleaning walls. And I can tell you, I love cleaning walls about as much as I love cleaning windows!
I spent the next three hours cleaning one wall.
Yes. You read that correctly. Three hours, one wall.
As an experienced cleaner (ha!), why on earth would it take that long?????
BluTack, people!!!
OMG!!! I swear some of that BluTack had been there since the hall was built!!!! So it was solid and did not want to move to a new home!!!
My poor little fingers got cramps from pushing all that BluTack around to get it to come off.
And then there was the sticky stuff left behind by tape! I ended up riding home to get my bottle of eucalyptus oil to get that stuff off!
If I never see sticky stuff and BluTack again in my life...
Well, after about two minutes of "helping" me clean the wall, the Little Big Fella discovered that sugar soapy water and a rag makes "slug tracks" on a wooden floor.
At least he was entertained for about an hour, racing around the "track" like Turbo (a Disney/Pixar snail).
Never mind that once it dried the floors didn't look as clean as they were when we arrived. At least one wall was clean!
I'm reconsidering a very old dream tonight. One that I have previously written off, several times.
I'm wondering if it's actually possible. And if it is, if I actually want it enough to put all the necessary effort in.
What will it cost my husband and my son if I go down this path? What would have to change in our lives? Is it worth that?
What would I gain? Is that worth it?
Am I brave enough to face it? Am I too old?
Do I really want it?
I watched this morning, and I was fascinated. I watched this evening and was excited.
Can I truly do this?
At last!!! The promised post with all the creative stuff!!!
One of the reasons I love Halloween is the opportunity to make stuff! This year I made paper mache pumpkins, tin can luminaries a silhouette for our single front window, and body part cookies. Let me show you!
Paper mache pumpkins
Okay, I found these on Pinterest and they looked so cute and easy! Turns out they're really not! In the end I was happy with the results, but it took a lot more effort than I'd expected.
Here's the basic idea of what to do: You blow up a balloon with string around it so that it bulges out in a pumpkin shape. Paper mache a couple of layers. Ta da! All done!
Ha!
First of all, getting the string around the balloon took a bit more working out than I'd thought. I ended up with a slow and careful process of blowing up the balloon, measuring the string around it, letting all the air out, tying the string, half blowing up the balloon and putting the strings around it (while not letting the air out of the balloon), blowing up the balloon a bit more, moving the strings so that they were a bit more even around the balloon, blowing up the balloon some more, moving the strings so they didn't slide around to one side of the balloon, blowing the balloon to bulging point, and finally attempting to tie off the balloon without the strings sliding around or the balloon popping.
It was great fun.
Anyway, I eventually got three done. Because there's no stores nearby that have paper mache glue, I made the glue from plain flour and water. I did about three layers of white and one layer of orange tissue paper (using watered down PVA glue so that I didn't end up with white flour glue spots all over the finished product).
I learned that the Little Big Fella really likes to eat flour, even when it's in the form of a glue paste. Doing this project with a child around is fun but messy.
Oh! And by the way, if you attempt this, I highly recommend having a nice big end on the string tie point. Hanging them on the washing line to dry was slightly tricky with my little ones. They all fell several times and ended up with a few dents.
My pumpkins sat on my buffet for a couple of weeks and I wasn't quite happy with them. So at about 4pm, before our 6pm departure for the Halloween walk, I decided to paint vines and leaves on them. Probably not a good time to do it, but I was finally happy with the results.
Pity it was too dark for everyone to see them when they came trick or treating!!!
Tin Can Luminaries
Another Pinterest find, this is just a bunch of tin cans, washed and with the labels removed. Fill with water and freeze, then punch holes in patterns with a hammer and nail. If I did these again, I'd draw my designs on with a black marker before freezing the cans. This time I made do with a pencil, but it really would have been easier the other way. Let the ice melt and the tins dry, and if you need to, hammer the base back in so that it'll stand up straight. Spray paint (so they look nice during the day) and pop a candle in. Ta da!
Window silhouette
Pinterest is definitely my friend for these kinds of things. I get to find easy and effective ideas, and also be inspired by other peoples' efforts on the not-so-easy stuff. This one was pretty simple: Draw a shape on cardboard, cut it out, pin it on the sheer curtain. I had to add an extra step of spray-painting the cardboard because I made mine using two different, light colours and it would have driven me nuts. And it looks much more effective in black.
Body part cookies
Again, thanks to Pinterest I came across witches finger biscuits. I didn't look at the recipe though - just used my chocolate chip cookie recipe. At the last minute the Little Big Fella and I decided to make them green, which meant a lot of really hard mixing to try to get the green to spread evenly through the dough. Next time, I'd add the colour at the liquid stage!
The other thing I didn't really take into consideration is that my cookie recipe spreads.
So we tried a few more, making them skinnier and they were better. But I got sick of making fingers so we switched to eyeballs.
In the end we made little bags with a finger and an eyeball for about 50. I tried to make the "eyeballs" bloodshot, but they just looked like weird starfish on the biscuits. Luckily they tasted alright though!
So that's my Halloween creativeness done and dusted. I also tried these spooky eyes, but they weren't as effective as I hoped - the glow sticks didn't glow enough to give the full effect.
I've also been doing a few Christmas cards ready for the upcoming season. Here's a sneak peek!
So now it's on to Christmas! Two months of creativity, carols and celebrations!!! Woo hoo!!!!!!
I was feeling the trepidation.
It was kindy pick-up time for the Little Big Fella. I'd had a really full day and was mildy stressed about not getting other stuff done.
But that wasn't what caused my fear.
You see, the Little Big Fella doesn't like snakes.
At. All.
He doesn't like bugs or even the rubber snakes that boys stereotypically throw at girls to make them scream.
Guess what came to kindy today.
Yup! A reptile show.
So, I was feeling nervous.
While getting my hair cut and coloured I was imagining a stressed-out phone call from the kindy teacher telling me I had to come and pick up the Little Big Fella, with blood-curdling screams in the background.
Thankfully the Big Fella was with me for pick-up. I had moral support!
We made our way from the car, through the child-proof gates, and along the side of the kindy building.
I couldn't hear anything! No singing, no playing, no stories.
Sh!t! The guy had an anaconda and ate everyone!!!
But, no! We got around to the closed doors and the other parents were waiting patiently. All must have been well.
The teacher opened the doors and the Big Fella walked over to get the Little Big Fella. Out he came and ran into Daddy's arms.
Okay. He's alive! This is good!
The Big Fella motioned that I was there as well and the Little Big Fella pelted over to me and gave me a BIG hug.
And then it started.
The non-stop, high-pitched, high-decibel, excited talk about dragons that don't fly and 7 meter snakes and baby crocodiles and turtles with long tongues and... and... and...
It went on until we got to McDonald's (Daddy needed coffee).
Throughout the rest of the afternoon and evening there were sudden outbursts about various reptiles, generally in the high-pitched, high-speed, excited tones.
We had dinner and the Little Big Fella headed off for his shower. When he got out I could tell he was tired. His eyes were practically hanging out of his head.
"Yes!" thought I. "He'll be asleep in no time!"
Ha!
As soon as I went in to say goodnight (the Big Fella had already headed off to work after dinner) the excited stories began again. They began with him showing me all of the reptiles and telling me all about them. Then then turned imaginative.
These snakes (the mummy, the daddy and the babies) each had their own little beds up and down his body.
This dragon can't fly because he doesn't have wings, but he can breathe fire! And the turtle can breathe ice so that he doesn't burn when the dragon breathes fire at him.
The cage for these crocodiles only opens when I press this button on the wall and click my fingers.
I can magic this cage from over there.
I need a drink of water. Can you watch my pets so they don't get scared from being along?
And on, and on, and on! I don't think he took a breath for at least 15 minutes!!! Eventually I was able to suggest that it was sleeping time.
The Little Big Fella lay down on his pillow and pulled up his covers (for the 100th time since coming in to his room), but the pets needed a story.
"One story" I agreed.
Up he jumped again to choose a book from the shelf! (Honestly, I wish I had a fraction of his energy at this time of day!!!)
So the story was read and the child calmed enough to potentially sleep. And I was left with a brilliant sense of my son's imagination and excitement about something I'd thought would bring fear. I can't wait to see what happens when he goes to school!!!
