We started off with a Curious George party, then did the Cowboy thing and finally the lego party. I was starting to run out of fun ideas for my boys parties.

One thing Landon loves to do is draw and color, seemed only obvious to throw him an art inspired party.  Now that he and most of his guests are 5 they are able to keep the mess to a minimum so I forged ahead in making this happen.

I bought dollarstore white placemats and cut them into the shape of a painter’s palette.  I then adhered plastic die cut circles to mimic paint which are easily washable.  Yet another trip to our dollarstore yielded plain canvases on which the kids could paint their masterpiece just like the professionals.  I am convinced the one to the far left will be worth money some day.

I knew this cake would be perfect for our art party.  No wimpy food coloring for this one, the real dark vibrant food paste was brought in to pull this off.  Beware!  If you get this on your counter be prepared to love the tie die look because it does not wash off easily.  Better yet pawn the job off on your poor unsuspecting parents.  It’s amazing what you can get away with in the name of grand kids.

For favors I simply picked up some small tubs of Play Doh, a plastic painters palette, some paint brushes and a few tubs of washable paint.  Ironically last minute I forgot to pick up favor bags and tossed the stuff in small green recylcing garbage bags.  I figured everyone at some point can use those and will more than likely come in handy when letting your toddlers paint or use play doh…or as in my case both at once.

With three kids I am sure to be repeating one of these parties, or better yet I may even take them bowling.  Problem solved.

How’s this for chaos? Last May little Mclaren was overdue by 2 weeks, we closed the deal on our home and attempted to move all in the span of 2 weeks For for the record, I did NOT scrapbook this moment.

The painter was here so long the kids started referring to as their uncle, the furnace had to be unexpectedly replaced and through all of this we were dealing with false labor pains. Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

But we survived, a few grays emerged on my head and a few gray hairs left my hubby’s. But the key word is we survived, and I am so glad we did because I love the new house. Our home.

Don’t get me wrong, I was reluctant to leave the farm and the security of my parents. If it was not for the no more children clause they strategically (in minuscule print I might add) placed in our rental agreement, I probably would be still there protesting the eviction. In all seriousness we knew it was time. My parents were in the basement apartment and the overhead noise was only going to get worst with the not so tiny pitter patter of heavy clunky toddler feet. We needed our very own place as they did theirs. So we found this little gem complete with a dozen contrasting floral wallpaper…all of which were not placed over primed walls. Feel my pain? I will never support a wallpaper comeback regardless of who on HGTV says it is the in thing, I cannot stomach the stuff.

Wanna see my once pink kitchen? I didn’t zoom out for a full shot, too much pink, way too much.

I can see all of your curled up noses now.  Believe it or not that is a pink painted brick back splash.  No, that doesn’t sound hideous enough.  Here’s a better description, it’s a painted pink zebrick backsplash.  That is right up there with fuzzy textured snot green wallpaper circa 1970 surprisingly enough I have not unearthed any as of yet.

So here is my new, but not quite complete kitchen

I still have a wood counter top and apron front sink to install, bead board ceiling and outdoor light fixtures to get up. Note how I strategically centered the picture to avoid showing off the hideous ceiling and floors, not to mention the pile of junk that was there a mere 10 seconds before.  I should seriously learn to photoshop to avoid such hassle.

When all the above has been checked off my honey “do” list,  I will zoom out and take the full shot.

As if there wasn’t enough going on in this playroom, I had to go and add more.

I picked up these plastic magazine holders for a buck several years ago and finally decided to do something with them.

I chose a corner or the playroom devoted primarily to reading, a little nook of sorts complete with a child’s recliner, rug and book holders.  Because the placement of the studs were off to attach the plastic bins directly, I asked my father to cut 4 pieces of plywood at a size that would allow me to safely place them on the wall without getting ripped out by 40 lbs of toddler muscle

I used inexpensive spray paint to coat them before screwing them together.  This project cost me a little over $10 and I can easily use the leftover paint for other playroom projects.

To add to this decor I decided to use these adorable prints while doing my tour O’ thrift stores and knew they would fit perfectly with the primary colour decor.  The series of three were a steal at $2 and had an IKEA sticker on the back

They co-ordinate perfectly with these two on the adjacent wall I purchased for $4 at a yard sale

There, the playroom is complete. ….just in time to move.

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After spending money on the design and construction of our large primitive harvest table

I came to one conclusion……….

The plastic funky coloured high chair killed the decor…..DEAD.

When pregnant with my first I remember saying something along the lines of “a baby is not going to kill my primitive country decor, no way, no how” that is until that little bundle of bodily fluids came home and my home has been his domain ever since.  Slowly, my primitive decorating pieces climbed higher and higher up the walls and contents on shelves quickly emptied and found new homes nestled away in the back of drawers.  Yes, I am eating crow on that statement and I quickly found myself manoeuvring around large cumbersome baby swings and purple plastic high chairs…I am pretty sure the first settlers of the 19th century did not have a giant ducky Jolly Jumper in their doorway.

Thankfully I ran across an ad on Kijiji for a wooden high chair that would discretely blend into the look of our harvest table.  This was a compromise I could live with.  As the youngest starting becoming more independent, I saw the need for the more secure plastic chair dwindling, I have been on the lookout for a mate ever since. I could have gone to a restaurant supply store and purchase a new one but that would go against my love of recycling.  I needed to wait.  My good friend Katie was looking out for me and e-mailed the ad which I quickly followed suit with a good half dozen desperate pleas ..I NEEDED that matching chair.

I just went and picked it up, although they are different colours I am planning to have hubby sand down and stain the chair to match not only each other but the table as well.

There …..the pilgrims of yesteryear would surely approve.