the two 'P' 's : paint and playdough

OK, so no more Buddhism today. Well not intentionally anyway. Although who'd say no to a bit of added calm in their hectic day? Not me, that's ALWAYS welcome.



First things first. Do you know, that for the last couple of weeks I wake up and then I actually get dressed? Not mind blowing to the average person who does this every day I know. But this has totally changed my day. For the better.

Amazing.

Before I slopped about in PJ's, sometimes until lunch time, feeling rather, well, sloppy (even though I did things, don't take me as a sloth). I Love wearing Pj's and chilling out as much as the next busy Mama, but it was getting a bit much. I just ended up feeling cross that I was still wearing PJ's... and so getting dressed early makes me feel oh so productive! So on top of things! So ready to start my day! (Look at those exclamation marks, I am just banging them out in glee!!!!)

It has been very good for me. Today, for example, was one of those feeling productive days (don't mix it with actual productivity - just the feeling of is enough). But I was up, goat milk rice pudding in the oven for one boy, chopping veg and beginning a stew/sauce for the rest of us. And it was early morning! And I was dressed! Wowzers. Esmé at hand, in her usual helpful position beside me on the counter. My AGA is on the blink so I am using the tiny gas stove on the island in the kitchen until it is fixed (AGA fixing people are very busy apparently). It feels very novel, like I am camping or something, and when I cook I get to see everyone else downstairs rather than have my back to them - it's really great, relaxing even, it must be good feng shui or something.



Then Esmé spied the paintbrushes and so we had to paint.









We had a couple of friends over (potion making in the garden, sand play and such when the rain showers held off) and then after a rest (me in bed with the babe and the boys watching a film) we made play dough. I do like making play dough. It feels so crafty and frugal and Good-Mama-ish, and of course it is miles better than the shop bought stuff. Plus it gets played with for AGES here. It really does. It is so LOVED. The boys use it for hours at a time, absorbed, games shifting from food to figures and back again, chatting, laughing. The trick is leaving it long enough between making one batch and the next, a month or two really (or longer). I even experimented and tried a gluten free version (with gluten free plain flour) but it turned out very rubbery and a bit sticky. Not a hit. This is my favourite recipe. Lovely and squishy and holds it's shape, can be made in five minutes flat, so quick you feel inspired to make more and more in every shade.







So the two P's. When days are rainy that's what we do. Paint and Play with dough. Easy for me and lots of value for them. But simple things too, and I often forget them, imagining that I need to get out bigger, fancier, elaborate craft activities (that often, honestly, can leave me tired, stressed with the excess mess; as good and inspiring that they can be sometimes).

Some days you just crave some simple hands-on open-ended play times that leave you free to rest too. For me that's play dough and paint. I am seriously going to remember when we go away in a few weeks to take the paints and play dough making ingredients. Who knows? It may rain. I wouldn't be surprised. We are going to Scotland afterall (oh the age old, tired Scottish weather gags, I love you really Scotland, wild and airy land).



So, hurray for easy, craft-like, happy play. The best sort.



And a little girl who for every minute of play is both easy and happy. But thankfully not all that crafty. Yet.