April 24, 2013
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paint-y
It’s been a paint-y day. This is good, because any time I wasn’t painting I was a little disgusted with the world. And now that I finished a painting project, I’m in love with the world again. So, clearly, I need acrylic paint in my life in order to be happy. Whatever.
So the lovely teacher I work with is preggers with twins. Holy sh. Anyhow, so the class and I decided that we needed to make quilts for the babies. Today was step #1 of the secret project. I have to say, I think it’s going to be pretty darn cute. Here’s what we did today. (I’ll try not to bore you with each step, because I really don’t do stuff the easy way. ha ha.) In case it isn’t obvious, we did fingerprint painting. We’re doing a wetland unit, so there are lots of trees, butterflies, ducks, a couple alligators, birds. You gotta kind of use your imagination. But pretty darn cute, huh?
eager little hands
full of love and energy
create for teacherAnd the other side of my zen door. Happiness.
Unless I get back to work on the bench I started last spring, I’m out of paint projects. Sigh. I guess I could always put up a door frame and paint that. Naw. Too much like work.
dip the brush in small plastic bottles
long brush strokes on rough wood
lines, curves, swirls peel away ugliness
bright colors soothe an aching within
each line brings release from the
dissatisfaction that isn’t earned
and a smile wraps itself around
the release that goes on and on
every time my eyes touch my creation#npm (who the heck knows what number perhaps it’s time to stop pretending i can manage 30 poems this month.)
Comments (45)
Adorable.
It’s probably the fumes that make you so at peace with the world. Old painters are usually indistinguishable from old hippies.
@lanney - i should have been a hippie.
@lanney - also you said hippie so THIS
You’re better. You’ve got the general goodwill, the delight in color, and the independence of attitude along with the responsibility of a regular person.
I love the door! And if you’re using the children’s paintings for the quilt…love that, too! brilliant idea!
@songoftheheart - yes. those are the blocks for the quilts. at least some of them. it’s all nebulous at this point.
@lanney - you are the best thing ever.
What a great idea for the quilts, she should love that!
aint that somethin
both offerings 
I like the inside of the door even better. Even more Sunshined. You could start a business, sunshine-ing furniture and houses.
With this coming on the heels of my visit to the Chalk Art Festival, I am feeling so artsy right now!
Very cool and I like.
That is such a cute idea. The kids did a great job.
@lanney - heh. as an old hippie that paints, i agree; she’s much more responsible. or something
What a cool idea for the kids to make quilts! The poems were both good and I love the door!
very cute. and the door rules.
Nice haiku and poem too!
I love the finger paintings. What a great secret idea. I like the other side of your door too. For the record I was a hippie. I stood up for social issues of the time including equality for women but I also always worked as did most of us. I mowed lawns and shoveled snow until I got my first job when I turned 16. Still in high school I later did construction and worked loading and unloading trucks. I worked my way through college and though I still had to take out a college loan I paid it off ahead of time. We hippies had our plates full. The myth that we didn’t do anything is just that, a myth. We worked, fought for women’s and civil rights. We put an end to the Vietnam War and produced an epic period of rock and roll. Spend an hour in a bar 40 years later and you’ll likely hear Allman Brothers, Creedence and Rolling Stones songs to mention but 3. Oh not to mention Hendrix and Joni and that George Bush tried his best to quote the Who’s “We won’t get fooled again”. We did a helluva lot to move society forward. I’d do it again, purple shirt with yellow polka dots, bell bottom jeans, long hair and all. :) Jeans, “dungarees” people still wear today came out of that time.
love the door. you have great eye for design
Of course you are a “hippie” just not the sterotype ones kids see on tv “in the old days.” Peace man!
OH MY GOSH! I love the quilts idea! The teacher is gonna’ love them!!! One time I had my Kindergarten class do that…they drew on special iron-on paper with special crayons and we transferred/ironed their drawings onto the white fabric squares, then I sewed the childsize-bed quilt. The quilt sold at an auction to raise money for the school! It was such fun!!!
Both the front and the back of your door is welcoming!!! (and that was not an innuendo.
)
I like the line in your poem about your eyes touching your creation…the cool thing is you can touch the paint with your hands, too and then smile.
HUGS!!!
The quilt squares are beautiful. What a great idea for a baby quilt.
I do like the back of your Zen door.
Paintings worthy enough for the fridge door.
@moniet - i think she will. and the kids are so excited about it. love that.
@starmanjones - why thank you.
@leaflesstree - such a sweet comment.
@RighteousBruin - april is the right time for art. your chalk festival was cool too.
@Grannys_Place - thanks so much!
@Erika_Steele - and they had fun.
@Bels_Kaylar - responsible is a four letter word, y’know.
@murisopsis - thanks, all around.
@TheSutraDude - a friend of mine once said to me that hippies could have saved the world if we’d let them. I recently saw “Hair”- totally loved it. it’s too bad we don’t have a youth now with that kind of drive and love. anyhow, thanks for all.
i love what you did with the auction. the trifecta: kids’ art, quilt, and for a good cause. gonna think about that some more. 
@complicatedlight - thanks, phil.
@bonmots - wow. thanks!!
@GoneRetired - and i dig the threads too.
@adamswomanback - hugs, hugs, hugs. where’s the sexy comment you promised me.
@C_L_O_G - thanks.
@olwd - i wonder if i could paint the fridge door?
Uhm, lets not and just say you did. LOL
How on earth are you keeping this glorious quilt a secret??? The kids must be tickled beyond pink.
And yes, paint the fridge door.
@WildWomanOfTheWest - i’m sure they will spill the beans a little. which is fine. because that is cute too.
I have twins…just sayin
the door is as great as the quilt blocks, I think you may well be an incarnate hippie … I mean just look at your shoes
I say paint the refrigerator door too!
love the poem and who counting
What a sweet idea, the blankets! I bet she loves that.
I love the door. This side of it is my fave.
@promisesunshine - Haha that could have been, re hippies. i have confidence in youth today.
I’m thinkin’ you need a door frame. A door that great really needs a frame. But being an irresponsible old hippie I’m too high to put it in for you this decade.
I knew you would agree.
Aren’t you up to thirty? What is thirty, anyway?
I agree with the heathen, it deserves all the best.
Even just painting the simplest things makes me happier too.
@Aloysius_son - it’s magic.
@distractedbyzombies - i think there are 30 days in national poetry month. i think this is around 7 or 8 little poems i’ve created so far.
@HappierHeathen - i’ve noticed that i can’t paint a straight line when i’m drinking wine. also, i will take your challenge and put up my door frame. surely i can do that.
@TheSutraDude - i don’t know why i said i didn’t. i see promise in the kids i spend time with.
@aSeriesofFortunateEvents - when i was doing it, i thought i liked the other side better. but, yea, i don’t think so.
@mlbncsga - last time i wore these shoes, i fell down the stairs and sprained my ankle. i must be an aging and clumsy hippie incarnate.
Crap!!! You are so sexy!!! And I’m not bull pooping you!!!
@adamswomanback - aw. i got a warm feeling now.
@promisesunshine - No, but like, what IS thirty, man? Ya know?
@distractedbyzombies - so like i’m clearly not getting the clue here. at least i wasn’t. man. so maybe the number is not what it important about the experience. do you think it’s possible to get high on deodorant?
@promisesunshine - no clues. I am just silly.
I think it’s important to get high on deodorant. Pretty sure. Need me some.
@distractedbyzombies - oh thank goodness. i silly too. even sillier than usual.
Carrie, this is an amazing post. I am expecting a grandchild this August. I think I will make the older brother finger paint a quilt for this baby. What a great idea. Thank you.
I love your door. I had painted two doors when my children were little. I had even posted them here on xanga in ’09. I thought I would give you the link to that, but, after the search, I found out that I had deleted the pictures. Bummer. Now I have to take pictures of these two doors and post them so you can see. They are not the Zen door like you have, which is stunning…but still, I like it. It’s been 35 years, and they are still there, looking just as fresh.
@ZSA_MD - how exciting- another grandchild!! congratulations!! i think the older brother will love to do this and it will be so special for the family.
i’m sorry you deleted the pictures. i look forward to seeing your doors.
@promisesunshine - I took pictures of the doors again tonight and will post them tomorrow morning and tag you. But I have to tell you, they are not beautiful like your door. It’s just a simple thingy I did for the kids thirty three years ago.
i love simple thingies done for kids.