Washi-ing the Playroom

After doing some civic duty in donating to flood victims, I need a break from being glued to Twitter and FB for gloomy news while the rains and floods keep us indoors.  

I will be washi-taping stuff.

Here's what's been done in the last month since Ladybug Girl's room was painted purple.  Yes, I said a month ago.  Don't judge me, I'm slow.

First the color scheme I was agonizing over.  My sister pointed me towards green and purple.  I never would have considered green!  Until she sent these helpful photos:

For future reference, a helpful co-worker pointed me towards this site of color combos which was so great I used it to decide on Ladybug Girl's colors for her birthday (poopoo) party next month.

First to get replaced was the wallpaper backing on the shelves, which was just cloth I stuck with double-sided tape:

This is not a good idea for cloth where the yellowed tape can show through.  But it held up fine for two years!

Remember that ridiculous pile of fabric I had during my last home purge?  Finally used one of them.

I love modern stripes!  Maybe too much since it's all over my home. 

Here's what it looks like for now, clutter and all.  I'm liking the green, what do you think?

Here's what it looked like before:

It feels a lot less cluttered now.

I washi'd her art gallery because I had a lot of green washi tape.

Me thinks me likey.

Here's what it looked like before:

I had our handymen paint the frames white first.

Very happy but maybe also little too-stimulating as a view in front of the bed

The new art gallery looks less cluttered: 

Art is stuck with washi tape (it never peels off the paint)

While the little girl was napping, I quietly washi'd to my heart's random content:

Her xylophone case is ugly no more.  But this took a whole half hour -- that's way too long for a corporate mom.

Alternating stripes have washi tape designs to lessen the boldness and blend into the room more.
(It's better in person)

I didn't spare the battery case of her hanging twinkly light decoration - it got washi'd too.

I didn't spare that screw head either.

Obliviouszzzzzzzz

As the washi madness takes over, I am relieved to share that I finally had those curtains hung up on either side of the bed to define the sleeping space.

It's pulled forward for naps/bedtime and pulled back otherwise

How the same area looked before:

See the transformation process here

Lastly, those red chairs and very stained table got a makeover too:

When they were brand new:

And still looking brand new thanks to spray paint:

I love the bright blue third accent color!

Ladybug Girl even got the washi tape home decor fever:

I came home one night to find neon price stickers and what-have-you on her bedside wall.

I like the purple walls now.  And that "washi'd" is now a completely legitimate word.

The Perfect Doctor Kit

I realized I was a toy doctor's kit snob when I couldn't find anything I liked over all of Ladybug Girl's four years.  They were either too-cheap plastic, or too-basic wooden ones.  So I just DIY'd one.

Making one of our own made so much sense, I wish I had done this earlier.

All you need is: a plastic briefcase (I had one from our egg timer set packaging but you can get them from school supplies), a glue gun and anything you can use to create cubbyholes in the kit.  Ours had:

• caps to create compartments (these were from shaving cream and facial wash)
• a pretty box from my boss which once held chocolates
• 2 empty poster paint containers
• a cardboard box packaging

Glue something sturdy to create some backing (this is optional, but I used a spare placemat), and then just stick down the organizers however you want

Something like this:

I debated about wrapping that cardboard box, but maybe if I had more time.

The cubbyholes keep the tools in place even when the doc is on call.  Woot!  No more tool jumble.
(What, don't you hate that too?)

What makes this the perfect kit?  You can customize the tools according to your little one's interest.  

Or Doc McStuffin's.

Here's a closeup of ours:  

Doesn't that just make you want to dive in and... heal things?

And if that doesn't, the washi tape on the front label will.

I did this before sticking it down.

Enough of the slapdash DIY, more play!  

This customized kit has inspired a lot more doctor play around here. 

So many patients, so little time!

24/7 Doctor is on Call

Filling up the jars herself (this is ripped paper)

Washi tape for scissor practice and  a great bandaid on daddy's sleeping back

He needed an injection

And another bandaid.

Mike needed an eye patch too.

And so did I.  I'm not doing this again though.

On my list of other playstuff that are better off DIY'd: cleaning supplies, tents and bath toys.  I'd say play kitchens, but I don't have the talent of paperminties.  

What play thing do you prefer to DIY?

For Filipino Readers

International readers, please skip this post.

This blog isn't about politics, but I am a corporate employee and I pay taxes.  I want to witness this country rise from corruption and poverty and know I did my share.

And most of all I am a mom.  I want my daughter to love her country.  I want her to want to live in this country and feel proud.

I hope our leaders do right by our children

I won my first debate in second year highschool on the topic of pork barrels.  I was on the pro-pork barrel side, and we won on the sole basis of a lack of proof that corruption exists.  Oh the irony.

At a time when my generation is now holding higher levels in government jobs, I have to wonder how corruptible we are.  Peers of mine, please keep your consciences clear: we CAN STILL be too young to be corrupted.

Keep A Nature Box

It's ironic that the Philippines is filled with natural wonders but Manila is a dump.  We don't have much "nature" in the city so I took inspiration from Montessori and made room for a permanent "nature box" on our shelves.

We keep whatever strikes our fancy when we're outdoors.  Which outside our house just means this:

And this is a neighbor's frontage too, not even ours!

Our nature box changes many times, mostly when we can squeeze in a "nature walk" around the village.

Leaves + caterpillar + black pebble

Adding coral + scallop shell + smooth beach pebble after our Bicol trip

While it's just nice to have around, I'm also trying to develop the naturalistic intelligence in her.  This was one of Ladybug Girl's intelligences that tested with 'limitless possibilities' in the Innate Intelligence test.  

So we like to keep adding to our real life collection when we can ...

Pressing flowers from Lola's garden in Tagaytay

And then use the contents to do some "drawing"...

And some observing...

Of course, also some creating of art to display the rewards of our walks.

Inspired by this, we used a box lid and white glue to set our leaves and flowers.  The glue dries in two days, and the flowers stay preserved for a few more days after that.

(2 days later)

The highlight of our collection so far has been this:

I found this moth in my t-shirt drawer.  (I don't know how it got there, none of my shirts have holes!)

She touched the wings and jerked in surprise - it had the softest wings even though its body was all stiff!

Here is her drawing of our little moth.
This was back in June and her drawing progress was starting to show.

Just last week we tried to bring home live bugs this time, but all died before they made their chrysalis.

Poor little ones.  I think we made them a death trap.

And one time she put a very solid booger in the box.  I blame her father entirely.

But let's see: nature are things that God made.  Does a booger count??  

Random August Wisdom

I'm feeling overwhelmed with so much to do this August, it's making me tense and high-strung.

First there's Ladybug Girl's birthday party in September and I've barely gotten started.  Maybe because this year, she chose the theme herself and I don't know what to do.  

She voted this as her #1 theme (see the 'one' on the side?)

Of all the things she loves, she loves joking about poop.

Sweetheart, when you read this when mommy is old and grumpy, remember that you had a fun childhood anyway.

And then there's the end of our roof/outside areas renovation which turned into a kitchen renovation. There's still so much mess to clean up - I spent all day cleaning a kitchen I don't even cook in!

We'd never ever get to do this again, so we took advantage of the gutted kitchen to play in the newly-opened space

Sweetheart, when you're a wife and blaming mommy for not teaching you how to cook, remember that you can learn that at any age but bubbles are only magical when you're four.

And then there has been a series of bad luck at work, one after the other.  My talent-exchange teammate from Thailand says that whenever that happens we should go to nine wats (temples) to attract good fortune.  Interesting - what do we do in Manila?     

Sweetheart, when you're working and stressed, remember there's nothing a little washi tape can't fix.

Ok, me-time over.  Back to cleaning house!