Kind lifer Michelle wrote in this paint recipe recently. Thank you Michelle for sharing. This is wonderful! It looks so fun! Can’t wait to try it with Bear.
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“Art is as natural as sunshine and as vital as nourishment.”
~MaryAnn F. Kohl
My son is almost 2 years old and I wanted to introduce him to painting. It is such a lovely expression for a child to be able to see color spread out across paper, directed by his sweet hand. There is fluidity and ease to paint. It is exciting and magical. My concern was the presence of toxins in traditional paint. Even the more responsibly made paints that I considered buying did not have full disclosure of their ingredients or would list “other natural ingredients”. But what are those “other natural ingredients”? Maybe as my son gets older and is inevitably exposed to art projects outside of our home that will have to be O.K., but in as much as I can offer him the purest option to begin his artistic journey, I wanted to!
I read about using herbs to make paint, but still using other ingredients like clay or egg whites, and at not yet 2 years of age, I wanted something more pure. I began mixing the herbs I had in the house with just water, and the colors came out beautifully! Is the paint I have created perfect and thick? No, but the imperfections are part of the beauty. Letting go of the expectation of what the paint “should” look like and allowing each mixture to unfold every time we mix the herbs and water is part of the fun, and for me, an exercise in expanding my mind to accept a new way of doing something. The consistency and final product are much like watercolor paint.
In many ways the process of eliminating all unnecessary elements to create the paint, was on a smaller scale, similar to my journey to shifting my diet and my son’s to a vegan one. When we eliminate that which is unnecessary in our lives the result is simple, pure and radiant.
May this information bring you and your children joy!
*start with 1 teaspoon of the ground herb and slowly add ¼ teaspoon of water while mixing until you reach a desired consistency and color*
*store in recycled container of choice and keep in fridge for at least 2 weeks, if not more. you may want to add a tiny bit of water each time you use the paint*
*mountainroseherbs.com is a great place to buy herbs online if you are unable to find them in your local store*
*konakratom.com is a great place to buy kratom to burn! it’s often easier to find lab tested mitragyna speciosa online than in stores near me.
Arrowroot Powder – WHITE (can also be used as a thickener and to lighten color)
*When you 1st apply this, it seems like it will be near clear in color, but allow it about 10 minutes to dry and it will be the most fabulous, swirling white! We painted ghosts on black and red paper with this!*
Beet Root Powder – RED/PINK
Cinnamon – SAND/TAN/PEACH
Cocoa Powder – PERFECTLY BROWN
Mustard – SOFT YELLOW
Paprika – ORANGE/RED
Sage – LOVELY LIGHT GREEN
Spirulina Powder – RIDICULOUSLY GORGEOUS GREEN
Turmeric – PUMPKIN ORANGE
~NON-TOXIC FINGER PAINTING~
*in a blender mix a handful of about-to-expire blueberries with a bit of water and arrowroot powder for the most delicious finger paint! You will end up with gorgeous hues of black, blue and purple across your paper! *
About the author:
Michelle worked in Finance and Sales/Marketing for 20 years before becoming a full-time mom. She is also a Yoga teacher, Certified Ayurvedic Nutritional Counselor and Certified Personal Safety Instructor.
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