Spray What?

Sick days can be tough when you haven't planned for a day at home. My son does daycare every morning of the week. My baby girl naps during this time. I knit or clean.
... Let's be real. I clean if I really have to. I'd rather knit or craft or nap.

So when my son has been up all night sick all over his bed multiple times he stays home and we are all pooped! And as much as throwing on a movie would be the easy way out I make us all work for it first. Today I decided to try something I've been dying to try for a while.

Water colour spray art!

I had just picked up plastic table cloths at the dollar store for my daughter's Birthday party last weekend and we didn't used them. So I draped it on the floor and taped it up the shelf vertically as well. You can never be too safe! (Yeah, he still sprayed the shelves and contents a bit.) *sigh* I do blame myself. He's that Go Big or Go Home kinda kid.

So here's what I did although I'm not sure any of it was more than guessing. Do not hold me responsible for any water colour spray art that happens in your home. Unless its a huge success!

I bought full on water colours. The expensive kind. Small tubes, a 15 pack. (You might be able to just use food dye.)
I squeezed a bit into a spray bottle knowing I'd only put in about 1" of water. Just made my own ratio.
With water and paint in the bottles I lidded them and gave them each a vigorous shake.
The canvases are from the dollar store. Good ole' dollar store.

All set up and ready to go.

We also had these little orange wheels that were part of a kids meal from a fast food chain.
There. I said it.
Sometimes we buy our little guy chicken pieces at the drive through. But I need to clarify, 'real' chicken pieces, not from the place that just puts chicken parts in a blender and calls it chicken nuggets.
Anyway, that's another topic.

We placed the wheels on the canvas in various spots for some design flair. Try explaining why not to move them to a 3.5 year old.

Some spraying action going on.

Also try to explain to a 3.5 year old to spray and not make lakes on the canvases.

 I now wonder if I could have added corn starch to thicken it a wee bit?

 Once done I put the left over colours in bottles for future use. All those leftover NICU milk bottles do come in handy!

He picked his colours and yes, one of them was black. It added a nice contrast in the end!

Do not remove the wheels until you know your canvas is completely dry. As you can see below some were removed too early and just left large blobby circles. Unless that's your thing.

Our finished canvases!

I love the detail it gave.

And to be honest, I think I'm going to hang these in their room. Not only are they funky and the same colour palette but its my son's very own art!

I also might have him do a bit more spraying now that they're dry, for a layered effect and to make the colour pop some more. Maybe.

And the movie he got to watch afterwards?
Labyrinth.
Its one of his favourites right now.