Simplicity in Decorating: Painted Ornaments

I have always seen those little wooden frames at Michael's and Joann's but I never thought about trying them for myself.  I am not a painter, and for those of you that have followed me long enough, you know that I prefer to stick with things that I know I do well. 

After Christmas last year, Faye, Addie and I went to a large craft store (don't remember which of the two metioned above it was) to check out their after Christmas clearance sales.  I found these cute little frames for ten cents, and decided that this would be the year we had some fun as a family making them (thanks for being such a good sport, my dear, and for letting me run with my ideas.)

One day during our school time, since Brian was home, I pulled out the paints and frames (and one of Daddy's t-shirts), and we all sat down at Addie's table, which I moved into the dining room.  Addie loved it!  She tends to love art, coloring, crafts, glue, and all that good stuff.  In her mind, the messier the better!

We had a great time, laughing, talking, teaching her how to rinse her brush in the cup (not that it mattered much since she blended her colors on the frame itself). 

Now granted, with the amount of time it took to prep, make sure that everything we needed was at arms reach, that no one would need anything while we were painting, and panicking that the mess would be bigger than I imagined it to be (which it wasn't) doesn't make for the simplest project ever.  However, it did make for a time of simple fun for one particular little person I know. 

It was, in the larger sense, a simple family activity that I am probably going to make sure that we do again next year.  I think it will be fun to see how Addie's art and skill changes and progresses over the years.  Will Brian and I make one next year?  Probably not.  Like I said before, painting is just not my thing.  But it was a wonderful (and cheap) activity that the three of us could share in.