I was going to write about raising a tween girl. The ups. The downs. Okay, probably more like the unknowns …
… we’re just getting started here. She is embarking on puberty as I, on the other hand, cross over to the other side …
… and the men in our household may want to take cover. Like take cover and hide for the next few years …
But then I realized my embarking-on-puberty-daughter would be horrified if wrote about her ‘growing up’ and our ‘growing pains’ …
… as in years and years of therapy horrified.
So instead of talking about hormones, I thought I could show you how my daughter and I channeled our hormonally challenged selves to create some birch tree art for our screen porch.
This was seriously simple … though we did refer to a couple of Pinterest pins first like here …
We started with a canvas and some painter’s tape to make the trees and branches …
… and then we sat back and relaxed on the screen porch as we admired our joint masterpiece …
Maybe crafting together can keep us sane through this life-altering time …
P.S. Have you heard about my pillow link party going on next week? It goes live on Monday, June 25 at 6 AM CST …
Linking up:
* Centsational Girl * Ten June * Bower Power * Young House Love * House of Hepworths * The 36th Avenue * The Shabby Creek Cottage * At the Picket Fence * Chic on a Shoestring * The Shabby Nest * Five Days Five Ways * Funky Junk Interiors * Lolly Jane Boutique * Too Much Time On My Hands * I Heart Naptime * The DIY Showoff * It’s So Very Cheri * Under the Table and Dreaming * Between Naps on the Porch * Keeping it Simple * Sew Can Do * DIY Home Sweet Home * Craft-O-Maniac * Home Stories A 2 Z * Today’s Creative Blog * My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia * A Bowl Full of Lemons * Not Just A Housewife * How to Nest for Less * Tip Junkie * Savvy Southern Style * Uncommon Design * Domestically Speaking *
At this pont in your relationship, it’s the small things.
I often think about writing about my students (with assumed names, of course) to give y’all some ‘advice.’ Then I realize that no one really knows how to deal with teenagers, and if someone did, they would write a book and sell a zillion copies and be rich and famous. So just in case I figure it out? I’m keeping it to myslef until they pay me.
Seriously, I love these trees!
I have done a similar art project with middle schoolers! It’s a project where everyone’s work turns out great! We did a little spin on the tape part though. Our projects were much smaller than yours of course, and we used one strip of tape per tree. But, instead of laying the tape down on the canvas in strips as it comes off the roll, we first hand tore each strip down the middle and THEN laid the tape down, straight edges together – leaving the more rough, torn edges as the outside edges of the tree. So one piece of tape still becomes one tree, you’ve just altered it a bit to make it look more realistic.
I don’t know if you can picture what I’m saying – it was always a project that the class had to see done in order to understand what I meant. But they always turned out great. We used watercolor. We also put a moon somewhere in the sky of each painting and then layed tree shadows on the ground at the appropriate angle, depending on where they placed their moon. They were pretty striking.
What a neat project for you and your daughter. She’s a lucky girl to have a mom who will do stuff like that with her. And now you have your blog post to document that time, forever and ever!
As the mother of a 14-year-old girl (and woman closer to 50 than 40), I hear you! I’ll echo Kirby and say I think it’s the small things that get us through–and being VERY selective about what I will and won’t share on the blog. Sometimes I deeply and fiercely miss the little girl she used to be, but it’s amazing to watch her transforming into the young woman I dreamed she’d one day be. Hang on, mama! It’s a fast and furious ride! (And love your art project…seriously clever.)
Your canvas turned out very nice. Looks like a fun project.
I love getting my daughter involved in some of my projects~it sure builds for some great memories. Enjoy your ride with your tween, the years will fly by way too fast.
OH how fun! I have no girls but a house full of boys… yep 3 boys ages 13 to 18… with me being 47. Need I say more? ha ha! I do love the trees and think it might be a good project for our upcoming bedroom remodels. Yes the three boys is soon to be two at home so the younger two will be getting their own rooms. Meaning this momma is trying to convince them of the need to change things up a bit, make their rooms a bit brighter (i.e get rid of the brown and parrot green… it makes me cringe every time I go in there… but it made them happy!)
Hope you are having a wonderful week! Have fun crafting together!!
Beautiful picture! And I’m so with you on the ‘tween thing. My ‘tween and I have decided that we’ll be cooking together this summer. We’ll see how that goes… 😉
So great, Linda. My fondest memories of those years are when my mom and I were doing something crafty or fun for both of us. Love the little red birdie. 🙂
This is fabulous! It does NOT look DIYed at all – in the best way. Pinning it!
What a great project you two did!! That’s one of the best ways for me to spend time with my almost 15 year-old girl!
I love this, Linda — and even more because you did it together! You will come out on the other side, I promise… my girl is 19 and we enjoy spending time together. YOu’re off to a great start!
xo Heidi
Doing things like this together is what will keep you guys close and there is an end. My daughter and I are best buds and talk a couple times a day on the phone when we can’t get together. I love this way to paint!
Hugs,
Bj
That is SO cute, and creating a lovely mom/daughter memory at the same time is brilliant!
When I was 13 my mom was in the throes of menopause – it was NOT A PRETTY PICTURE!!! Too many raging hormones between us and we didn’t have any crafts to bring us together. All I can say is thank God that’s over! lol
Love your picture!
That looks so cool! I love birch trees! Oh the tween years… mine were all about the Backstreet Boys haha!
Love your trees! Crafting can keep you together especially if you can do it mostly in silence…..LOL
Blessings, Lorraine
super cute! you may want to save the tape…for one of you to use as restraints LOL
My dd and I got through the tween times baking together.
Now we’re dealing with fun things like menopause (yay me!) and the “he’s a boy who’s a friend but not a boyfriend, mom” *eyeroll* moments. I tell you the moment the boys start to call you really want to take that tape and find a way to just lock her in her room…forever.
Maybe crafting is the age old secret to healthy mom-daughter relationships!!
I guess Mod Podge can cure any problem after all!
Kelly
Such a smart mommy! I have found that crafting or doing an project with my tween with the budding hormones is the perfect way for her to forget about rolling her eyes and speaking to me in an exhasperated tone of voice (which she usually does). Love the term “reverse puberty”. Um yeah, I am there.
As a survivor of tween years with my now-college-age daughter, I love that you are crafting to gather to help keep the mom/daughter bond going! I know she will treasure it years from now – and your birch project turned out amazing! Jane
Reverse puberty! HA!!
Veeeery cute project, and such fun to do it with your little gal. 🙂
I love the birch trees! Might have to go get some canvas for me and my soon to be 14 y/o dd. Very cute and a cute post too!
You make a great team and what a fantastic idea. Did you just wing it? Wow! I have to obsess forever before I put paint on it. Even a canvas. You two are pros! Thanks for coming by to comment on my aqua redo at Quriky Vistas!
Liz
Great job you two did. Hmmmm I wonder if painting will help a teen boy with this rare disease he has recently caught that makes his eyes roll in a unusual manner.
That is really really neat. I love it! And the fact that you made it together is really special – enjoy!
What a fun project! Thanks so much for sharing. My kids will love this!
Girl, that birch tree art is WAY better than any therapy session!! What a fun project to make together! Love the blue so much. Would be super delighted if you could link up with us over at Mop It Up Mondays: http://www.ishouldbemoppingthefloor.com/2012/06/mop-it-up-mondays-22.html.
Have a great week!
{HUGS},
kristi
I’ve got a few more years to reach that stage, my daughter is six, but I love how you did this piece of art together, very special and it looks fantastic, thanks for sharing.
This is ADORABLE!! Would love it if you would link this up at my trendy tuesday party!! http://www.sweetlittlegals.com/2012/06/trendy-tuesday-6.html
Adorable picture! Great that you could spend some quality time with your daughter… As the menopausal mother of 4 daughters 13-24… Let me tell you! There are fireworks daily in our house! I think I should start a family project!
Susan
Homeroad
Hi Cindy, I love birch trees, I think I’ll have to make one of these myself! It came out great with the tape. What a fun project 🙂
OK, I’m clearly crazy, sorry Linda. I know what your name really is 🙂
ah, the therapeutic effects of art on the hormonally-challenged…
🙂
my tween and teen years were rocky with my mom.
now it’s perfect.
n