Andrea Mulder-Slater

by Andrea Mulder-Slater The best-laid plans are doomed to fail. As you may or may not know, I began 2015 with the goal of painting/drawing a coffee cup each and every day for the entire year. #ACoffeeADay Three hundred and sixty-five cups!   I was chugging along... drawing, painting, Tweeting, Facebooking and Instagramming - well on my way to completing month two of the project - when I did something that would forever change the course of history. Well, not YOUR history. Just mine, mostly. I came across a note on a friend’s Facebook page. The note was called 21 Questions to Ask Your Child and like a happy-go-lucky puppy, I did it. Here's how my daughter responded...   1. What is something I always say to you?  I love you. 2. What makes me happy? I make you happy. 3. What makes me sad?  When I get hurt. 4. How do I make you laugh? By dancing funny. (I don't try to dance funny, but whatever.) 5. What was I like as a child...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater When I say glitter, what images come to mind? Yes, it’s dark and it’s disturbing, but whenever I see glitter, I want to take it home and craft the hell out of it. This week on The Art of Childhood , you can read all about my love affair with glitter. Ryan Gosling is (sort of) involved. Read it here: A Love Letter to Glitter, the Herpes of Craft Supplies www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150405/glitter-craft-projects-for-kids

by Andrea Mulder-Slater It's easier than you might think to decorate Easter eggs with your kids... This week on The Art of Childhood , I show you how to make old-school Easter Egg dyes using food colouring. Read it here: 3 Kid-Friendly Creative Easter Egg Ideas http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150326/fun-easter-activities-for-kids

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Earlier this year, I submitted an essay to Shannon Day ( Martinis & Motherhood ) and Tara Wilson ( Don't Lick the Deck ) of Tipsy Squirrel Press in hopes of it being selected for an upcoming anthology. Minutes ticked. Days passed. Months disappeared. Hope faded. And then... an email arrived letting me know that my submission had been chosen for inclusion in the WTF section of Martinis & Motherhood: Tales of Wonder, Woe and WTF? ! Needless to say, I'm f&%*#ing  excited beyond belief. And the more I find out about the unbelievable women I am going to be sharing pages with, the more I'm convinced that Shannon and Tara have made a huge mistake by inviting me to be part of the team. Not that I'm about to tell them. No, really.

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Sometimes you just want to dig into your fridge, pull out some veggies and make some homemade dye, just like the pioneers did back in the olden days.  This week on The Art of Childhood , I show you how to get back to nature, as I share Easter Egg dye recipes that make use of all-natural ingredients. Read it here: DIY Kid Fun: 8 All-Natural Easter Egg Dips and Dyes www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/20150324/all-natural-easter-egg-dyes-for-kids

by Andrea Mulder-Slater The first day of spring has come and gone, without fanfare. It continues to be cold outside. There is still a giant pile of snow on the ground and if any robins dare return to my part of the world any time soon, they will surely perish from the lack of worms. Still, it's no reason not to stay positive and get growing. (At least that's what I keep telling myself). This week on The Art of Childhood , I share a neat way to decorate flower pots. I also have a few seed-starting tips to pass on. No, really. Read it here: DIY Kid Craft: Spring Garden Mosaics http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150225/DIY-seed-pots-gardening-with-children

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Would you like a cup of coffee? Of course you would. But, if you've got kids - and those kids are home - there is no way you're going to make it though that coffee before it turns cold. Am I right? Well guess what? I've got some ideas to keep your kids occupied while you sit down and enjoy that hot cup of delightful liquid. Because... This week on The Art of Childhood , I share five cool crafts that kids can do on their own, without adult assistance ! Read it here: 5 Fun Craft Activities to Keep Your Kids Happy and Busy http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150228/5-creative-activities-kids-can-do-themselves

by Andrea Mulder-Slater I opened the car door, glanced at the back deck, tossed my purse onto the seat, and pulled the seat-belt loose from the booster. “WAIT!!!” I shouted as the six-year-old began to make her way into the vehicle. “Oh, crap,” I continued, “not again.”  The turds were everywhere. On the floor. On the back seat. In my daughter’s booster chair. On the front dash. In the cup holders. In the door pockets. Everywhere I looked there were tiny little shits. Every. Where. It wasn’t my first time discovering rodent poo in the car and so I went into full-on Fixer mode. I began removing the reusable grocery bags from the back of the automobile. And by removing, I mean I threw those suckers clear across the driveway in case one or more poop machines might be hiding out inside one of our President’s Choice sacks. Meanwhile, Jan – who had been watching from the house – joined me until it looked like the car had thrown up on the gravel. Twice. Unf...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Rainbows make me happy. Nature as a whole is pretty magical but rainbows are at (or near) the top of my " holy crap, look what Mother Nature just did " list. They are also a kind and colorful reminder that winter does not last forever. This week on The Art of Childhood , I show you how to bring a little rainbow into your home, in preparation for St. Patrick's Day. Or as I like to call it, Thank-God-It's-Almost-Spring-Again Day. Read it here: DIY Rainbow Shamrock Garlands http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150311/diy-st-patricks-day-party-decor

by Andrea Mulder-Slater A criminal court judge married my husband and I. It was his first – and likely his only – wedding. His chambers were large and dark with lots of wood paneling, big leather chairs and an endless array of sports paraphernalia including a number of bobble head baseball dolls. Geoff and I hadn’t planned on being wed this way. Although we did know we wanted a “civil ceremony” rather than a fancy event sprinkled with bells and whistles. We often joked that the two of us shared a fear of microphones, flower girls, and tiny pieces of fruitcake wrapped up in tin foil. However, when we decided to get married, it just so happened that half of the city’s populace was keen to get hitched in city hall. We were faced with a decision; wait 10 months as names were crossed off a list, or, find another way. That’s where the criminal court judge (a family acquaintance) came in. A few weeks after we arrived home from a brief honeymoon in Algonquin Park, Geoff and I host...

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Did you know that by letting your kids get dirty, you're actually helping them work on their creativity skills? This week on The Art of Childhood , I share twenty ways to nurture your child's creativity.  Guess what? It's easier than you think! And yes, there's more involved than just mud. Read it here: 20 Ways to Nurture Your Kid's Creativity http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150219/nurture-kids-creativity

by Andrea Mulder-Slater Remember making doily Valentines when you were a kid? They were fun, easy and looked so sweet with all that paste - which never, ever dried - hanging off of the edges because you used waaaaay too much. Every. Single. Time. This week on The Art of Childhood , I take you back in time as I show you how to make some groovy Valentines with very little effort. And even less glue. Read it here: Groovy Vintage Valentines Your Kids Can Craft Themselves http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150211/the-easiest-valentines-youll-never-make

by Andrea Mulder-Slater What do you see when you look at an empty paper towel roll? Do you see hearts? Of course you do. This week on The Art of Childhood , I show you how to make little hearts perfect for holding sweet Valentine's Day messages. And you can make them using recycled items from around the house. Read it here: Be My (Green) Valentine: DIY Love Notes Your Kids Can Make http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-mulder-slater-the-art-of-childhood/20150202/love-notes