Our Messy Book

Love bug and I have been working on a little project together recently. I had found Mess by Keri Smith in the midst of my book collection and recalled asking for a copy of it last Christmas. Not knowing what to do or where to start or maybe even my interest wasn't quite there, I tucked this book on my shelf and forgot about it - until about a couple of weeks ago that is. I started flipping through-it again, I started reminding myself how art can be so freeing, and how its okay to break the rules, to free oneself from the simple, yet overpowering, idea of perfection. I also started to realize what a great resource and activity that I can do with my almost three year old. To start using mediums she hasn't used before, in ways that I have never used them before. To ask why not instead of we shouldn't. To play around and not be afraid to make messes. We have probably done 10 pages or so in this journal so far, but we will not stop now. Everyday Bug asks to do the Messy Book. And I love that. 

So far we have played with : honey, tea leaves, flour, dirt, food colouring, paint, tea, paper, glue, charcoal, pencil, and watercolours. We have used finger, elbows, spoons, and paint brushes as our tools, and sometimes we drop things from very far heights. This our little journey in the book called "Mess : the manual for accidents and mistakes" by Keri Smith, otherwise known as "our messy book."

All of Keri Smith books can be found here. 

Covering the page with something sticky! 

Dropping food colouring, tea, and paint fro a far! 

Covering "the rules" with dirt! 

Painting with our elbows (this has been Bug's favourite activity so far)!

I gave a copy of the Wreck it Journal to my brother years ago, and I remember he really enjoyed it. We also have a copy of the Pocket Scavenger and I want to make it a habit to always bring that with us wherever we go. I absolutely recommend these books: whether you are new artist or old. Whether you want to break away from the rules, to explore new ways of trying something, to do individually or with the family! We love them.