Splatter Party at 4Cats Dunbar!

^^ 4Cats Dunbar is moving to 3354 Dunbar street in January 2015 ^^

As part of my 2013 mom blogger prize, 4 CATS DUNBAR offered Max and I a party at their 4293 Dunbar St. studio. I was able to choose from the many types of parties available from their website, and almost 2 years later (i know! thanks Scott!!), I redeemed a Jackson Pollock inspired Paint Splatter Party  and invited 4 of Max's friends (and their parents) to join us in this extremely messy, but super fun activity! The entire party planning process was so easy, everything was done online from choosing the date, the time, and even the colour themes (if you so wish to want one). Once the pieces dry, everyone will be taking home their own varnished 11" x 16" individually done canvas, and Max will also be taking home half of the big canvas that everyone worked on to commemorate this day to put up in his room. (if you're wondering what happened to the other half, we paid the studio to stretch and split it into 2 artworks for one other mom to take home). We had an awesome day! Thank you so much teacher Mel, Scott, and 4 Cats Dunbar for accommodating us- whoever said winter parties weren't as fun as summer parties? Not us!

^^ artist focus classes are available for preschoolers, children, teens, and adults ^^

^^ the kids got painting smocks to protect their clothes, and paper and pastels 

to kill some time as we waited for other mom's and babes to arrive ^^ 

^^ teacher Mel said these cloths were 'hats,' I think Max took it literally lol ^^

^^ the only 'rules' were to not touch the canvas. you basically were throwing the gobs of paint on the wall/floor/canvas. I think everyone, including parents got dinged by flying paint! ^^

^^ aside from their tray of 4 colours and 2 paint brushes each, we squirted these 

array of colours with syringes (i had to let out a bit of a chuckle when teacher Mel gave us a definition of syringes as she was talking to a group of nurses hehe). 

Not shown are balloons filled with paint (!!) that the kids popped all over the canvas! ^^

^^ I throw paint mama? that's ok? ^^

^^ no rules for the big canvas! ^^

^^ like a typical toddler, Max was easily distracted by paint on his "Michael Jackson" shoes and had to take many moments to clean paint off of them lol ^^

^^ Jackson Pollock or Maxwell piece? ^^

^^ the extra large piece done by a bunch of 2 year olds and their parents!! Wow!! ^^

We loved every minute of these few hours, thank you thank you teacher Mel, Scott and 4Cats Dunbar! 

Macabre Movies To (Not) Watch

When Max wasn't in my life, I really got into the spirit of AMC Fear Fest before Halloween. I love immersing my TV time in the classic horror movies that were essentially on 24/7. Halloween, Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, Chucky, Pumpkinhead, the Omen etc....so tolerable! The movies were just lame enough (about 2/10, and highly respectable for their production era compared to macabre level of now) in intensity to work me up to the REALLY scary ones that were going to be televised on the 31st. I'm by no means a horror flick buff, in fact I'm actually a huge huge huge chicken and can barely muster any of the new ones today (still, escapism is fun sometimes).  If a modern one, say from the last 9 years or so was televised on the tube, id have to mute so many parts or cover my eyes with a pillow or just change the channel altogether because I JUST CAN'T HANDLE THEM! But every now and then, a movie comes out that isn't just blood and guts from the beginning. There's some character development and story build up, and I'm not as scared (but still traumatized at the end). Here are this years most memorable flicks so far in my life...watched while Max was either sleeping or I at work; because hey censorship is necessary (duh with kids) and of course, WATCHED IN THE DAY TIME!! 

1) The Descent 

Have you heard of this movie before? I hadn't either and i thought it was just a movie more mystery/documentary than horror, but I was wrong. I liked this movie a lot because there were no A-list actors and subsequently no typecasting roles. As much as I love looking at those "50 places to see before you die" links on my Facebook feed, I am ok with taking exploring foreign caves outside of an overpriced tourist excursion off of my bucket list. 

2) The Hills Have Eyes

I have to admit that I watched this movie because I felt like watching a horror movie. I didn't know what this movie was fully about, but got an idea from the title. And like above, just take driving in the Nevada Valley, outside of the outskirts of cellphone reception, off of my bucket list.  This movie just scared me more because it was an innocent family taking a vacation; I've been there as a kid in the car. 

3) Cabin In the Woods

I watched this one at work and had to finish via downloaded edition at home. From the title and the poster picture, I thought it was something in the realm of Annabelle and its prequel and offsprings, but thankfully it's not. Just a whole premise that I didn't expect! There were some times where it seemed a little ridiculous, but it is a movie after all. Fresh change from the norm of scary movies. 

And that's it for 2014! 

If you're wondering which type of horror movies I refuse to watch, it would be anything that would remind me of my home setting and daily life like Paranormal Activity and it's offsprings. I also can't do religious horror flicks and possession, like The Exorcist, to which id like to think I'm desensitized, but i only need to hear the VOICE to regress back to being afraid of my feet being exposed in the dark as I fall asleep...

and because this is a mamma blog...

some pics from Max's week at art school 

So Sleepy!

I'm so tired lately that i'm needing about 12 hours a night of sleep just to maintain baseline energy levels.  I remember the times when I would just bounce back after a work set, caffeine free! Now, I'm always on the hunt for that kick and love that feeling i get once the caffeine has hit my system...it's like the cloud of fatigue has been erased from behind my eyes and the gas tank has been refilled. So far, I've been pretty good about not drinking caffeinated drinks when i'm off work so I can crash at bedtime (930pm!!), but when I'm working; want it need it. 

^^ you got that right Rick Mercer ^^

My currently lack of quality sleep has also something to do with being obsessed about certain subjects every now and then as of late, and subsequently then have to endlessly research the topic online to an arbitrary yet sufficient level. The biggest no-no i've discovered is bringing the laptop into Max's room because once he sleeps, I'm on it like jam on toast. Going online before bed, reduces melatonin and revs up my brain, and because i'm no longer sleepy, i just stay up until whenever i think is a 'safe time' to maintain functionality the next day. Last week, i stayed up until 1am, this lightweight is still paying for it now! Even though i established this no-computer-in-the-bedroom rule for myself months ago, I still seem to continue on with it whenever I get comfortable and the feeling of needing to readjust has past my system. Anyone else have this poor habit? 

After a few hours of getting off of my night shift (home 8am, out again 10am), I took Max to art class. You're probably wondering why my husband didn't just take him so I can sleep?  i don't know why either but the man drove us to class, stayed in the neighbourhood and joined us in the latter half, collected his brood and we then had lunch. i do recall that i volunteered to never miss a class if I can help it, so I guess he's doing me a favour by allowing me to keep me true to my word :os. About 2 hours after getting home, I went to Metro as Max slept in the stroller. I had my first pumpkin spice latte of the year (1/2 caf!) and enjoyed some quiet downtime for myself...even if it's circling that huge mall, trying to resist buying anything with a half-functioning mindset, and doing all possible to keep Max asleep for 2 hours.  Success! We got a pick up directly at the mall, and had some greasy yet satisfying dinner...it was not a wasted day-off. By 9pm, I crashed. 4 more days off to go...life of a shift worker :op

^^ canvas from last class was ready for some snowflakes ^^

^^ he's a righty ^^

^^ another project! this time with clay ^^

^^ truthfully Max was more interested in pretending the slab of clay was a sandwich instead of making the planned project. he just kept pretending to bite it and say, 'mmm sandwich' lol ^^

eventually the clay turned into mice and sent off to the kiln. painting with glaze next week!

Art Class 101

^^ just playing with a Halloween editor lol ^^

we finished our first week of art class at the local 4cats shop. there were a total of 5 kids that were Max's age accompanied by their parent. not sure whether it's a good thing or bad thing, but Max isn't the type to want to get down and get dirty with paints. he is not a dip-your-hands-in-paint-and-smear-it- all-over-the-canvas-kid. give him a brush and he's content. when he did get paint on his hands, he was confused that i was saying, 'no big deal' and 'wipe it off on your shirt,' which in hindsight probably affected his creative energy release. but alas, there is a time and a place and what is allowed in art class are no-no's at home.  hopefully the differences in when it's ok will sink in by the end of 5 weeks. at the moment though, heck no i am not buying him an easel and finger paints for home use lol. 

^^ i have paint on my hand mama! *confused as to what to do about it ^^

^^ one kid got down and dirty ^^

^^ base color! more layers to follow ^^

^^ im sticky mamma! ^^

4 more weeks until the finished take home product! I'm excited as it's actually something id love to hang on our wall and super cute. I saw last season's project and i love that one too, I've marked it on my calendar to enrol him in 2015 Fall class just so we can make one for our home. until next time!