This summer I finally broke down and bought a salad spinner (funny that it took me so long to buy it since it was only $3! I think I can spare that). I've used to wash and dry berries. I've used for washing and drying beans. I've used it for the intended purpose (amazingly it works for that too).
Now comes the BEST use for the darn thing-
SALAD SPINNER ART!
It's great fun! I've seen this done in magazines & I've always wanted to try it. I'm glad we did and my girls are at the right age for it too. It was kind of like magic. Plop in paint, cover, turn and open for your special surprise!
Here's what we did-
Used a very cheap salad spinner from Wal-mart. It really was only $3.
I magically found a circular piece of cardboard that fit inside it perfectly. I have no idea where it came from but it fit magically! You'll want to have a circular cardboard (should be stiff) that fits in the bottom of your spinner.
Cut paper to fit inside the spinner...it'll sit on top of the cardboard you just cut out. I used plain 'ol computer paper since that's all the white paper I had.
Dump in some paint...Now we first tried food dye. Yawn. Boring! Then I had remembered that I'd just bought giant bottles of poster paint at HL for 99cents each (yeah for Hobby Lobby!). That's when the fun started! Dump a little paint in...
Then cover the spinner...OH! You do want a plate or something on the bottom of your spinner to catch the run-off paint. Unless of course you like paint all over your countertops!...And now spin the spinner! Annika did this like a pro but Ava needed help (which is why there aren't many photos of her doing this activity - I had my hands busy helping her).
Open up & view your creation! I put ours on some old newspaper to dry.
Now all you need is a creative way to display your unique creations. :)
Don't you just love Annika's doggy mask? It just arrived in a package from Oma! The girls just had to wear them right away. :)
See? Ava did it too!
I completely forgot to take a photo of our finished creations. :( Oops! Now I'm coming up with creative uses.
Here's one use:
I used it to cover my Gift in a Jar!
Perhaps you'll remember- earlier I'd asked for ideas for a gift in a jar idea that I was planning on doing for the Homemade Holidays event put on by our Family Connections (that's a nonprofit organization in our area helping families). The event was last night and my jars went over well!
Oh...perhaps I should explain the Homemade Holidays event- like I said it's put on by Family Connections. It's an event for families- the parents get to do various craft projects to take home (like my table did the gift in a jar- there was also peanut butter & chocolate cups and various other paper craft tables) and there is child care available (so that means some much needed adult only time!). And it's all FREE. It was so much fun! (now do you see why I love volunteering for Family Connections?)
Okay! I have READ about this activity, and have even given a garage sale salad spinner to Emily to try at Bible School. I LOVE stuff like this--the messier the better!! Now...HOW much paint did you actually use? Is less better? Okay, I'm gonna tell Em to bring her SS to our Christmas gettogether!
I love the serious looks on your girls' faces. They really got into it!
Now on to "generalizing." HOW could we incorporate this activity into a "dog craft"? Maybe spin out, then when it is still wet, have the dogs pub their paws in the picture?....
Hi Toni!
Hmmm...we tried different amounts of paint. Too little and there wasn't much of a design. Too much and the paints start to mix. You just have to try it & see what works for you!
I'm not sure about the doggies. I think ours would just try to eat everything...paint & paper. I think it would be cool if you could put their paws in the wet paint...I bet you'd get a neat design that way!
Astrid, you never cease to amaze me with the fun stuff you come up with to do with your girls. I love to read about these things and think about what to do with little Mr. Miles when he's big enough.
What a funny activity! My girls are probably a little too young, but I'll have to remember this one for next summer:) Thanks for stopping by on my SITS day and saying hello.