Do you have kids? Are you a painter that loves making a mess like a kid? I say....embrace the messy. Choosing to be a creative means we tend to bend the rules a bit when it comes to mess, and the messier one gets as a creative, the more potential there will be to 'see' the beauty in our world that we might would have missed otherwise. 


Take this 'painting' for example. At first glance some might thing that it was intentional. If you didn't know the story behind it you would pretty much guess that it is a painting from an abstract painter. In reality, it is simply the background of craft paper I use to paint on to save my kitchen table from getting ruined. When my brush needs cleaning, I head for the craft paper and wipe away. This gives me the freedom to not worry about the mess and when all is said and done my 'work paper' turn out to be some of my best works of art. 


Now look at this painting. What do you notice? Did you take it for an intentional work of art or not? This is actually a small section of my art shirt. I will be buried in this shirt one day, as a final work of art I hope. Kids, artists, creatives all love to embrace the messy. As parents, if we help them embrace that, we just might begin to train our eyes to see the unexpected works of art that they leave as little creative crumb trails all over the place. 


Here is a challenge for you whether you are an artist learning to create or one who has kids that love messy play. Get yourself a roll of craft paper in brown or white. Cover a table, a board for an easel, a lap desk, or whatever play space you choose where crayons, markers, paints, or crafts can be done. Encourage the act of using the table as 'wipe space' along with the paint smock. Eventually, in a few days depending on how much creativity is born there, the wipe space will begin to take on a life of its own. 


To go one step further, draw, write, express yourself by sharing your favorite words there. When all is said and done, without really any intent, your creative eye will land on a spot and be drawn to it like ants on a trash can. You will stop and realize how beautiful youR or your children's marks are, and they will then be a marker for that point in time when creativity ruled the day and beauty was embraced. 




I tend to cut mine up to use in all types of things....not the shirt, but the wipe paper. I mat and frame it, I use it in collage, I make homemade cards with it. In fact, I will never buy another birthday card again because my friends simply LOVE receiving these instead. Your kids messy art can save you tons of money.....sorry Hallmark, lol! See the steps below to see how easy it is. 

Cut a small piece of the wipe paper in the shape you desire.

I chose a square.

Glue it onto a background piece...this step is optional.