Kid-Bits Craft: Handprint Flower Bags

I was at my friend 'A's place right before Mother's Day, she always has amazing ideas and she did this really cute craft with the kids that completely inspired me.
  

I love the idea of having a piece of your little ones with you, but it's hard to find ways to do it that don't look silly on a grown-up! 

Originally, I thought I could just re-create the flower look of the paper craft above using paint on a tote.  But I found out quickly that paint is pretty sloppy and even sloppier when you're trying to get a 1 year old and a 2 1/2 year old to put their hands down on a piece of material.  My first attempt was with my little guy and I envisioned using different shades of blue to give the flower shape more depth.  I was so disappointed that I actually ended up throwing the bag out!  That's when I tried using plain white paint on the pink bag.  It definitely was more in line with my vision, but still looked silly because they were glops of paint on a bag (sorry, I don't have a picture because I really thought it may be a dud of an idea). 

Unable to throw anything out with a 'piece' of my little ones on it, I rescued the first bag and put them both on the dining room table.  I had almost resigned myself to the fact that this ideas just wasn't going to work when a light bulb went off.  What if I could create the shape of a flower based on the rough guidelines created by the handprints....

Patiently I waited until the paint dried (it took about 14 hours because it was so thick in some parts!) and then once it was ready I pulled out my Sharpie and got to work. 

I started with the petals, trying to create them as closely as possible around the little fingers. 

When this wasn't possible, I simply drew in a petal in a logical place.  Once those were done I drew in the centre circle and then added the stem and leaves.  I didn't care if the lines weren't perfectly straight.  In fact I preferred the imperfection on these. 

I love the end result.  Artsy, impressionistic flowers that I created from the handprints of my two little loves  (but no one would ever guess that part).

If you like this idea but don't want it on a bag, you could do it on a canvas as a piece of art, it could be put on an apron or even on a t-shirt :) 

As for my bags, I actually gave the the pink bag to my mother as her Mother's Day present.  She loved it!

- Jacs