Monday Morning Messes with Mumma and Maddie Bear

This week's project was either the best idea ever or the worst idea ever depending on who  you ask.

If you ask Eric, who has to live in the universe I slowly dismantle around him, he'd probably tell you it was the worst idea ever.  But if you ask a mess monster who loves to eat, sleep and breathe messes, he'd probably tell you it was the best idea ever.  Because boy?  Was. it. messy.

My stoke of genius actually began last week while we suffered through an intolerable wave of heat.  (I don't do heat.  That's why I live in Massachusetts, Mother Nature, thankyouverymuch!  Get with the program please!)

I decided Madeline needed to play with some ice.  Not just any old ice.  Fun, multi-colored ice!  So, I filled up our trusty ice cube tray with some water and......wait for it....food coloring.  (See where this is headed, folks?)

 I must say, those ice cubes sure did look purdy.

But as dazzling as the ice cubes were, I knew it was a bad idea as soon as I emptied them into the bowl.  I suddenly remembered what food coloring does, which is ya know, to color stuff...including clothing, skin, and little babies named Madeline.  

Fortunately for the mess monster, once I get an idea in my head, I have a very difficult time letting it go.  So, even though I knew this would probably end badly, I decided to go through with my plan anyways.  

Therefore, I filled up some jars with water, let Madeline melt the colored ice in them, and she splashed around merrily.  

It was fun to watch the ice cubes slowly dissolve and release the dye into the water.  

Then it was fun watching Madeline mix the ice cubes around to create new colors....mainly, black.

It was slightly less fun watching bits and pieces of her body get stained with dye.  At least, I had the good sense to remove her clothing.  As you can see, I left the sparkle shoes in tact.

 Eventually all the water turned black, Madeline tried to dump the containers, and the project came to a swift and sudden end.

Not to worry, Madeline, you'll always have your purple hands to remember this project by!

 After numerous washings and scrubbings, I was left with the picture above.

I rolled my eyes at myself, and assured Eric that Madeline would not stay purple forever.  Oh well, so what if her hands were purple for the next few days....psssh.

  "Well, you better hope it comes off in time for the wedding," he cautioned.  I told him it would, but my heart sank into my stomach a little.  Surely, she wouldn't stay purple that long....or would she?

Luckily, the Internet Gods had the answer:  Shaving cream and water removes food coloring from skin!

"Come on, Madeline, Mumma's got a new game!"  I called from the porch.

This time, I filled up a large container with water, let Madeline watch me squirt my pink, lady-like shaving cream into it, and told her to have at it.  She splashed and splished and had just as much fun as the ice provided.  She was having so much fun, in fact, that the moment I turned my back to grab some paper towels, Madeline decided to dump the shaving-cream water all over the porch floor.  Cue sad trombone sounds!

At least most of the dye has been removed.