Budding builders

This past winter we had a major leak that seeped under the floor and left us with a lot of peeling paint in some parts of the apartment. For various reasons we decided it was impractical to repaint professionally right now so instead this became a project for my budding builders and renovators and me. First we chipped off and cleared away the old paint. The kids really enjoyed this one. Then one night I went online to learn how to plaster walls. So the next day I set off to the local hardware store and got some tools and the plastering mix. The kids were giddy with excitement. They felt very important and grown up. And so the renovation got underway. It wasn't terribly messy and the materials were actually very cheap. With help the children did quite a fine job with only minor heart attacks on my part. A good time was had by all. The next day I distributed sand paper and the enthusiastic crew sanded away the imperfections from the previous day with great fanfare and gusto (at times too much gusto). The messiest part was getting everyone washed afterwards, especially in their overexcited state. Once again the project dujour was well received. For the next step, I would like to try and make some natural homemade paint and paint the wall. With my allergic child we have to do things in the least chemical and caustic way. The trouble is a lot of homemade paint requires milk and he is really allergic to it. So we have to look for other alternatives. But the possibilities are very exciting. I'll try to post my findings one of these days. My crew is already looking forward. They are still a little young for woodworking but I defintely see some carpentry in our future. I really like these home improvement projects. Perhaps it's just our Zionist urge to build. There is a real satisfaction in doing things yourself. Rather than being a thorn in my side these peeling walls have become a long term project with a lot of potential for teaching and learning not to mention home improvement and quality family time. Insert a happy sigh here:)