Newbie from Oregon

Hello Everyone and thank you so much for being here and sharing so openly and willingly your expertise, talents, encouragement and tricks of the trade. I am learning so much here and really appreciate it.

I was an early childhood educator for 17 years, working out of my home, which was converted into a funtastical children's world to the point that the only adult furniture that existed in my 3 story house was shut off in our bedrooms!

I got started facepainting with my classroom kids, getting them gussied up for our annual 4th of July parade one year. That's all it took! We were ALL hooked!! Kids, parents, and myself. It became a regular "activity" in the classroom - dressup wasn't complete without getting into full character!

I turned to the internet one day for inspiration & technique when I discovered the world of professional face and body painting. OMGoodness!! It changed my life.

About that time some dear friends were attempting to start up an orphanage for AIDS orphans in Uganda. So, I decided to allow myself to be "used" to raise money for that project. 100% of my proceeds (minus cost of doing business - supplies/business cards/etc.) went to the orphanage project.

Over the years other causes have presented themselves to me, which I felt compelled to help support. Always issues with children. Rescued Child Soldiers, Rescued Child Sex Slaves, Homeless Children, Children without Drinking Water, Hungry Children, and Children of Domestic Abuse.

I took my first ever paycheck this month. To visit my newborn granddaughter and help out my own daughter's family a little with necessitities. That felt weird! Taking a paycheck. LOL!

I have put 3 people to work through my business and am training 2 more. One of them has since moved to another state and started a facepainting business of her own. She is doing pretty well!

I am not an artist. I am a good gardener and decent cook, but when it comes to fine art, I have very little original thought. I learn by copying others. I can expand on that - a little. But to be honest, I'm okay with that. I have to be, because try as I might, that part of my brain just seems to come up short.

Sure miss my preschoolers - a whole classroom full of willing models everyday was pure Heaven! My 14 year old requires cash pay for modeling anymore and I am tight with my earnings, what with so many kids out there who need it way more than she does! LOL! (no worries - I have never told her that)

Sometimes I volunteer at a preschool for a special event, just so I can relive that magic again. )

So... that's a tad bit of WHO I am.


Manja

Welcome to the forum!!!!

Glad to have you and you sound like an angel. How many pre-school kids running around your house and it was heaven? I have 2 under 4 and WOW. LOL. Let's say they are artists and EVERYTHING is colored on. Walls, tables, mirrors, couches (I had no idea you could write with crayon on couches!!!!!) Every time I think I found all the crayons and hid them....my one year old magically finds another.

So, that being said...... any tips on removing crayon from EVERYTHING?!?!? hahaha

Anyways.... welcome and cant wait to see some of your work! your avatar is pretty awesome!

Thanks, Mana! That's my grandson in the avatar. My first Mark Reid fantasy cat.

In the end, I typically had 12 kiddos at a time, between the ages of 18 months & 5 yrs. It was pretty orderly, believe it or not. They do better in larger groups than smaller ones. Especially when mama isn't around LOL!

GooGone works (be careful on painted or finished surfaces though!) or "Awesome Cleaner" (dollar tree). My go to was the scrub cleanser from Amway. My sister was a distributor and it works THE BEST on scuff marks, crayon, etc.

Now I just use baking soda and vinegar to clean just about everything. I don't have a crayon issue anymore, so can't say whether that works. But I can tell you it works great on mildew and grime!

I just used the baking soad and vinegar on my walls the other day and was cursing my Mom for saying it works like a charm. HAHAHAHA

My elbow just ended up being out of elbow grease. And my "beautiful" artwork is still on the wall.

Thanks for the tips!!! I will definately look into it.

Welcome!

<-----waving hello; WELCOME!

Hi Newbie from Oregon! I am new here too and need to do an introduction, but just wanted to jump in and tell you that plain colgate toothpaste took the crayon off of my walls! (I found this tip online somewhere) Now they are white and minty-fresh too!