My beloved late mother-in-law set the bar really high for motherhood. Bill, his sister and Bill’s childhood friends all remember a creative ease that seems to have been around the kitchen table on a regular basis. It never sounded as though it was a big production or anything. She just seemed to always have a the perfect materials within reach so even non-artsy kids wouldn’t hesitate to jump in. “She always made it look so easy,” is a phrase I’ve heard from so many of her admirers. No pressure, right?
For the past few years Bill has always managed to say “We’ve got to get Sophie started making potato prints. We always made potato prints when I was a kid. It’s such a great activity for kids, making potato prints,” right about the time I’d just cut up the last potato for vegetable soup. Unlike other craft supplies that last I never seemed to get the timing/potato availability combo right. I’ve heard doctors talk about the stress that causes heart attacks is not usually the stress from deaths and crises but rather the constant stress of small things like the broken hinge on the back door that you never get around to fixing. For some bizarre reason, my inability to make the potato print activity happen was starting to cause me to stress out every time I saw a potato!
So in the midst of a ton of totally stressful deadlines a couple of weeks ago, I went to make lunch on a Sunday and noticed that there were two potatoes that had sprouted under the sink. I swear that sirens went off in my head. Oh my gosh! I have to do potato prints! Right this moment! Because I can’t have this on my Mommy To Do List for another day! I made the long-awaited family proclamation that I would be gathering all of the supplies for making potato prints after lunch. Surprisingly no trumpets sounded and no one rang the doorbell to notify me that I had finally been promoted from Associate Mom to Full Mom.
As expected, it was Sophie’s favorite new activity and within days she asked to make them again. We used some simple carving tools Bill had for printmaking as well as an x-acto knife. We used inexpensive acrylic paints and made note cards and patterns that we may recolor in Photoshop for fabric designs. Sophie didn’t want to stop and I am now putting her in charge of reminding me to get potatoes when the mood strikes. I no longer need to shoulder that heavy burden.
I should be fine until Bill remembers that his mom’s old pasta machine is in the basement and that we should show Sophie how much fun it is to make polymer clay projects with it.
craftnectar.com 
I don’t know Weeks–from everything you’ve posted on here (not just this post) it seems like you are a pretty awesome mom. I hope I can be so awesome for my daughter.
Sophie – I love your prints! Those pansies are awesome!!
@Mary – thanks for your kind words. Sophie is such a great kid. I always wish I could do better because that’s what she deserves. Ditto for Bill in the wife department.
@smqvp – I was pretty proud of those pansies! I’ll pass on your compliments to Sophie.
we alwoys made prints on adopphotoshop.
If you cut across a stalk of celery, a print of it looks like a rose. Next time you are in a painting mode but are out of potatoes, try celery. Not that I want to make younervous about using up celery or anything…
Sarah
@ Sarah – Celery?Brilliant! I promise not to get neurotic about celery.
All designs are beautiful.
Weeks- I have to agree with the others that I think you sound like a pretty awesome mom. At least if you are making potato prints you and Bill must be feeling better. I’m sorry you missed the Quilt Festival.
Wow! Those prints are gorgeous. How are you going to transfer them to fabric? Pardon my ignorance…
I have quite a few potatoes in the cold cellar just waiting to be put into the garden. I should use a few of them for making prints!
This is great! I remember doing this as a kid, and had forgotten about the craft. I have potatoes in my cubbard that are surely sprouting eyes right now. I know what I’ll be doing with the kids this weekend.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
How much fun…thank you for the inspiration! :)
How fun! And congrats on FP-ed!
Kathy
Awesome! I used to do this as a kid; it was super fun and creative.
awesome idea! i’ve never heard of potato printing. something i will have to try! thanks for sharing
Such a cool idea! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
nice post, very artistic
These are really nice! I may have to try this to make some wrapping paper or a greeting card.
These are great! I remember having a project like this when I was young, but I never would have remembered to share with the kids. Thanks.
Good idea. I’ll have to put this on my never ending ‘to-do’ list.
I have such fond childhood memories of potato printing. Thanks for the walk down memory lane.
You really got creative with the potatoes. I remember doing spud stamping with a heart shape and four different colors on a T-shirt.
I love the yellow pansies! Thanks for reminding me to do this with my grandson.
Great Designs. I like them .
Thats such a fun honest post. Thank you! Many happy memories myself!
I was once forced to to potato printing for Art in elementary school and found that I loved it! Sigh, what fond memories!
Thanks for sharing!
Surprised my wife hasn’t done this yet! Looks cool. Congrats on being FP!
Polymer clay projects with a pasta machine? Do tell!!
I loved potato prints as a kid! My mom was one of those effortlessly crafty women. I made potato prints, paper flowers, cute little tissue-paper fruits (no idea). So many projects. I’m sure your kids appreciate whatever little activities you plan for them–no need to copy your MIL!
Very innovative and artistic. Congrats.
Lovely bunch of photos. I haven’t tried potato printing but I might just try it one of these days. Thanks for this post :)
wow.. really nice work!
wonderful, creative and inspiring:)
I remember doing this as a kid too! I know the next activity I’ll be doing the moment my girls are bored. Thanks so much for bringing back tonnes of memories for me!
Great post and beautiful prints.
very nice artworks,thanks
http://aryanmolaei.wordpress.com/
Awesome stuff, love this…;-)
Good Morning. We never did potato prints as a kid (darnnn), but my mom and older sisters had the younger kids always doing a project together in the kitchen. My favorite was decorating cookies, making different candies, and E.eggs. I miss that. Great blog. Happy Saturday to you. :)
No potatoes? No sweat.All vegetables and fruit can be experimented with. Apples, carrots… or the root of lotus, if you find them! Good luck…
Very pretty prints and that reminds me of art class back when I was in primary school
This brought back so many memories. Love the yellow pansies!
This is so clever, I def hope to try this one day!
Such a cool idea! Congrats on being Freshly Pressed.
I love potato printing. It is so fun to get kids involved in crafts. Congrats on being freshly pressed.
Thanks for bringing back a GREAT memory! My Mom had us doing potato prints and I just loved it. The downside is that now I think I have the same “when I see a potato….” thing locked in to my head!
I remember helping my daughter to make potato prints for a Brownie Badge. I don’t think they looked as good as yours though!
You are hereby promoted to MEGA MOM! What fun! And you have inspired me!
I love the one with the yellow flowers.
Those are beautiful, especially the pansy! Congrats on being pressed.
What a cool idea! I will have to try it.
Wow! Great idea for stamps!
Wow!great peace of art..
I have NEVER seen such a thing. How awesome. I can’t wait to try it with my kids. I am not sure how I will make such advanced designs in a potato but maybe my hubby can help me out there. A chance to play with a knife. Congrats on FP.
pretty cool!
I remember doing the potato prints in my art class.its nice to remember old days. They are wonderful.
It is indeed a fun activity even I used to enjoy doing it in my childhood, I would like to give it a fresh try once again.
Well Done! Mr. Potatoehead!
Keep it green!
What a lovely post. Thank you so much for sharing. Family and friends are just a great part of life. I couldn’t imagine life without them.
Check out these Fun Family Activities
Wow!really fantastic peace of art.
Thanks for sharing.
This is SO fun!
I remember doing this when I was a kid!
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bB
http://www.itsybitsybrianna.wordpress.com
funny
Nifty and fun thing to do and inexpensive. Very nice for kids and entertainment. Great blog check out my blog at http://thor27.wordpress.com
What an awesome activity to do! I’m just so fascinated about how simple things found in the house can be made into works of art…love the yellow flowers!
This is great! I remember doing this as a kid, and had forgotten about the craft. I have potatoes in my cubbard that are surely sprouting eyes right now. I know what I’ll be doing with the kids this weekend.
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
I also love long, involved fiction–have you checked out ‘Pillars of the Earth’ and/or ‘World Without End’? (I have reviews of both of those on my ‘books’ page). Thanks for your recommendations! I’m especially intrigued by that last one you mention.
Thanks for sharing content to read.It’ good Idea.