Irish Potatoes

In honor of St. Patricks day tomorrow I thought I'd share a little potato project. 

I'm sure you've seen or done potato stamping before. You just whittle a potato into the shape you want, keeping it flat on the bottom and dip into paint. It's a great craft for little kids because you can do a nice-sized chunk of potato and that's easier for them to hold on to than some traditional stamps. Plus you can do any shape you want and keep things interesting. This isn't a complicated craft but you can make it even simpler by using fingerling potatoes, which are already the perfect handle size.

I think I made three stamps out of one long fingerling. Just chop into 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces and then carve a little off to create your shape. We did this in the fall so I did pumpkins and leaves.

If you want to you can use a sharpie to draw on your shape and make cutting even faster. This way your toddler won't destroy the house have to wait long while you prepare the craft. 

Then just set out a paper palate of colors and let the kids go to town. The best part about using fingerling potatoes is that you can keep the skin on. My kids and I have sensitive skin and sometimes handling raw potatoes makes my hands itchy, so keeping the skin on is a must for us.

Here's our leaves and pumpkins, but it would be really easy to make shamrocks or easter eggs.

I told Thing One about getting pinched if you don't wear green and he's been concerned every day since that he will get pinched. So, don't forget to wear green! 

Here's a favorite Irish blessing for your weekend:

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

Thanks for reading.

-Haley