This post about fine motor skills is brought to you by Dr. Kathryn Garforth. She has a passion for helping individuals with special needs reach their fullest potential! She has both the professional expertise in special education and a personal understanding, as an individual with a learning disabi...
This post about fine motor skills is brought to you by Dr. Kathryn Garforth. She has a passion for helping individuals with special needs reach their fullest potential! She has both the professional expertise in special education and a personal understanding, as an individual with a learning disability, to help individuals and their families succeed.
When she isn’t working with clients or blogging, she is chasing her own three children and spending time in her garden. If you would like to know when Dr. Garforth has a new post, follow her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GarforthEducation/
I know this post is not related to my niche, but it’s important to me as I have a little girl with down syndrome and I am very keen to learn anything which could improve my daughter’s skill levels. I wish the same for the other parents of disabled children. Hence, once in a blue moon, I love to publish something relevant to this.
In today’s digital world it is straightforward to sit your child in front of a screen, as a distraction to them, to give you a few moments to yourself or a chance to cross something off of that never-ending to-do list you have. Unfortunately, while this keeps them quiet and busy, it does not do much for developing their fine motor skills.
The Definition Of Fine Motor Skills
Fine motor skills refer to the small movements that are made using the small muscles in your hands, wrists, and fingers (Technically, they are also involved in the movement of your toes, lips, and tongue, but that is for another conversation).
Causes Of Poor Fine Motor Skills
Poor fine motor skills can be caused by many reasons, including low muscle tone, poor hand-eye coordination (insufficient visual-motor control), poor posture, poor core strength, and dysgraphia.
One significant factor in the overall decrease in fine motor skills among the general population is due to a change in how young children typically spend their days.
Their development is very important for everyday tasks, like getting dressed and ready for school, plus numerous events throughout the school day. If you want to learn more about what fine motor skills you can do with your child in the spring, I will include a link at the bottom to check out relevant posts from my blog.
Bushra’s Lifestyle is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Fine Motor Skill Activities
Most kids I know don’t like to be told what to do, especially when it is something that is ‘good for them’. In order for a child to buy-in to repeatedly practicing a skill, it has to be fun and not seem like something they are forced to do.
Luckily, there are many activities that promote fine motor skills that children can do and they don’t even realize they are working on them. Some activities that young children love to do that also work on their fine motor skills, including cutting paper with scissors, stacking blocks, playing with bead mazes, coloring, and more. In my house, one of our favorite activities is to play with Play-Doh and there are many ways you can encourage fine motor skill development while playing with it.
Fine Motor Skills And Play-Doh
One of my favorite ways to work on fine motor skills is by bringing out our box of Play-Doh and accessories to let the kids play (As the hand muscles develop, I like to so some of these activities with plasticine, because it provides more resistance). It allows them to be creative, works on their fine motor skills, it keeps them quiet, and will usually give me at least 45 minutes to get a few things done. In this post, I will share some great ways you can use Play-Doh (or plasticine) and easily accessible objects. You may already have some of these objects in your home, and if you don’t, you can find most of them at your local dollar store.
1- Pretending You Are Running A Bakery
Children love to play make-believe. Growing up, I can remember pretending to run a bakery with my siblings when we were playing with Play-Doh. We would make cookies, doughnuts, and pizza for our Mom to enjoy.
When running a bakery, it is very important to make sure you have all the right tools. Using tools like rolling pins, cookie cutters. and spatulas can really help the fine muscles in the hands develop. Using a rolling pin to flatten the Play-Doh helps strengthen the hands and fingers. Using cookie cutters to make the dough into shapes encourages the use of the pincer grasp (This is using your thumb and pointer finger. The name “pincer grasp” always makes me think of a crab pinching with its front claws). After making the shapes with the cookie cutters, peeling away the excess dough also encourages the pincer grasp. Finally, use a spatula to display the cookies nicely as if they are in a display case. The spatula helps with hand strength and improves wrist motion.
I have seen this activity done using several different materials based on what you have on hand and what level your child is at. It is straightforward, you stick something into the Play-Doh that will stand up on its own and then thread beads onto it.
What I really like about this activity is that it is easier for children to do than lacing beads onto a string. Since the ‘thread’ is standing up on its own, the child does not have to worry about holding it still while trying to thread the ‘bead’ onto it. In the picture below my daughter was using spaghetti noodles to thread penne pasta onto. You could also use pipe cleaners, toothpicks, shish kabob skewers, and straws as the thread. Beads, cereal, pasta, candy, rolled up balls of play-dough and cut up straws can be used for beads.
If you want to challenge your child a little more, you can ask them to create a pattern with the different colors.
3- Pushing beads and gems into play dough.
If you go into the craft section of your local dollar store, you should have no problem finding beads, jewels, stones and gems to add to your Play-Doh accessories collection. Having your children add these items into Play-Doh with either their thumbs or one of their fingers helps build up the small muscles in their fingers and hands.
I like using the flower beads pictured below because when a child pushes the flower in with their bent thumb, they work on their thumb’s web space (the fleshy part between the thumb and the index finger). This is needed to hold a pencil in a tripod grasp with the thumb, index, and middle finger. Once they have pushed the beads in, they can make an ‘okay’ sign with their thumb and index finger and pinch them out. Pinching the beads and then pulling them out gives the opportunity for the child to retract (pull back) their fingers.
4- Playing With Kitchen Utensils And Play-Doh
My children love to raid the drawers in my kitchen to find different things to use while they are playing with Play-Doh. There are so many kitchen utensils that are fun to use when playing with Play-Doh aside from the commonly used rolling pin and cookie cutters. Some of these include a garlic press, a potato masher, a pastry cutter, a cheese grater, a strainer, a pizza cutter, a whisk, and scissors.
Using these tools can help various muscles in the hand. You are welcome to use the tools in your kitchen, but I would suggest washing them right away afterward because it is never fun trying to get the dried Play-Doh off them. Another option would be to go out and buy a set especially for Play-Doh from a yard sale, thrift store, or a dollar store.
Image credit goes to unsplash
5- Play-Doh Mats
The mats are lots of fun and can provide inspiration for when your child is not sure what to make. I printed off several Play-Doh mats I have found from different blogs and laminated them for extra durability. Older children may prefer to use plasticine so they can add more details. As you can see below, my toddler loves to use jewels and gems to decorate the Play-Doh on the mat. I ask my older children to make patterns when they decorate. We have even found Play-Doh mats that come with accessories you can cut out. I cut them out, laminate them, and then glue them onto toothpicks so they can be stuck into the Play-Doh.
Hand-Eye Coordination With Play-Doh
* As an added bonus, using Play-Doh also helps with hand-eye coordination and activities that require using both hands at one time. It can assist with bilateral coordination.
Play-Doh Recipe
1 cup flour
½ cup salt
1 cup water
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
Food coloring
Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan on high heat and continuously stir until the substance completely wraps around spoon in a soft, malleable glob.
Plasticine Recipe
2 cups flour
4-5 drops food coloring
1 cup of water
4 tbsp cornstarch
Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl until combined.
This fun toy is very helpful to build your little one’s fine motor skills. It says for 18 months, but you can use it for up to a 3-year old child. The spikes are made of rubber and come in different colors. Your child can put them in and out of the holes in the hedgehog.
Learning resources is a great brand to with
This toy does not only help to build fine motor skills, but it also helps kids to learn about colors. An affordable toy to provide great learning skills.
Worth buying!
Once your child is done playing, you can store all your spikes inside of the hedgehog so, they don’t get lost.
This is one of the best toys you can buy for your child. It helps develop fine motor skills and improves so many other skills, such as gross motor skills in children. It’s ages 3 and up, but easily could be used all the way for children up to 5.
Kids enjoy it and build dexterity as they navigate latches that hook, snap, click and slide.
It comes with number and patterns to a total of 68 Pieces. Good for up to five years of age. It helps children to learn early number skills, patterning, problem-solving, visual processing, and much more. Your child will be in love with this toy from head to toe.
Comes with 60 bears, 6 matching cups, 2 tweezers, and a container. Kids love this awesome set. They can spend hours counting, sorting, matching, and playing with it.
The bears are designed to teach color recognition, sorting, fine motor skills, math, hand-eye coordination, and numbers. They work great with early childhood STEM and Montessori programs.
You will get an eBook in via email with tons of fun educational activities
Another great toy for kids to develop multiple skills. Comes with 24 pieces with 4 different shapes and 6 rainbow colors. Kids make their fine motor muscles strong by screwing and unscrewing the large plastic nuts and bolts.
Very affordable
Pin It
I Hope you like this wonderful and full of a knowledge blog post by Dr. Kathryn. Please, show her some love by leaving a comment below and visiting her site!
How To Paint Furniture with Chalk Paint
Hello, lovely friends! Here I am again! Sharing my tips and tricks on how to chalk paint furniture - plus a chalk paint recipe... I am excited about the chalk paint recipe, as it is so easy to make and will save you tons of money. You all know how much chal...
How To Paint Furniture with Chalk Paint
Hello, lovely friends! Here I am again! Sharing my tips and tricks on how to chalk paint furniture – plus a chalk paint recipe… I am excited about the chalk paint recipe, as it is so easy to make and will save you tons of money. You all know how much chalk-painted furniture is in fashion these days…so we are gonna talk all about it!!!!
If you have never chalk-painted furniture with chalk paint before, take advantage of my 10 years of furniture painting experience. By the end of the post, you will definitely be ready to finish your first chalk paint project. I promise!
Why Is Chalk Paint Better For Furniture?
Well, first off let me tell you a bit about chalk paint…It may be a hot trend right now, but chalk paint has been around for centuries… so has chalk painted furniture. Chalk painted furniture goes well with farmhouse, country, or eclectic decor style and it’s easy to paint with. Hence, all the DIYers like it. It helps your project to get done faster and saves you tons of time to keep your life straight.
I took this picture right after the waxing was finished! Hence it looks too shiny
Do You Have To Sand Furniture Before Using Chalk Paint?
This is the most commonly asked question, and I remember myself asking this question years ago when I was new to furniture painting. My question was always something like this… “Why use Chalk Paint Vs Regular Paint on Furniture?“
The big difference between chalk painting and latex paint (regular paint) is that you don’t have to prep your piece..for example, you can totally paint a piece of furniture with chalk paint without sanding or priming and it will look amazing. I don’t even bother using two coats…On some pieces, one coat is more than enough.
Just clean your piece and go paint over the surface no matter what condition your piece is in…it’s just amazing! I have been painting furniture since 2010 and chalk paint is my favorite paint among all others. It has a forgiving nature that makes it a favorite for everyone once you start using it.
My kids ruined the top of my nightstands, so I had to sand it. As I said, it depends upon your piece of furniture. This little multi-tool with a sanding pad is great for small pieces.
This is great for all your small sanding job and has tons of other functions.
Shall We Start The Step By Step Chalk Paint Furniture Tutorial Now?
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Choose Your First Piece Of Furniture
If you are going to dirty your hands with chalk paint for the first time in life, then I would highly recommend using a small piece of furniture… not so pretty and without so many curves. I would say go for a small table but without any dent or chips so you can feel comfortable and save yourself some steps such as sanding, filling, etc.
Once you have your piece of furniture that you’re going to chalk paint, follow these steps below to be a pro in chalk painting!!!!
Step 1- Select Your Paint
The very first thing is to pick or select your paint. 10 years ago when I started painting furniture, chalk paint was super expensive at that time. Anni Sloan’s chalk paint was the go-to choice for everyone. Well, it has changed over the years, although Anni Sloan’s chalk paint is still the best choice. However, there are a lot of other brands that are in the market these days and I like Behr paint as it’s very affordable.
Here is the list of chalk paint brands I have used over the years and gladly recommend them as well. I never thought of starting a blog, so I don’t have pictures for every project I have done in my house.
Anni Sloan (A bit expensive, but great chalk paint to use)
Beyond paint (I like their complete kit)
Behr paint (I am totally in love with this paint)
Valspar (Very similar to chalk paint)
Dixie Belle (Have a variety of colors to choose from) very similar to chalk paint
Fusion paint
I love this paint! It’s very affordable and pretty..
Step 2- Put Your Supplies Together
After you pick your paint, the next step is to put your essential supplies together…I have put a very detailed supplies list in my how to paint a dresser post, check that out right here.
Here is the list you need to get going….
Chalk paint of your choice and color. Here are some of my favorite colors which I have used over the years. I mentioned above that I was never into blogging. Hence, I never bothered taking pictures of projects. Anyways, here are the chalk paint colors I adore… timeless blue, silver, antique white, pink (as I have girls), green, red (my favorite color on earth), and gray.
A lot of people say it’s a personal choice if you want to use a roller with chalk paint. Well friends, my opinion, it should not be about personal rather about the professional finish.
I always keep rollers in case of need
In the past, I have asked professional furniture painters several times that question and the answer was “using a brush over the roller is always better”.
Start with a brush then see if you need a roller on a piece of furniture you are painting with chalk paint. However, a brush gives you much better finishes than the roller could ever give.
This is the brush I always preferred for two reasons. A- great Bristle and B- it has an ergonomic handle
Get it on Amazon (affiliate link) It’s much cheaper than the in-store. It’s a lifesaver brush and the best ever to make painting easy with chalk paint
I also use a few different brushes for small nooks and curves to spread the paint evenly all over the piece I am working on. The other brand I like is “Purdy“, and I have to admit that their brushes are great as well. I have a stock of them at my home. I save all my supplies in an extra dresser, so anytime I need anything, I know where to go, including my paint sample.
A word of wisdom, Please don’t ever buy non-branded cheap brushes, as you will regret it later. I’m telling you this based on my personal experience. It’s better off getting these nice recommended brushes.
Step 3- Prepare The Piece Of Furniture
The piece I picked for today’s demonstration is these cute set of nightstands, I scored at a thrift store. I am a bit sad, guys because that thrift store no longer exists. Honestly, chalk paint totally changed the look of these old set of nightstands.
A thrift store find! I love french furniture!!!
Don’t paint a piece of furniture that has an awful smell… Paint is not a substitute foran odor eliminator… You would just waste your time. So, make sure that if you buy furniture from the thrift store it doesn’t come with a bad, hard-to-stand the odor.
A Short Personal Story
I once had a small dresser which was extremely pretty and I got it for $2, I was wondering why someone would get rid of it. It was very stinky but I was determined to paint it. I had no idea what kind of smell it was, but guys, the paint didn’t help one bit. Neither did vinegar which I use for everything. Finally, I cleaned it with ammonia and I got rid of some of the smell but not all of it. I ended up putting it on the curb as I was too embarrassed to donate it.
Removing The Hardware
If there is any hardware on your furniture, remove it before you even start cleaning by using an appropriate tool. A free tip for you, put all your hardware at a safe place. I would say put it in a plastic baggie so you don’t’ lose it later. I, however, never use baggie’s as I put them in my storage dresser where I save all my paint supplies and extra hardware like this.
Don’t loose your knobs or pulls.
Cleaning
As I always say, cleaning is a crucial step. This is where I pay a lot of attention. BTW, I always take before pictures of my pieces ever since I started blogging, but before, not so much! You don’t have to, it’s an optional step.. LOL!
Now that the hardware is off, it’s time to look around to see if you have any stickers that need to come off. If any sticker does need to come off, use Goo Gone and the adhesive will be gone within seconds. Or, use a mixer of water, vinegar and a few drops of dawn soap. Spray it and let it sit for a few minutes. It will come right off.
Dusting is the very first step in cleaning. No matter what, you should not skip this step.
Next, wipe it off any dust your piece is collecting using dusting brush. Don’t spray water on dust, it doesn’t help. If your furniture is extremely messy then TSP is the way to go, but if it looks clean, then Dawn soap and warm water will get the job done. I barely have used TSP, but I always keep it handy. You never know.
Always keep it handy!
Warm water with some Dawn soap and you are good to go!
Good cleaning will give you the best results with better adhesion. It’s crucial!
Filling
This step depends upon your needs. As I said above, if you are painting the first time, pick a decent piece of furniture in order to perform a confident job. Once you are a pro, then you are good to paint anything. If your furniture has a lot of dents and chips, you then need to fill them by using wood filler. I like the Minwax brand. I use a putty knife to apply my filler.
One of the trust-worthy fillers
Sanding As Needed
After you fill the dents and chips, you need to sand these areas by using 60-120 or 100-200 grit sandpaper according to your needs. However, you don’t need to sand the whole piece, just the required areas.
Work-space For Chalk Painting?
I am going to mention this again… Don’t use chalk paint in your garage or where you think there will be a lot of dust. Chalk paint is very safe to use inside. I highly recommend painting your furniture inside the house. Just cover your floor with tarp or plastic.
I painted this in the bedroom.
Step 4- Start Painting
1– Make sure your paint is well-stirred before you start painting furniture.
Pro Tip: Leave the can of chalk paint upside down for about 8 minutes and then shake it and stir it well!
My brush strokes went from top to bottom
2– Tape off the areas you don’t want to paint with painters tape. Make sure you know where your drawers go if it’s a dresser or table with drawers. Here is what I do, I use price stickers from Dollar Tree. The ones you use for garage sale price tags. Write numbers with right and left on them, so you know where they go once the job is done.
3– Then, spray a bit of water on your paintbrush to make it lightly wet before you dip into the paint. Pour the chalk paint into a flat container. Make sure you check the consistency. If it’s too thick, just spray some water in it and mix according to your needs. Dip your brush lightly and start painting in the direction of the grain. Tightly cover your can of paint to avoid it from drying.
The direction of the grain is the key thing to remember.
Some people will tell you to paint in any direction, and it’s simply not true with any paint. I have learned over the year that this technique leaves really awful marks on your furniture. I had no idea at the beginning about this grain thingy but learned my lesson after painting a piece or two.
4– Paint in small areas. For instance, if you are starting with a leg, finish that first, then move on to the next part. Just to make your DIY life easy.
5– It’s that easy! Now, let it dry for an hour and wrap your brush in plastic wrap. The plastic wrap will prevent it from drying. But, if you think that you are done painting and no need for another coat, then wash your brush to put it away.
Can You Water Down Chalk Paint?
Absolutely, you can water down chalk paint! In fact, it’s best to do it, as chalk paint gets dry very quickly. Keep a small spray bottle available for spraying. Don’t completely soak it with water, just a small amount of spray would dilute it well. At least in my experience, a spray bottle is the best method.
Watering down chalk paint makes it apply much easier. Be consistent, though. Don’t water too much and ruin the original color of your chalk paint by making it too thin. With experience, you would get a pretty good idea of how much water to use.
Now you know that one of the best tips is watering down thick chalk paint! Too much water can change the color of your chalk paint, so be careful with it.
Do You Need A Second Coat Of Chalk Paint?
What I have seen over the years, it’s unpredictable until you start painting.
What To Do When You Get A Bleed- through With Chalk Paint.
Well, here is the deal…You would think chalk paint is always forgiving, but it isn’t really the case for all types of furniture. Mahogany, Cherry and Pinewood can bleed through very easily.
B- Use spray shellac or regular shellac one or two coat as needed. Zinner has the best one. I would use a foam brush for this, but a regular brush is fine too.
Make sure you don’t use this product inside of your house as it has a very strong smell.
Should You Sand Between Chalk Paint?
It depends upon your needs and how your masterpiece looks after one or two coats of paint. It’s not necessary, rather an optional step.
Step 5- How To Wax Chalk Painted Furniture
You can wait 24 hours before you wax, but I have done it within 12 to 24 hours after painting furniture and the waxing results were great.
So here is how you would use clear wax on your chalk painted furniture:
1– Take a spoon or two full of wax and pour it on a little plastic lid or paper plate. I sometimes use it right off the container but the for first-time users, use it properly in a plate.
2– Use your lint-free cloths or brushes, but keep in mind a brush gives you a better finish than the lint-free cloth. However, lint-free cloths bring more shine into your piece.
Once you are painting for a long time, you can use any piece of cloths that is soft in nature, but not at the beginning of your painting journey.
Work in a small, circular motion
Next In Waxing
3– Start applying wax on an edge farthest away from you so you don’t have to lean into the wax area.
4– Go in small sections to get the beautiful finish you want in circular motions! Like taking baby steps. The paint will start to look darker so, it’s easy to recognize the area you already have waxed.
5- Once you are done with one section then take your clean cloth and wipe off the excess. It will leave the area shiny and with a really neat look behind.
Colors gets darker after you apply wax. The wax I used is from Behr
6– If you see some streaking, go back and apply some more wax and re-polish the area again.
Continue to repeat this until you are done with your whole piece of painted furniture.
Here is the finished product!Here is how the top looks, I used the same paper to line the drawers as well.
This is a beautiful set.. For all your waxing needs.
Wax takes 30 days to dry completely, so make sure you handle your furniture with great care! According to Annie Sloan – Don’t let your kids ruin it for you.
Step 6- How To Distress Furniture With Chalk Paint
The good news is that you don’t have to wait after you are done with your wax to distress your furniture. Distressing is an optional step, anyways. Not all furniture needs to be distress.
Once you finished with your clear wax coat, you are done if you don’t want to distress furniture with chalk paint. However, if you want to distress your furniture with chalk paint then make sure you are done waxing and no streaks are left anywhere in your masterpiece.
There is no dry time for distressing it’s just more about your cure time such as to see that your piece is pretty smooth-looking after the waxing.
chalk painted twin beds in my girls’ room. I am planning to repaint these beds soon.
I am going to teach you anyways in case if you want to distress your piece.
1– Okay, go ahead and start using a coarse grain sandpaper, 60 to 120 grit.
Using coarse-grit sandpaper is a much quicker method than fine-grit sandpaper… it’s a personal preference, though.
For this white nightstand, I only used one coat and distressed very lightly. This picture is before I started blogging.
2– You mostly need to distress in the places where it normally would wear and tear such as around the edges, down the legs, or if you have any detail on your furniture. I must say, chalk painted furniture with distressing looks very elegant.
Pro Tip: Once you are done waxing in a circular motion, then wipe it off in straight motion. It will get rid of all the streaky lines.
I decided not to distress it as it was looking pretty good once I put it beside the bed.I love how they turned out! With a bit of leftover paint, it completely transformed them
How much Distressing You Should Be Doing?
It’s up to you, as some people like just a little bit of distressing and some of you want the paint mostly gone. I like both. What I personally do is to sand it first and leave it for an hour or so. If I like it, it’s done. Otherwise, just go from there. Sometimes you need to sand it until you see the bare wood. You really don’t know until you do it and look at the piece.
It’s not a time-consuming task, so if you keep going you can be done with a day!!! You can always stop in between these steps if you are busy and have to do something else.
Warning
If your piece of furniture was old and it’s possible that someone might have painted it with lead-based paint, then sand it in an open place. Maybe in your backyard or so. Make sure you wear a mask too.
How To Use Dark Wax On Chalk Painted Furniture
You can apply dark wax over your chalk painted piece after you are done distressing. You are ready to apply your dark wax using the same method above that I have explained for clear wax. Use Annie Solan wax or any other.
Dark wax is soft, so just take a spoonful and put it in a plate. You only need a very little bit of it as it goes a long way.
Use cloth or brush and apply it with a circular motion and wipe off with a straight motion. For more detail, read the section above for the clear wax.
This step is optional. If you don’t want to use dark wax you don’t have to.
Once you are done with dark wax, go ahead and wipe it off using some elbow grease. Give it a good rub so you can get a great shine. Ta-Da!!! You are done!
DIY Chalk Paint Recipe For Furniture
For the chalk paint recipe, here are the supplies you need:
Water-based latex paint. Any interior paint brand you like. Get it in flat, eggshell, or satin paint. You will learn over time, whichever works best for you. I don’t recommend glass or semi-glass, as you want the chalky look.
Plaster of Paris in powder form.
Water to add it in plaster of Paris.
A jar or can to mix your paint.
Measuring cup.
How To Mix It Together:
It’s an extremely simple recipe. Take one part plaster of Paris to three parts paint. We are going to add a little bit of water to turn plaster of Paris into a past before adding the paint into it. That’s about it. So if you take 1 cup of plaster of Paris and mix it with a little bit of water. Add 3 cups of paint into that past and your chalk paint is ready. No matter how much paint you need, the ratio is 1 to 3.
The consistency of your plaster of Pairs should be a little thinner than mayonnaise
You can mix it all together with the fork or spoon but if you need a lot of paint you can use the little electric hand mixer.
Is Chalky Finish The Same As Chalk Paint?
Nope, a chalky finish is not the same as chalk paint. I have recently painted my laundry room cabinets to give it a beautiful farmhouse look by using Valspar paint which is very similar to chalk paint and offers a chalky finish but it’s not exactly the same as chalk paint. BTW, I love their paint.
Click on the picture to see the full makeover! It was pretty ugly before. I am so going to use this paint on my kitchen cabinets
Chalk paint is not the same as chalkboard paint. In fact, it all came from the interior design industry with Annie Sloan registered trademark for the paint. A few years ago, there were not even many chalk paints available in the market except Annie Sloan. It was pretty pricey, and that was the first chalk paint I started to use.
Then What Is Chalk Paint, And Who Introduced It?
Well, here is the answer to “What is chalk paint”. It is basically made of calcium carbonate, pigment, and water. That’s it.
Annie Sloan is the one who took this award to introduce such a great product in 1990. She also has written over 25 books on paint. Very authentic sources, right? Otherwise, chalk paint is around since cavemen
Where To Buy Chalk Paint
In these days, it’s very easy to buy chalk paint as a lot of stores sell them in-store and online. Amazon is full of different chalk paints. You can also order from different vendors who carry them. Annie Sloan chalk paint is one, and there is another, Fusion chalk paint.
Home Depot sells Behr chalk paint which is very affordable. The only drawback is that it comes with just a few colors. These places also sell chalk paint wax as well.
My go-to place is either Home Depot or Amazon
How Do You Paint IKEA Furniture Without Sanding With Chalk Paint?
I have written a detailed post about this most frequently asked question, so check that step-by-step tutorial out, guys, just by clicking on the link below.
Click on the picture to check out this thrift store IKEA dresser makeover!
Pros And Cons Of Chalk Paint
Well, as I said earlier, chalk paint is nothing new. However, it’s in the trend since the last decade and everyone is going crazy for it. Well, let see why people are going crazy by looking at these pros and cons. Let’s go with the pros first.
Pros of Chalk Paint
Very easy to apply.
You can reuse any piece of furniture back by using this paint which is much more cheaper than buying a new whole piece.
Chalk painted furniture looks very beautiful.
Easy to take care of.
Can correlate with any decor due to several colors available in chalk paint.
Saves you a good amount of money.
No sanding, no priming required, mostly.
Anyone can learn easily and paint furniture with it.
Cons Of Chalk Paint
A little bit pricey. However, it goes a long way.
Not great for kitchen cabinets, as it started to come off after a while.
Need to always use a top coat to protect it.
That’s it, guys. I don’t see many cons using chalk paint. It’s much easier than latex paint, as I have used both.
Bonus Tip: How To Clean Your Paint Brush
Here is a bonus tip for you guys to give your brush a brand new appearance:
1-Wash your brush thoroughly. Rinse all the paint off of your brush.
2-Then, take some lukewarm water and pour a few drops of vinegar.
3- Dip your paintbrush after you rinse it in this solution and leave it for 30 minutes and that’s it. It will get you beautiful bristles back and your brush will look brand new, like mine.
See, it looks new again!
Happy painting, and here is my free 35 pages ebook for you on chalk paint!
Gardening Tool Set GIVEAWAY- Enter To Win!!!
Happy Monday, friends!!! How's everyone doing? Today I am going to share my thoughts on a beautiful gardening tool set- a gift for the garden lover. This is a sponsored post by INTOQ, and I only review products if I personally like them or use them. My...
Gardening Tool Set GIVEAWAY- Enter To Win!!!
Happy Monday, friends!!! How’s everyone doing? Today I am going to share my thoughts on a beautiful gardening tool set- a gift for the garden lover. This is a sponsored post by INTOQ, and I only review products if I personally like them or use them. My readers are more important than any other benefits. Bushra’s Lifestyle only exists because of all your love and support.
Don’t’ forget to sign up for a FREE gardening tool set at the end, folks! The company will also ship it to you for free (within the USA).
INTOQ – 9 Piece Gardening Tool Set- In A Bag
This cute gardening tool set includes all the essentials for gardening lovers. It comes with 1 trans-planter, 1 trowel, 1 cultivator, 1 weeder, or weeding fork, to get your weeds out, and 1 little rake. They all are made of rust-resistant stainless steel material and with very beautiful wooden handles.
Moreover, this gardening tool set has a spray bottle, a beautiful pair of gloves, and a little cute stool as well to put your tools on it. The bonus is that everything comes in a bag for easy transportation. So, if you are helping a friend to put their garden in shape and would like to use your own tools, just carry everything in a bag.
It looks better in reality than you see in the picture
Key Features For This Gardening Tool Set
Affordable price
Rust-resistant stainless steel material is being used. No worries if you forget to put them back in the shed. The rust-resistant quality will spare them from ever rusting. We live in Portland where it rains all the time in the fall, winter, and spring, so it is really a plus point for us.
Ergonomically correct handles (it’s a big deal for garden lovers). When you work a long time in your garden, your hands can get tired and out of shape if your grip is not correct on the tool you are using. They made sure that this gardening tool sets’ wooden handles on the 5 tools are ergonomically correct. So, it wouldn’t ruin your hand’s posture. You can use them for hours with no worries. If you have arthritis, please give your hands a short break during your garden work.
Comes with breathable gloves so your hands don’t get sweaty.
The bag has deep pockets to keep your tools organized and secured.
100% money back guarantee (Peace of mind that your money is secured).
After opening this beautiful gardening tool set, I was very impressed with both the packing and product. It is well-made and comes with everything you need for home gardening. The quality is great, and I will happily give them 4.5 stars.
I wish that the spray bottle would have been larger, and also had a pruner tool. It says it on their Amazon package, but I don’t see it in the toolset. A pruner is something every gardener needs for sure. Otherwise, it’s a great quality set!
My Concern and Their Response
When they contacted me to review this product I popped up on Amazon to check this out, but I have to be honest that I was a bit concerned about the 3-star rating. I emailed back to the company that I am concerned about the 3 stars as I don’t consider product review-worthy if they don’t get a minimum of 4 stars.
They were very good at clearing this up. They said, that they had an issue and took care of it. You have a 100% money back guarantee, so you have nothing to worry about. Buying on Amazon is always secure and safe, anyways.
All packed up to go help your mother-in-law in her garden!
Gardner Lover Spoiler Alert!
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Hey, ya'all beautiful people! How's everyone doing? I can't wait to share a tutorial with you on how to paint a dresser. It makes me so excited when I get to talk to you and show you something I worked so hard on. I can't even tell you the excitement I have for the $35 old thrift store dresser I tra...
Hey, ya’all beautiful people! How’s everyone doing? I can’t wait to share a tutorial with you on how to paint a dresser. It makes me so excited when I get to talk to you and show you something I worked so hard on. I can’t even tell you the excitement I have for the $35 old thrift store dresser I transformed into a beautiful piece of furniture. Are you ready? Let’s do it!
How To Paint A Dresser Without Sanding
Let’s talk about sanding! A lot of you don’t like to paint furniture because you have to sand. You know as well as I do that sanding can be daunting. So, my tutorial is all about how to paint a dresser without sanding…yay! I love all things creative.
Have I mentioned before that my husband has said that I’m in the wrong profession? He said that as opposed to me working in the medical field, that I should have been a designer instead because I’m very creative! My hubby definitely likes my ideas, especially when he sees the incredible results. He is a great help for me…hey he is my personal assistant…and I can’t imagine life without him.
Yes, I get it that it’s not about him, it’s about the dresser. But, on the other hand, you guys like to know me and I want to have a bonding relationship with all of you. This is the place where we can talk to each other and share values and creativity. I love your comments and your responses to my conversations and teachings.
Before we start painting a dresser, I should tell you the helpful materials you need in order to paint a dresser or any other furniture. Don’t go crazy on buying things. Just purchase the minimum required items. You can gradually stock up your DIY workshop.
Bushra’s Lifestyle is a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
If you don’t have all the supplies, don’t worry about it. You will gradually stock all these. Just get the ones you really need to start with.
Here you go. I took this picture right in the thrift store to show you the actual condition
The price made me really happy, and I thought that I could kill two birds with one stone by adding a storage place for the boy’s room, and also do a tutorial on “how to paint a dresser”..
Can You Paint A Dresser Without Sanding?
The answer is a big YES! You totally can paint a dresser without sanding, although not all the furniture falls into this category. Some of the pieces will need sanding.I will walk you through the steps on how to paint a dresser or any piece of furniture to adhere paint on it without sanding.
Let’s start the real deal here:
Steps On How To Paint A dresser
Step 1: Thorough Cleaning
Cover your floor wherever you want to paint your dresser by placing a tarp on the floor. I painted my dresser in the garage but I don’t recommend it anymore and I will tell you why at the end. Next, it’s time to start with cleaning.
For painting anything, cleaning is the most crucial part. If the dresser you are going to paint is very messy and all in a bad shape, I would use TSP to clean it, but if it looks like mine that you saw above, then simply use warm water and Dawn soap, and that’ll do the trick. I simply used water with Dawn soap and wiped it thoroughly.
Make sure no grimy or oily surfaces are on the dresser you are going to paint. Good prep is a key to a good start! Make sure you don’t leave any soap residue, though.
Keep in mind, all you DIY’ers, that paint only sticks to a clean surface, so clean like you mean it…lol! Now, go get rid of all the grease on your dresser… you have work to do!
Microfiber clothes are the best way to clean any type of furniture
Step 2: Filling The Holes, Chips, & Dents
Check your dresser to see if you have any holes or imperfections or any chipping on it. Then, fill it by using wood filler. This is the one I prefer to go with. After the filling, you need to sand down those filled areas with 220 grit sandpaper. However, if you don’t need filling, then no sanding is required.
I did need filling as it was a used dresser from a thrift store. Hence, I filled as needed. To make the dresser little more industrial and modern, I wanted to change the drawer pulls. For the pulls, I removed the old ones and filled in the holes for them as well.
There are several other fillers in the market, but with my experience, I love this one
I use this little handy tool to fill anywhere on the furniture or walls.
Step 3: Sand As Needed
Once you are done filling dents, holes, and chips, it’s now time to sand those areas. You don’t need to sand the whole dresser if it’s unfinished wood or if you are going to use chalk paint, as most of the chalk paint will adhere to the surface effortlessly.
If you do need to sand, then use 120 to 220 grit sandpaper. Sometimes you only need scuff sanding in order to adhere to the paint better.
Step 4: Pick Your Preferred Paint To Apply
Pick a paint you like to use. If you are going to paint for the first time, I would recommend chalk paint, as it gives the best coverage possible and doesn’t bleed through that often. I have painted furniture with all kinds of paint, including latex, oil-based, chalk paint, and spray paint. I found chalk paint is the easiest one to deal with for the new DIY’ers as it’s very forgiving.
The paint I used to paint this dresser is Behr’s Timeless Blue. It’s a beautiful paint color and perfect for the boy’s room. I am totally in love with both this paint color and texture.
You can dilute with water if you want a very smooth look as opposed to having a little texture on the piece of furniture. This little can of paint not only covered my whole dresser but it also was enough to use on my nightstands to match with the dresser.
Using The Right Brush
A paint brush is your most important tool for painting. You are only going to get a great result if you are going to use the right tools for any project. Painting is no exception, either. I highly recommend Wooster Brush Q3211-2 Shortcut Angle Sash Paintbrush, 2-Inches. This little brush is an amazing tool to have as it will give you perfect stroke every time you apply paint on a dresser or anything you are painting. It is one of the must-have tools for painters.
A Pro Tip: No matter what, start painting with the grain. Use your brush strokes with the grain in long strokes. You can get an idea about this once you look at the furniture. If you run your brush against the grain, you will see that the brush will not run as smooth as it’s supposed to.
Use your brush strokes with the grain
My little boy was helping me. Hence, my paintbrush is full of paint…lol!
Don’t Overload The Brush
You don’t have to overload your brush at all as my little boy did for me. He wanted to be the part of the process as this dresser is going into his room. Just lightly dip the brush and start painting. Once you start it, you will realize how easy it is.
If you are afraid to paint a dresser or larger piece of furniture, start with a smaller piece, such as a small stool. This is how I tested the first time.
There you go all done with painting! The Paint is still drying, as you can see wet paint on the last drawer.
Step 5: How To Seal A Dresser With Clear Wax
This is the brush most professional painters recommend for the wax to get a professional look. The brush I had was worn out, so I used a piece of cloth for this project, but yes, I am a big fan of this brush! It doesn’t waste wax due to the smooth application when using it. This works (Amazon) with all brands of paint and wax for all furniture and colors
Grab a little wax with your brush and apply using the same technique you used for the paint. Go with the grain in long strokes. Clear wax (Amazon) seals your piece and prevents it from chipping. If you are painting a piece of furniture which has good detail, and you would like to show it with darker wax colors, I would still apply the clear wax first.
Waxing made the paint color look darker and glowy. On the right drawer is after waxing, and the left one is before wax.
Step 6: Replace Or Revamp Your Old Dresser Drawer Pulls
Although I purchased my pulls from the thrift store, they are very similar to the ones I found on Amazon. You can see in the picture below.
You can see that the dresser came with the wooden hardware that is smaller and round. I was not planning to use them, as for some reason I didn’t like them. While I was buying this dresser, I spotted another dresser next to it with beautiful long drawer pulls. I purchased that one as well, and I took the pulls and donated the dresser.
If you are thinking that I ruined the dresser for the next person, the answer is “NO”. I talked to the manager and she placed the other pulls on that dresser. It was a win-win situation for the store and me. They only cost me $25.
I took the original knobs out and filled their holes with this filler (Amazon)
Next, I spray painted the gold pulls and my husband drilled new holes and put the new pulls in there as well.
A little cheat sheet for you for the steps I took to replace the new pulls with new holes.
Step 7: Beautify Your Drawers With Contact Paper
This step is an optional step. It is not part of the tutorial on “how to paint a dresser”. However, I like to make my stuff pretty. Therefore, I used this contact paper.
You can use contact paper of your choice or just leave them the way they are.
Simply beautiful, and it only took me just a few minutes
Avoid These Silly Mistakes While Using Chalk Paint
Don’t paint in an area where a lot of dust is, as I painted this dresser in the garage and I felt like it was a dusty area and I was having a hard time when I was ready to apply the wax. I had to clean the whole dresser again.
Don’t wait a day or two to apply the wax. Apply between 12-24 hours after the paint dries off.
No need of using two coats of paint on everything with chalk paint. Just observe after the first paint to see if you need another one. On the container, it says two coats but I only used one coat of paint, and it was just fine for the desired look I was after.
Wash your brush after you are done painting for the day. It will keep your bristles on the brush in very good shape and brush will last a long time for you.
Don’t overload your brush. Although the chalk paint is pretty forgiving, you still have to be careful.
Bonus Step: What To Do If Your Dresser Is Missing A Backing
As you know, this dresser was pretty cheap for only $35, and there was a reason behind it. It was missing it’s backing. I asked my husband before buying and he said, that it was no issue and that he could place a new backing on it.
For the backing, we purchased $11 1/4″ plywood from Home Depot. He placed it on the back of the dresser to check the size. Then he drew lines on it for measurements. After this, he measured the back side of the dresser, just to be sure, and drew a perfect line to cut. Once he was done the cutting, I held it for him and he screwed it together. It was a really easy thing to do.
Without backing
1/4″ plywood
cut to size
screw them to the dresser
Doesn’t that look gorgeous?
before
after
All done and I styled it pretty as well…I also like the mirror perfect for the dresser.
Relevant Questions On How To Paint A Dresser
What is the best brand of paint for furniture?
In my opinion, these brands are the best so far:
For Chalk Paint
BEHR (very affordable)
Annie Salon
Fusion
Beyond paint (affordable)
For Latex Paint
Behr premium
Glidden (I have used it and it’s awesome and no primer needed with this)
Kilz
Sherwin William (expensive, though)
Use satin or semigloss finish if you choose to go with latex paint. Always use a primer. You do have to sand though in that case, as this paint is not forgiving at all. It will show any imperfection very easily
Can you use latex paint on wood furniture?
Indeed, you can! I have so many time used the leftover latex paint for used furniture, but the key thing is to use the primer first. Once, I was out of primer for one of my little tables I was working on, so I just used the leftover over paint from our bedroom as a primer.
You can only learn with experience, and trial and error work the best. When we were in our old home, my husband used to tell me that I am obsessed with painting. I was not into blogging at the time, otherwise, I would have put a book together on “how to paint a furniture”
How do you paint IKEA unfinished furniture without sanding?
Mostly, IKEA furniture comes in a bare form with nothing on it, which makes it easy to paint. I would highly recommend going with chalk or milk paint. Follow all my above-mentioned steps I have on “how to paint a dresser” to paint any piece of IKEA furniture.
A Quick Recap On How To Paint A Dresser
I hope it was an easy tutorial for you on how to paint a dresser. Let’s recap what we said above:
1- Thoroughly clean your dresser first
2- Fill all the holes, dents, and chips using wood filler
3- Sand as needed
4- Pick your preferred paint to apply with a synthetic paint brush
5- Seal your dresser with wax or clear top coat
6- Revamp or replace your old dresser hardware
7- Beautify your dresser drawers with contact paper
I hope you have learned how to paint a dresser or any piece of furniture using chalk paint. The process is the same even if you pick any other type of paint. Let me know what your thoughts are, or if I missed anything. You know, I always love to hear from you!!
Happy Painting and, here you go with my 35 pages ebook for you on chalk paint!
Hey, beautiful fellows out there! How are you guys doing? Today's post is a bit special for two reasons as it's all about Eid al Fitr.
A- Eid al Fitr is a big Muslim holiday.
B- I am excited to share this with my new Muslim and non Muslim friends.
A lot of my friends already know abou...
Hey, beautiful fellows out there! How are you guys doing? Today’s post is a bit special for two reasons as it’s all about Eid al Fitr.
A- Eid al Fitr is a big Muslim holiday.
B- I am excited to share this with my new Muslim and non Muslim friends.
A lot of my friends already know about Eid al Fitr. However, if you don’t know what is it and why we celebrate it, this article will give you a clear idea.
I always like to learn about my Christian, Hindu, or other religious friends so I can know more about them. It just makes life easy between friends.
1- What Does Eid Al Fitr Literally Mean?
The meaning of Eid al Fitr is very simple. It means, in Arabic, “The feast of the breaking of the fast”. That is the literal meaning, but there is a lot more to it, which you are going to find out. Today is the 19th day of Ramadan, and since we in Islam follows the lunar calendar, it means there are either 10 or 11 more days to go until the month of Ramadan ends, and we celebrate Eid Al Fitr. Why 10 or 11? I’ll explain this later in the post.
2- Eid Al Fitr Pronunciation
Here is the pronunciation for you: Eid al-Fitr (eed al fiter) not hard at all, right? Well, there you have it.
3- Why Is Eid Al Fitr Celebrated?
Well, God is gracious. If He tests us with something He always rewards us as well. Eid al Fitr is one of the best rewards after the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of dawn to sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is a month of fasting for us Muslims where we abstain ourselves from food, water, and other earthly desires from dawn to sundown for 29 or 30 days. It’s an honorable month for us, as the Quran (Muslim holy book) was revealed to the Prophet Mohammad (SAW) in this month.
Fasting is not about only refraining from food and drink though, it’s also about abstaining yourself from all of the other things such as evil thoughts, words, and actions. It’s all about cleansing your soul and learning about the world’s hunger and humanity more in-depth. You fast with your entire body.
After the Ramadan, the next month is Shawal and the first day of Shawal. When the new moon is first sighted, Shawal begins, and we celebrate Eid al Fitr. In 2019, it’s going to be either on June 4 or June 5 and Eid will last 3 days. Here in the USA, we take off three days if possible, but in Pakistan and other Muslim countries, you get 3 official days off.
Last year (2018) in New York City, for the first time in the history they approved Eid al Fitr as an official holiday. The schools are closed, and that is awesome! Here is the link to The New York Times writing about it. I know my New York Muslim friends are over the moon and super excited. You know, sometimes it gets hard to request for a day off, especially if the kids have tests or something going on in the class.
InshAllah (God willing), one day Oregon (and other states) will follow along and our kids will have a day off too. For now, the kids just have to miss school that day.
Have a happy Eid!
4- How To Celebrate Eid Al Fitr
Since this is the day every Muslims wait for during the whole month of Ramadan, we await sighting of the new moon in the sky and the announcement that Eid will be the next morning.
Time difference plays an important role in moon sighting, as my family in Pakistan celebrates Eid after we are almost done with the first day. So all over the world, Muslims go with their own timings.
Here Is How We Celebrate It:
As you now know, Eid is about celebrating the hard work and difficult tests that were passed during Ramadan, so you are all excited, and it feels very strange to be able to eat and drink whenever you please. The very first thing in the morning is you get up and wish everyone Eid Greetings and then everyone gets ready for the Eid prayer.
Ghusl or Cleaning Your Body
Everyone cleans their bodies by taking a special shower called “ghusl”, in Arabic. We put special new clothing on. My mother makes our clothing for us, as she loves to sew.
For better understanding, it’s like when you get ready for Easter Sunday to go to church. Everyone puts on new clothes and looks their best on that day. I always love Easter clothing and buy it for my kids when they go on sale after Easter is over.
In Muslim countries, people go to mosques. Here in Portland and other communities around the United States, we don’t have a huge mosque, so Muslims rent a place in a hotel or convention center to fit everyone in.
Before you start the prayer, you have to give Fitrana, a special charity which is spent on providing for the poor or anything else constructive. You also give charity during Ramadan which is called Zakat. It’s another type of charity. We give charity to poor people so we can balance society.
After you are done with charity, you proceed to prayers! Prayer is the most important part of Eid. After the prayers, you again wish Eid Greetings to all other Muslims and give gifts to young children.
What Is The Proper Greeting for Eid Al Fitr?
In Arabic, there are certain words you use to give Eid Greetings. You say “Eid Mubarak” to everyone, which means to have a happy Eid or a blessed Eid.
This mosque is in Moscow. Isn’t it pretty?
5- How To Dress Up On Eid al Fitr
In Pakistani culture, we dress up in a very fancy way. I think Muslims all over the world put their fanciest and finest clothing on to celebrate this beautiful and gifted day. Girls normally put Henna on their hands and feet the night before Eid. Especially the moon sighting night. It’s so much fun to see how everyone is wearing beautiful clothing!. My mother makes my girls clothing and they get tons of compliments.
All the girls go for henna the night before Eid.
Little Girl’s Fancy Dresses
Here are the some fancy clothing you might like for your little one on Eid or Easter. They are very affordable.
Your little girl would look absolutely like a princess in this gorgeous dress. My younger daughter loves to dress up for Eid or other special days. She gets to have a fancy dress. It’s a lovely color with cotton polyester blending material.
Available for 6 to 14 year old girls in five different colors.
This one is for less fancy girls, as my older daughter doesn’t always like to be fancy. The fabric is really good. Net or tulle on the top and very soft fabric used for lining.
Available sizes are 7 to 14 by age and in 3 colors. Totally affordable.
Totally adorable, and if you are looking for modest dress, there you have it.
These are absolutely adorable shoes and they come in 18 colors up to size 13. You should order one size up, as I ordered the same size and it was too small for my little girl. Well, we gave a pair to my niece who was more than happy to wear them.
These really will make your little girls look like princesses.
This is more like traditional clothing for Pakistani and Indian girls. Available in 4 sizes but no other color. I like how it comes with a little head covering as well. Made of cotton.
Sherwani is another cultural or traditional dress boys like to put on. Normally little boys on Eid. They wear this when they want to be a bit fancy to compete with girls.
Yes, gifts are must have. Especially for children. It’s like Christmas as in how you buy gifts for not only your children but also for family and friends. These gifts are called Eidi.
What Is Eidi Then?
Eidi means all those gifts you give to children or adults but particularly money is considered more like Eidi as opposed to anything else. Gifts usually include money, accessories, and home goods such as sweet noodles and a pack of sugar and bangles are the most famous and popular to consider.
Do You Give Gifts To Your Non-Muslim Friends?
Absolutely! Growing up, my dad’s best friend was a Catholic Christian guy and my dad made sure he always invited him on Eid dinner and bought gifts for him and his family. It was such a nice time! He was my dad’s pen pal who then converted to a best friend for life.
7- What Food Is Eaten On Eid Al Fitr?
The sweets and the chicken biryani with chicken curry is the most famous food for Eid. You either visit or invite your relatives for lunch or dinner. My mom always did both. Our house was always a busy house. I miss Eid in Pakistan and I make sure my kids go there to celebrate Eid every other year with my mother.
First, you serve sweets, I know it’s opposite of what it should be, but hey, on Eid we don’t remember the order of food..!
Then for dinner or lunch you serve biryani and chicken in any form.
There is no way you miss the ice cream on Eid!
My husband invented a tradition for us that right after the prayers we get donuts on the way home.
8 – What Do You Do After Prayer?
Well, most of the time when people get done with the prayer, they go to the graveyard. At least I have seen this practice with our family. We used to go to our grandma’s grave and now my brothers go to my dad’s grave (May their souls rest in peace). You then take some food with you to give to other visitors.
Then there are traditional sweets that you eat. My entire life I saw my mother making seviyan. They are like sweet models.
It’s super easy to cook! All you do is boil them in hot water. It only takes a few minutes, and then you strain them with a strainer. You then add milk and sugar, and voila, you are good to go! Or, sometimes you can cook it in milk as well and add some sugar. It is the easiest recipe on earth.
9- Does Eid Al Fitr Comes on the Same Day Every Year?
I have been asked that question by my co-workers in the past several times. So I can put my request off on the base of Eid’s date, which varies. Maybe other people are looking for the same question. The best answer is what you can get from your Muslim friend.
Well, the short answer to the above question is “No”, and here is why: The Islamic calendar is based on Lunar cycles as opposed to the Gregorian calendar which is based on the solar cycle. In the Islamic calendar, every new month start with each new moon. Normally, if we average it the new moon appears every 29 to 30 days (29.53 to be exact). Hence, it makes the lunar month a bit shorter than the Gregorian months, which lasts 28 to 31 days.
Therefore, every year Ramadan is held almost 10 to 12 days earlier than it was the previous year, which makes Eid come 10 to 12 days earlier as well. Some years, Eid is after 30 days of Ramadan and some years after 29 days of Ramadan. Because of this, if Eid falls in the summer in your area, the fasting is longer and more of a test on your faith, and in the winter months, you can break the fast much more quickly.
10- How Many Eid’s Are In Islam?
There are two Eids in Islam. The one is Eid al Fitr and the second one is called Eid Al Adha (eed al-Ahd-huh). The first one you now know all about and the second one means “The Feast of the Sacrifice”, and we will talk about this in two months.
11- Is There Any Other Name For Eid Al Fitr?
There is another name for Eid. It’s called the smaller (eid al saghir) or lesser Eid, as Eid Al Fitr is one of the two important Eid celebrations in Islam. The other one is Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice or “Greater Eid”.”Eid al- Adha comes exactly 2 months and 10 days after the lesser Eid. (I will write an article about that as well)
12- Do American Calendars Mark Eid and Ramadan?
Yes, most of the calendars here mention Eid as a Muslim holiday and mark the beginning of the Ramadan as well. In fact, the first Iftar dinner (breaking the fast meal) was held in the White House in 1805 by president Thomas Jefferson, and the last one was by Obama in July 2016.
I am so proud of my American friends for the support and love they give to us Muslims. We love America as much as we love Pakistan, as my heart is divided between these two countries. I spent my unmarried life in Pakistan and spending my married life here in the USA.
Conclusion
Eid al Fitr is a big Islamic Holiday which Muslims celebrate it at the end of the month of Ramadan, which is the first day of the month of Shawal. Everybody gets very excited and wears new clothes, prays, exchange gifts and visit each other. They also give to charity and have good times with family. It’s one of the two important Eid holidays Muslims celebrate each year.
Next time when you see your Muslim friend on Eid day, say to them, “Eid Mubarak”!
