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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Mr maker is the work of the devil?

94 replies

darkandstormy · 11/02/2010 14:20

I seriously dread the end music and the titles,as my 3yr old ds jumps up shouting, "lets make something",can't stand doing any of that arty crap .Usually just offer him a treat as a distraction.What a crap mummy I am.

OP posts:
StealthPolarBear · 11/02/2010 16:34

i love Mr Maker
Is gloopy glue a real thing or will i get odd looks if i ask for it in a craft shop?

BadGardener · 11/02/2010 16:37

LOL, my ds1 loves Mr Maker but it never seems to have occurred to him he might be able to actually make any of the stuff.

I am happy to do arty stuff with dcs but within certain boundaries, ie only on their special table in the kitchen and no paint unless it's the summer and they can do it outside.

BadGardener · 11/02/2010 16:38

gloopy glue is just PVA.

adriennemole · 11/02/2010 16:40

As well as gloopy glue air drying clay is also lacking in our house but never mind DS suggests I can just 'nip out and get some' just like Mr maker does. Er no.

AliBaba40 · 11/02/2010 16:40

YANBU. However... I think Mister Maker is great. For starters, he reminds me in some weird way of my brother in law, who is lovely, so the prog always puts me in a good mood even before he starts making anything.

I've never followed any of the makes exactly but it has given me quite a few ideas to occupy DD (3) - using only very basic stuff that we've got round the house already (none of this nipping out to buy modelling clay and pipe cleaners nonsense, thankyouverymuch ).

I wholeheartedly agree about Big Cook Little Cook though (except for the Playschool-esque 'how do they make that?' bit which can be fun). When did you last see them actually 'cook' anything, rather than just arrange fussy shaped bits of food on a plate? Can't bear I Can Cook either (what's with the crap musical bit?) but the recipes are much more practical. In fact DD and I have just made the shortbread this afternoon. Mmmm...

StealthPolarBear · 11/02/2010 16:41

yes, it only takes half a second to get air drying clay in a little paper bag. I think in these circumstances MN would let you leave him home alone

StealthPolarBear · 11/02/2010 16:42

ooh I normally hate the stuff Katy cooks but she was making little cherry biscuits the other day that looked lovely. Think it was her anyway - does anyone remember?

BadGardener · 11/02/2010 16:47

I find you can go insane trying to buy art supplies if you are looking for something specific - the other week I trekked round about 8 shops and couldn't find glitter in any of them. (And they were stationers and art shops too, not greengrocers or butchers ).
Had the same problem looking for gloopy glue. Then I found it and it seems to be everywhere. But following a particular set of instructions seems to me to be fraught with peril.

TheMysticMasseuse · 11/02/2010 16:55

are you kidding me? I have impure thoughts about Mr Maker. he's just so good with his hands, I bet he could do really crafty things...

adriennemole · 11/02/2010 16:57

Although we lack the clay I do have a good supply of junk for 'modelling' As others have said on here my DS is happy with a few toilet rolls although we do have to have a few visits from the green bin fairy from time to time

BadGardener · 11/02/2010 16:58

my two fight over used toilet rolls
Beats having to buy them toys.

aokay · 11/02/2010 17:28

thanks for this - has made me laugh (need one after awful woman at school threatened me over parking space). My 6 yr old can make anything out of paper - honestly, spends most days trying anyway-gets a bit tiresome as does the will you buy the .........huge list of really expensive will not wash off carpet Mr maker ingedients - glad it's not just me! Have tried a few things from show, wish they'd use more stuff we have around the house (no we don't have air drying clay in 6 colours).
BC, LC weird - really weird - and can't even slice veggies -

GetDownYouWillFall · 11/02/2010 17:54

I've always found that "I am a shape" song weirdly creepy.

Original poster
darkandstormy · 11/02/2010 18:13

He really is not a patch on Mark Speight doing smarteenies.My dd used to laugh and laugh at big picture,little picture.Really miss mark speight.

OP posts:
AliBaba40 · 11/02/2010 20:03

StealthPolarBear - that sounds like the shortbread I make with DD. If so, I highly recommend it. Recipe on CBeebies website

It is dead easy (even I can make it), not too messy (no stickiness so a quick wipe/sweep and you're back to normal - I've even encouraged her make it with visiting friends without worrying too much about the carnage) and actually tastes v nice too (I will quite happily offer it to friends - even those who don't have kids )

victoriascrumptious · 11/02/2010 20:06

Am I the only one who thinks Big Cook is simmering with hatred and resentment underneath the surface. I bet he goes home and kicks his cat

Original poster
darkandstormy · 11/02/2010 20:27

I think big cook always looks slightly hungover,I am sure once I spotted he had nicotine stained fingers.

OP posts:
spiderlight · 11/02/2010 20:35

Yes, it was Katy with the cherry shortbread. I know this because DS (nearly 3) is absolutely infatuated with her and makes no secret of the fact that he wants to trade me in and have her as his mum instead. Every episode is punctuated with wistful murmurs of 'Katy will come to our house one day, won't she mummy?' and 'I'll go and visit Katy one day, won't I, mummy?' We made fairy cakes this afternoon and he insisted on calling me 'Katy-mummy' the whole time I have quite a complex about it now.

lololol · 11/02/2010 20:38

I love Mr Maker.

Despite my DD's interpretation of his teachings:

So, DD wees in the potty. Then finds a plastic shape from shape sorter. Dips shape in wee, "prints" the wee covered shape onto whatever she can find to make a nice pattern. "Look mummy I'm painting"

DaftApeth · 11/02/2010 21:00

Mr Maker is lovely

We met him in the pub last summer and all the children in there kept going up to him and staring. He was sooo nice to them and didn't seem to mind having his lunch constantly interrupted with his girlfriend.

He spoke in a similar way but less ott. Apart from when I was trying to get my dd to look in the right direction to see him, when he said his qwerky ''hello'' in the way he does on tv.

He was very chatty and even came out to find us in the garden before he left so we could take a photo with him.

He waved to us when we saw him on the high street a few weeks later. So we now call him ''our best friend''

Original poster
darkandstormy · 11/02/2010 21:02

lololol that is brilliant.I am amazed my ds has not tried that one.

OP posts:
Alambil · 11/02/2010 21:36

Art Attack and Smart are far superior IMO

I made a snowman (as in The Snowman) as a christmas decoration for my friend with inspiration from Art attack! (took bloody hours though!)

TheMysticMasseuse · 11/02/2010 21:42

very jealous about your sleb spotting Daft. Although I think my dds would have gotten seriously confused at meeting someone from telly in a pub!

minxofmancunia · 11/02/2010 21:55

I love Mr. Maker, I watch it on my own !

I think dh has just chucked my collection of about 20 toilet rolls and 8 egg boxes that I was "saving to make something" with.

I keep thinking about making a trip to hobbycraft to get air drying clay but obviously never get round to it.

Tesco do creative packs for ba few quid with stick on foam shapes, fluffy balls, pipe cleaners, feathers, and googly eyes!!

A few old sicks and an afternoon spent making puppets!

minxofmancunia · 11/02/2010 21:56

socks not sicks

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