Lazy Mama tip of the week

Liza has been going through a food-throwing phase these past few weeks, and I've learned the hard way that it's just about impossible to get dried-on banana off of the wall without a jackhammer. And even if I can manage it, I scrub off some of the paint, too, and I have to repaint that area. That's why I decided to give up and be a Lazy Mama!

To hide banana (or other un-scrub-off-able food matter) without having to get out a paint brush or roller, just dab some of the leftover wall paint onto a piece of paper towel or napkin, blot gently in about a 4" circle around and over the spot, and voila! The banana is gone, and the texture on the paper towel mimics the texture left by a paint roller. Okay, maybe the banana isn't gone, but at least it won't be the first thing your guests see when they walk in your kitchen ...

(Note: using a paper towel instead of a brush or roller has become the S.O.P. (standard operating procedure) around here this year. With all the holes Sam the Electrician had to drill in the walls, I've been patching and repainting a lot. And unless the hole is bigger than my fist, I can do a pretty good job retouching the paint with just a few scraps of paper towel, which are infinitely easier to clean up than a brush or roller. Give it a try next time you need to spackle a nail hole or something)