Just in time for John’s 27th birthday, Burger created an original paw painting as a heartfelt gift for his doting dad. He’s quite the little artist — a regular Jackson Pawlock.
The project was a simple, fun activity that Burger and I enjoyed together. I used an 8.5×11 piece of white cardstock as the canvas and poured water-based craft paint onto a plate. Gently, I dipped his front right paw into the paint and let him stamp it onto the paper. He clearly loved the process — and he was just as enthusiastic during bathtime afterward.
One important tip: pick your dog up right after the paw-printing session and wash the paw thoroughly before he wanders onto rugs or furniture. We did the whole project in the kitchen on a wood floor, which made cleanup easier. If you have a larger dog, consider closing doors or blocking off rooms with less washable flooring so you don’t end up with unintended paw prints around the house.
Once the painting was dry, I slipped it into a crisp white frame with a large white mat (Target, $12). Framed like that, the simple paw print looks surprisingly like real art:
John loved the thoughtful, handmade present. I also chose a few practical kitchen gifts that felt a bit more grown-up and durable. The standout was a 12″ Cuisinart Green Gourmet skillet with a Ceramica nonstick coating. This eco-friendly surface behaves like ceramic or glass, allowing food to slide off easily without the worrying off-gassing or potential leaching associated with older nonstick coatings. It was an investment, but, as John’s mom reminded me, quality cookware lasts for years. We’ve never owned cookware this good before, and we’re already impressed.
To complete the kitchen upgrade, I also picked up two sharp J.A. Henckels knives and a bamboo storage block. We’re trying to avoid plastic where possible, so the bamboo box felt like a natural choice compared to plastic sleeves. Contrary to what some might expect, John is the chef in our house, and unwrapping these tools has made him even more excited to cook. That’s excellent news for both me and Burger, who happily benefits from any extra kitchen experiments.