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Art Workshop for Children Blog Tour 2016

October 15, 2016 by Barbara Rucci Leave a Comment

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Blog tour kickoff for Art Workshop for Children by Bar Rucci

To say that I am excited for this blog tour kickoff would be an understatement. I am over the moon ecstatic!!!! I’ve been planning this tour for months, and today is the kickoff day. Get ready to learn about what’s inside my book, and meet 26 incredible bloggers who are not only talented, but also generous and kind and supportive. I honestly am getting goosebumps writing this, because I feel so incredibly grateful to have this amazing global community whom I can call my friends.

Let me tell you a little bit about each one of them, and then you can click over to their blogs / Instagram / Facebook / Pinterest pages to gather lots of brilliant inspiration.

* Note: I will come back each day to add new links so check back frequently!

– – – – – – – –

October 15

TinkerLab: Open-ended discovery and experimentation for mini-makers and inventors (San Francisco)

Read Rachelle’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #1: Simple Frame Paintings

Follow Tinkerlab on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

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October 17

The Artful Parent: Simple ways to fill your family’s life with art and creativity (Asheville, North Carolina)

Read Jean’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #17: Cardboard Portraits (and Book Giveaway!)

Follow Jean on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

– – – – – – – –

October 19

Nurture Store: Child-led creative learning ideas with a multi-sensory approach (United Kingdom)

Read Cathy’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #16: Easy Monoprint Project for Children

Follow Cathy on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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October 21

Homegrown Friends: Growing young hearts, minds, and bodies through activities that focus on the whole child (Connecticut)

Read Meredith’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #2: Collaborative Muffin Tin Print Art

Follow Meredith on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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October 23

Mama.Papa.Bubba: Childhood adventures of playing, cooking, crafting, and traveling (Vancouver, Canada)

Read Jen’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #27: Cardboard Cake

Follow Jen on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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October 25

Handmakery: Nurturing the visual arts through enrichment programs for children and young adults (Colorado)

Read Ami’s post and see her interpretation of Workshops #8 and #27: Art Bar Dessert Party: Cakes & Doughnuts

Follow Ami on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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October 27

The Heart of Mine: Inspiring DIYs, kids crafts, recipes for good food, and stories about real life (Minnesota)

Follow Amy on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

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October 29

Picklebums: Once a preschool teacher, now she has ten acres of weeks, four kids, a messy kitchen, and an obsession with printables (Australia)

Read Kate’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #9: Colour Mixing: What Kids Learn from this Simple Activity

Follow Kate on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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November 1

Beehive Art: Exposing kids to the sheer joy of creative and artistic expression without limits or boundaries (Massachusetts) 

Read Kim’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #18: Wooden Acorn Bead Mobiles

Follow Kim on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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November 3

Wee Warhols: Process art for children to help develop find motor skills, expand creativity, and promote self-esteem (Austin, Texas)

Read Amber’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #17: Cardboard Collage Faces

Follow Amber on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 5

Teach Make Create: An inspiring resource for educators who enjoy teaching through artful experiences (Australia)

Read about their interpretation of Workshop #25: Paper Roll Tree

Follow Clare and Analie on Facebook and Instagram

– – – – – – – –

November 7

The Craft Train: Using your imagination to make crafts and DIY toys for and with kids (Australia)

Read Kate’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #25: Paper Roll Tree Collaborative Art Project

Follow Kate on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 9

The Art Pantry: A design studio specializing in children’s creative play spaces (San Francisco)

Read Megan’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #6: Self-Portraits

Follow Megan on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 10

Oh Creative Day: A mama and a teacher celebrating her perfectly imperfect attempts at living a creative life (Australia)

Read Shannon’s post and see her interpretation of a few different workshops: Art Workshop for Children

Follow Shannon on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 11

Small Hands Big Art: Providing children with the artistic freedom to make their own choices and work at their own pace (Charlotte, North Carolina)

Read Jennifer’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #18: Wooden Bead Mobile

Follow Jennifer on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 13

Toddler Approved: A resource for parents and teachers of young children that helps foster a love of learning (California)

Read Kristan’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #2: Spread Kindness with Muffin Tin Print Art

Follow Kristina on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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November 15

Purple Twig: Focusing on the process and exploration of materials to help kids use their imagination and articulate their ideas (Los Angeles)

Read Samara’s post and see photos of how she made an art cart for her home: Making an Art Cart

Follow Samara on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 17

Handmade Kids Art: Connect with your child through hands-on learning and problem-solving with STEAM activities (Little Rock, Arkansas)

Read Jamie’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #27: Cardboard Cake

Follow Jamie on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

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November 18

Handy with Scissors: Mum of two on a mission to inspire big and mimi makers to dig deep into their recycling bins and give junk a chance. (Sydney, Australia)

Read Susie’s post and see photos of her interpretation of Workshop #26: Art City

Follow Susie on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 19

A Crafty Living: Arts, crafts, and activities for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers (Sydney, Australia)

Read Olivia’s post and see her interpretations of Workshop #9: Color Mixing with Wooden Spoons

Follow Olivia on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 21

Flash Bugs Studio: Using art as a tool to teach children how to explore, process, and create meaning in their own lives (Chicago)

Read Marina’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #20: Holiday Tree Mobiles

Follow Marina on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 28

Lemon Lime Adventures: A homeschooling family hoping to inspire inquiry-based, out-of-the-box thinking through play (Illinois)

Follow Dayna on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 29

Sugar Aunts: Sweet ideas for therapists, parents, and aunts (Pittsburgh)

Read Colleen’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #5:  Creative Lacing Cards and Fine Motor Skills

Follow Colleen on Facebook, Intagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

November 30

Pink Stripey Socks: Creativity with kids through arts and crafts (Santa Barbara, California)

Read Lesli’s post and see how she made this Birthday Banner

Follow Leslie on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

December 2

Hatch Art Studio: A space to make art, develop creative thinking, spark curiosity, and use your imagination (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

Shannon did Workshop #7 with your art class kids. See her photos on IG here and here. Love them so much!!

Follow Shannon on Facebook and Instagram

– – – – – – – –

December 4

Left Brain Craft Brain: Inspiring young engineers, one craft at a time (San Francisco)

Anne made some fun gift bags to use for the holidays (in which she inserted my book!): Holiday Gift Bags

Follow Anne on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

December 6

CutOuts Kids: Make, play, sing. (California)

Read Julia’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #18: Holiday Wooden Bead Mobile

Follow Julia on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

December 8

Collage Collage: Art studio for children, sharing art, craft, books, and creative ideas for everyone. (Vancouver, Canada)

Read Erin’s wonderful review of my book: Art Workshop for Children

Follow Erin on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

December 10

Babble Dabble Do: Nurture your child’s creative process through magical, easy projects families can do together. (Los Angeles)

Read Ana’s post and see her interpretation of Workshop #2: Process Art Idea – Muffin Tin Prints

Follow Ana on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube

– – – – – – – –

December 12

Willowday: From our home, where the sea meets the city – come create with us! (Sweden)

Read Gina’s post and see her twist on Workshop #2, and how she captured these incredible photos during the dark Swedish winter days: DIY Snowball Print Wrapping Paper

Follow Gina on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest

– – – – – – – –

Phew! Can you believe this lineup? Please come back every other day for the next two months and visit a new blogger. Let’s continue to build our maker community!

xo, Bar

 

Filed Under: My Books Tagged With: blog tour, Art Workshop for Children, my book

Previous Post: « Draw a Friend // Portraits by Kids for the Classroom
Next Post: Painting and Printing on the Bubble Wrap Tree »

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I have been thinking lately about so many big idea I have been thinking lately about so many big ideas. They seem to be stuck, though, in the cogs of my brain. I need to articulate and connect these ideas together, but I can’t find the right words, or medium. It feels like trudging through thick mud, and then making the choice to set up camp in the muddy place. Maybe this is always what motherhood + living a creative life will be. And I am ok with that, too. Life is mucky, and even though I crave clarity, I am also acutely aware that this is why I also crave art. Music, books, museums, film, gardens… these are the mediums humans turn to when they need to find connection and, if we are lucky, clarity. But I feel more protective of my human-centered ideas these days and less willing to share them in spaces like this where they are open source. I don’t even know what is real sometimes. And how am I contributing to this landscape of creative and intellectual robbery. I think I am headed in a different direction but I don’t know what that is yet. Meanwhile, I am camping in the mud and looking for beauty where I am. 

Some moments new and old, lately…

1. Painting at my easel, age 4 when we lived in England before moving to the US. 
2. I tried making a video of motherhood on mother’s day inspired by this song 🌙 but never finished. 
3. Planting dahlias 🌸
4. Year 2 of my veggie garden. It is not going well. 
5. We diagnosed our garden problem as not enough sun so cut down a tree to give the sun a little path but then the sun moved. Also failing at science 😳
6. When you see your habits in your children ❤️ 
7. My mom’s caretaker gave me a cake and now I am a whole year younger 🙏🏼
8. Thank you James for the treats, mom dreams of traveling to visit your bakery but this was the next best thing 🥐
9. Finding 50 bucks in jeans from 20 years ago 👏🏼 Always check the pockets!
10. The newly graduated makeup artist with her kit off to a job 💋 
11. When the birthday kid isn’t home it’s too sad. must make art. 
12. When I am so dumb and share it on the internet 🙃
13. My heart, my clarity ❤️
14. Another round of silkscreening! Things are happening. 
15. MUA by Ava, and hanging out with the help 😍
16. Reminder.
Happy Earth Day! Can we agree that every day is Happy Earth Day! 

Can we agree that every day is Earth Day? The older I get, the more I change my habits to be kinder to this beautiful planet. Lately, seeing the photos from Artemis II of Earth from space has really moved me to make even more planet-friendly choices. Here are some things we do at home, and of course, we could always be better, but I also think small changes are more doable and sustainable, and if millions of us did just one of these things, it would make a difference.

Ok, here goes! My hope is that someone reads one of these actions and thinks, I can do this! We cannot reverse the melting ice caps, but we can stop further global warming… humans can do this if we work together. It starts small and is community-driven, so share this with friends!

1. Eating less meat, eating more veggies (this is also called eating low on the food chain). A vegetarian or vegan diet is a low-carbon diet. Did you know switching to 2/3 vegan reduces your carbon footprint by 60%? 
2. Grow our own veggies. Save on emissions and packaging, and find joy in gardening.
3. Less food waste. Eat leftovers, clear the fridge.
4. Buy less. Buy local.
5. Repurpose, fix, mend, thrift.
6. Make homemade gifts.
7. Drive less, fly less. (This one is harder, but being conscious of it is really important.)
8. Moderate, steady thermostat settings can save so much energy. Try 67/68 F in the winter and 72/73 in the summer and don’t touch it.
9. No pesticides on our lawn. It may not be pretty, but we have never had a beautiful lawn, and I’m fine with that. We also live on a river so the thought of polluting that water so I can have a perfect lawn is crazy.
10. Using non-toxic cleaning products or making our own from vinegar.
11. This year, we will do “no-mow May” to promote biodiversity, help the soil, and reduce emissions.
12. Vote for candidates who take climate change seriously!

Add some things you are doing in the comments. This is a judgment-free zone, so no preaching! But for real, we all can do a little bit better. 

The blog post about these signs is on artbarblog.com, link in bio!
New blog post! It’s about time I share my favorite New blog post! It’s about time I share my favorite materials that I bring to the library. Read the post for links and tips for how to pair these materials to foster deep engagement. Children have always needed time in childhood to use their hands to make things and play, but now more than ever, the skills they develop through these experiences are imperative for their future well-being and success. I’ve been reading everywhere about children’s “lost skills” in this new ed tech world where screens have replaced so much hands-on learning in the classroom, even as young as preschool 😞 Communication skills, flexible thinking, regulating emotions, building empathy for others, innovating, even core strength and pencil grips are a struggle. Offering time and materials for making things and playing with ideas should not be a challenge; it should be as essential as filling bodies with fresh air and food. Play is how children learn! Anyway, I hope this post will inspire you to collect some things for making and maybe even join our Materials Matter course over on @the.creativityproject so that you, too, can become an expert at cultivating creative thinking through art making!
It’s almost impossible to concentrate or sleep or It’s almost impossible to concentrate or sleep or work or enjoy anything these days. I know joy is resistance, art is resistance, kindness and empathy are resistance, and I try and practice all of these things every day, and also boycotting and shopping local and volunteering and making calls and checking on my neighbors and bartering and keeping our big tree lit for the community. And still, it doesn’t feel like nearly enough. I know we probably all feel this way. And maybe the collective small things really do add up to bigger movements, I don’t know. It’s Sunday and my mom is in the hospital again and I miss my one at college and I had such a bad dream last night. My headspace is not in cheerleader mode which is my usual default. And yet… going through my camera roll to find photos of things I made did actually help today. And I have made a plan for future things to make. When I wake up in the middle of the night, the way I get myself back to sleep is by envisioning this one big installation idea I’ve had for years, it takes place in a forest and involves textiles. So maybe 2026 is the year for me to bring this to life, or begin the process. I think about this quote, and it helps, too: When you make art, you rebel against a world that fears vulnerability. Ok, I’m better. Thank you for listening 🤪❤️

Ps: It weighs on me that Meta should be part of the boycotts. If anyone has any ideas for building community and sharing somehow somewhere else let’s discuss.
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