We looked at painter Wayne Thiebaud, an American artist known for his still-lifes of edible treats and everyday objects, before embarking on these oil pastel cardboard cupcakes. This is a very simple art project which uses cereal box cardboard, a pencil, and some oil pastels. Look at all the amazing colors! [ I am a…
Sunburst Paintings
Revamping this popular Sunburst Paintings post today because I had a lightbulb moment during a sleepless night recently… make them with a heart! [ This post was originally published on the blog Small for Big. ] There is something so satisfying about an art project that combines painting and math. It probably has to do with the…
Model Magic Slime: Two Ways
My resident slime expert, Ava, has come up with a new Model Magic slime! Actually, she uses both Model Magic and the new Japanese equivalent (which is a bit softer with deeper colors), Daiso Clay. I will give you step-by-step instructions for both, and then compare the two at the end. Are you ready to…
Folded Paper Hearts
I’m not sure why I’ve never made these folded paper hearts before. They are so quick and easy to make! I wanted to make an origami heart, so I searched on Pinterest. I really wanted something that was simple enough that even young children could manage. I found these hearts which looked very doable. Let…
Rainbow Weavings with Koolaid Dyed Yarn
I am so in love with these rainbow weavings that the kids made in Art Bar camp!! And since we used Koolaid to dye the yarn, they smell very fruity, too 🙂 I’ve always wanted to make these, ever since I saw the amazing weavings from an art teacher named Jan. Hers are much more earthy…
One Word Resolutions
Last New Year’s Eve, I printed out one word resolutions and created a fringe wall as a little takeaway for my neighbors who were coming over to celebrate. It was so interesting to see which word people picked. Everyone picked something different, it was an insightful peek into their inner selves. My daughters and son picked…
Winter Vacation Crafts for Kids
Christmas is almost here, your kids will be home for at least 10 days, and you have nothing planned because you spent the last two weeks making magic at home. Art Bar to the rescue! I gathered a list just for you with the best winter vacation crafts for your kids. These are not really…
Coffee Filter Snowflakes + More Artsy Snowflake Ideas
I can’t stop making these gorgeous coffee filter snowflakes!! The coffee filters soak up the paint in a way that makes them look ombre, and cutting them is easier than cutting paper, plus they are stronger than paper. How did it take me so long to discover that coffee filters and one of the best art…
Simple Wine Cork Stamps
I can’t believe I never wrote about these awesome wine cork stamps? I made them last year for the start of my book tour. One of the art activities I presented on my tour was making garland. Sometimes I had the teeniest spaces with hardly any space for making art, so I needed an idea…
Blind Contour Drawings with Kids
Blind contour drawings are the most fun you can have drawing with another person. Have you ever tried them? The rule is that you can’t look down at your paper and you can’t lift your pen. This makes for the most hysterical – and quite honestly the most exquisite – abstract portraits! So I got…
