Have you ever wanted to try embroidery and stitching with your kids? I have! I’ve always been drawn to textiles. In art school I was passionate about fabric design, and in my 20s I used to make children’s clothing and sell them to Barneys in NYC. With my passion for fabrics and yarns, it’s actually…
Open-ended Crafts for Kids
24 Homemade Valentines
I’m so excited to share these 24 AMAZING ideas for homemade Valentines cards. Make them with your kids, or just by yourself. Making cards is such a wonderful family tradition in our home, and one that is fairly easy to keep up. All you really need is a bunch of art supplies on a big table…
Plastic Jar Lanterns with Kids
My dear friend runs a coffee shop, so I asked her if she had any big containers I could recycle into something cool for my art class. When she dropped off some giant mayonnaise jars, my mind immediately thought LANTERNS! After a little soaking and slicing, the base for these plastic jar lanterns were ready…
Turkey Craft from Cardboard
When my 6-year old art student asked me if I could come to her birthday party and make art with her friends, I practically screamed YES! I love doing Art Bar Parties because it’s very different than a class in that the birthday child really feels like he or she is the leader, and takes…
Collagraph Printmaking with Kids using Wooden Blocks
Jennifer from Small Hands Big Art is back! She is sharing this GORGEOUS collagraph printmaking project that she did with her students. They used big wooden blocks and designed these absolutely stunning quilts using warm and cool colors. Can we just call Jennifer the queen of color, please? Let’s find out how she made this…
Sand Art Bottles with DIY Dyed Sand from the Beach
You guys, these sand art bottles are completely cost-free! I dyed sand from the beach and the bottles are recycled. My art campers made these last summer and I’ve been dying (lol) to share them with you! These would make a gorgeous vacation keepsake. In fact, these were so successful that I briefly thought about packing…
Patterned Cardboard Animals with Templates
By now you all know that I am a lover of cardboard (as professed in my latest book, Cardboard Creations), and am always thinking of new ways to re-use my collection of recycled boxes. These patterned cardboard animals were really fun to make both for me and my kids! They sit on our mantle currently…
Spin Art For Your Walls
Every summer we make spin art in Art Bar Camp. It’s actually a wonderful first day project to loosen the kids up, get them chatting with their new friends, and build teamwork but sharing paints and helping each other. Once dried, these petite little paintings can all be hung up together to make a gorgeous…
Layered Abstract Paintings with Kids
I am thrilled today to introduce you to a new contributor to Art Bar. Please welcome Jennifer Bryant from small hands big art in Charlotte, North Carolina!!! I have been stalking wooing Jennifer for many many months because I simply am in awe of everything she does with the multi-age kids in her art studio….
40 Summer Art Ideas for Kids
I’m so happy to present you with this amazing list of 40 Summer Art Ideas for Kids! It hit me as I was scrolling through my Art Bar Pinterest page that I have accumulated quite a big bunch of summer art projects through all of my camps. I thought of writing another ebook, but then…