Last summer in art camp, we made marionettes! I have a big bin full of TP rolls, so I went on Pinterest in search of something to make with them. I found that several different bloggers had made marionettes from their TP rolls. The crafty Maggy at Red Ted Art has made four different marionettes if you can…
Open-ended Crafts for Kids
Sock Caterpillars
Hello! It’s been a while. I am busy writing a book (more to come on that later) and it’s taking all. my. time. I’m sorry for the inspiration gap. But today’s post is worth the wait! Last November, I interviewed Samara Caughey, owner of the famous children’s art studio Purple Twig, and one very creative…
Watercolor Valentine Hearts
It occurred to me today, as my daughter was painting hearts, that I should share with you the way we’ve been painting hearts for years. I even dug up an old photo of my other daughter from 6 years ago and she is painting hearts the same way. It’s not anything all that revelatory, but I…
My Best Posts of 2015
Happy almost new year!! I’m not going to say it, how I can’t believe that the year is already over, and how time just moves too quickly. Those words are so contrived. Instead, let me just say that 2015 was a pretty great year for me, and I owe it almost ALL to my followers and fans….
Kid Made Polymer Clay Necklaces
Have you or your kids ever used polymer clay? I walked by it at the craft store for years. I figured it was just another expensive craft material that would sit around and not be used. Oh, I could not have been more wrong! I was introduced to the world of polymer clay by my…
Art Educator Interview: Samara Caughey from Purple Twig
I have wanted to start a new series on the blog for ages. About two years ago, I decided that I needed to become an art teacher. It just felt like the right next step in my creative journey. Having no background in teaching, other than a few classes on early childhood education in college, I relied on…
Dala Horse Party Craft
I’m in birthday party mode these days. Two weeks ago I shared my collaborative banner idea, and today I am so happy to share this cute craft I did for a horse-loving six-year old. It’s really so simple and easy to prepare. The hardest part is cutting the cardboard (think: hand-strengthening exercise!). But I have…
DIY Dream Catchers Made by Kids
I’m so excited to finally get this post up!! We made these dream catchers during art camp in July and the kids were so into it. They really loved making all of the different elements: taping, wrapping, sewing, beading, painting and pom-pom making. It was a very busy three hours. I was SO proud of everything they…
Cardboard Fairy Wings
Today I’m overjoyed to be over on The Artful Parent, sharing the details about these beautiful cardboard wings made by my five and six-year olds in Art Camp! Jean has one of those blogs that you can spend hours reading. She has the best ideas for creating an artful home, and is the author of…
Pipe Cleaner Wands at the Craft Fair
Last Fall (yes, it takes me this long to post things sometimes) I was invited to set up a table at my children’s early childhood alma mater for their annual craft fair. I thought long and hard about what to do with the kids. I couldn’t do something with paint because most parents don’t want to travel around…