For today's studio visit, I'm sharing a bit about my approach to making art with my three-year-old. It's worth noting that every child is unique, and what works for us may not work for others. Each child has their own preferences, interests, and developmental stages. So, I always pay attention to my son's cues and adapt our art-making experiences accordingly. Here are the basic ideas from the video: Thoughtfully choosing tools and materials: By providing your child with tools and materials that are easy for them to handle, you're setting them up for success. This could include paintbrushes, crayons, markers,... Read more →

My two-year-old loves to come up to my attic studio and make art. We paint, we draw, we smooth fabric, we spray water, and most recently: we play with air dry clay. We made some clay beads together -- which mostly means that I rolled balls of clay and he smashed them. But after he went to bed, I fixed up some of the salvageable beads and set them aside to dry. Once the beads had dried, I painted them -- using the same technique I share in The Artful Holiday class to make these fabulous clay ring/jewelry dishes: As... Read more →

Is it too late to share some Christmas-ish photos?! I hope not, because I'm going to do it anyway. Is this like wearing white after Labor Day? No longer taboo? First up, this is the gingerbread house that my Mom, my son, and I made: Making projects with him I am always yelling at myself in my head: DON'T TRY TO CONTROL THE PROCESS. LET IT BE WHAT IT IS. Most of the time, I manage to roll with whatever he wants to do. And in the end, it's always lots of fun and nothing that I expected. And now... Read more →

For Father's Day, my son and I embarked on a collaboration. He made the paper and I made the card: He draws on newsprint, so in order to preserve the papers, I laminated the card front using a matte lamination pouch. You can see the difference between laminated and un-laminated areas in this detail photo: I also added some dimension with a laminated heart that is folded to pop up a little, machine stitching, and the word, "Daddy," lifted up using foam adhesive. Don't worry. Steve doesn't read my blog, so the surprise won't be ruined. :) This is a... Read more →