Hi there,

I just wanted too say hello and that I’m thinking of all of you in this crazy time!
It feels like forever since we have seen our friends and artists at the studio!
I am hoping you are all well and finding lots of things to jump into. 

Studio Update…. The studio is closed for a while, but I am currently being pretty creative and working on different things for you to try at home. Also, considering making a few painting classes online and paintings for upcoming classes and workshops. Hoping we will be back in the studio soon. 

Here are a few creative things you can do at home…..

Nature Art with Kids!

Search outside for natural objects to paint, use as a still life or save for a sculpture!

I found a recipe online and replaced the flour with some left over paleo flour I had in the cabinet
(which was a mistake.)
It was extremely sticky so we added a ton of extra flour. All in all it kept us busy for over a hour.

I don’t have a favorite play dough recipe… I have a lot of other favorite dough and clay recipes… maybe I will share some of those at a different time!

Here is a link to one I just found…. we want to try! at Mommypatomas

Cookie Cutter Art/ Watercolor Resist

One of my favorite things to do with kids of all ages is to make watercolor resist paintings.
Grab some white paper, a pencil, a sharpie (if you want… use parental supervision or parents can trace the pencil lines with a sharpie)  crayons, watercolors, and the two best parts… cookie cutters and salt!

Get your pencil and some cookie cutters and use them as tracers!
Older kids will likely enjoy creating their own drawings.

Use your sharpies to trace your drawing and add anything you want to it. (Doing this will make your lines waterproof and easier to see)
Now you can go crazy, color with crayons (Anywhere you color the paint won’t stick!)
Then get your watercolors and add some paint. My favorite part….to get an almost glitter effect…. sprinkle a few pinches of salt onto your wet paint.  Have fun!

You can also use this technique to make a flower garden! Paint the flowers like in the watercolor resist…
let dry… then cut out. Layer the flowers, glue them, add pom poms to the center… be creative!

Tip: Take a photo with your phone and send it to the ones you are missing!

Ice Castles!

This is so fun!!!! We made an awesome ice castle by mixing water and food color and freezing it in 2-4 layers inside a sand castle toy!
You can put lots of fun treasures in it while it freezes. 
(plastic toys, snowflakes, buttons, dinosaurs… whatever your kids like!!!)

Then freeze all the way…

Now run the plastic pail under hot water and flip it into a metal pan, pie plate or whatever you have on hand. 

We used warm water and pipettes to melt the ice…. you can use old medicine droppers or even a spoon to melt your ice.

This kept us busy for over a hour.

Bonus tip: we put the ice back in the pail, added some water in the container and refroze it to use again. 
Turned out looking totally different!

Paint Rocks/ Side Walk Paint!

We have been outside painting rocks. (or bring rocks inside it its too cold) 
I love acrylic paint because it will stay on the rocks for about a year (maybe longer without looking too messy) and they make awesome garden decoration. We painted out fire pit so it would look pretty. 

You can also make sidewalk chalk paint if there idea of giving your kids acrylic paint makes you even more stressed!

Grab some cornstarch and food coloring. Use a little containers or a old muffin tin and add a spoonful of cornstarch and some water till you can stir it into a nice fluid liquid. Add food color in each container. This paint will rinse off your sidewalk and driveway very nicely! 

*I’ve never had this stain clothes but you can dress for a messy time. use old brushes and remember to mix often, it does settle!