The Artful Parent

Einstein on Imagination

I love this quote! Now the question is, how can we help our children (and ourselves) learn this lesson?

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Painted Birdhouses

I've been admiring colorfully painted birdhouses on pinterest and in catalogs and imagining how lovely they would be in our own garden. We have a few birdhouses, and most, if not all, of them attract nesting birds each year, but they are not colorful birdhouses. Sigh. So silly, right, to think that a coat of paint would make such a difference?

But when I saw plain wood birdhouses on sale at A.C. Moore for 30% off their normal $7.99 price, I jumped at the opportunity to paint our own.

Make Beaded Bubble Wands

We made some gorgeous beaded bubble wands yesterday! As a DIY project, this didn't take much in the way of materials—simply pipecleaners, beads, and wooden dowels (although popsicle sticks or natural sticks from the backyard would work, too).

Edible Art! Grape + Toothpick Sculptures

This was the kids' after school snack yesterday.

A grape and toothpick sculpture to make, briefly admire, and then eat. It was the perfect combination of delicious and engaging.

Oh, and healthy.

33 Nature Art, Crafts & Play Ideas for Kids

With warm weather here and summer vacation around the corner, I thought I'd post a round up of nature arts and crafts (and some that are simply play). Here are 33 artful ideas for celebrating and exploring nature with kids that are especially good for summertime. I had fun going through my archives to come up with this list to share with you. And it was a great reminder for me of ideas to try again soon, too!

P.S. Click on the thumbnails below to go to the full posts.

A Fancy Braid

Maia has been asking for a fancy braided hairdo and we finally had the time to create one after a bath last weekend. She surprised me with her patience as I spiraled a french braid around her head.

Raspberry Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

I'm a bit obsessed right now. With raspberries, lemon zest, and cream cheese. All wrapped up in a delicious and addictive coffee cake. Perfect for breakfast, second breakfast (um, should I admit to a third breakfast?), after-school snack, and dessert.

I've been baking and tweaking this raspberry lemon cream cheese coffee cake three times in the past week.

It was so good. And it just kept getting better.

It all started with this coffee cake by Pinch of Yum (my new favorite cooking blog!).

A Chalkboard Masterpiece

Daphne is really coming into her own as an artist. At two and a half, she's no longer simply joining in on her sister's art activities or engaging in those that I initiate, but rather taking the lead more and more.

I'm sure you know how happy that makes me!

Yesterday, while I was rearranging and cleaning the living room in preparation for the photoshoot for the cover of my book (yay!), Daphne created a chalkboard masterpiece.

Flower Stained Glass

We brought a bit of the garden inside a few days ago, making another flower stained glass window—this time for the kitchen door. As before we used flower petals and contact paper. Super easy! And flowery beautiful, of course.

Sometimes we like our bouquets two dimensional.

I also like how it provides a level of privacy yet lets in more light than a curtain to our otherwise windowless kitchen.

I had this set up as a simple after school project to do with Maia and Daphne.

Thank You

I want to say a big thank you for all of your kind and thoughtful comments yesterday. I so appreciate them and you. Thank you.

I was surprised by how many of you thanked me for my brief and passing mention of depression. For being honest, as many of you put it. Which makes me feel dishonest, because it may have been the first time I've mentioned it but certainly not the first time I've felt it. It's been a rather hard fall/winter/spring for me although I've been able to keep my head up for the most part. It's not the first time I've danced with depression, either. I've been trying to outsmart, outread, and outthink it off and on since my teens. Not always successfully. Last time I really went under for a while. I know how hard it can be and it sounds like many of you do, too.