Magpie

One of my Christmas presents this year from Big A was a very generous gift card to Anthropologie, which I used mostly on gorgeous new juice glasses and bowls.  However, with their after Christmas sale, many of their glorious goodies were marked very low, so I was able to treat myself!!!

I had seen these little kits during my many wanderings through their store before, but now I had a purpose for it!!!  I purchased a bright pink bird cage for Livie's nursery almost immediately after finding out she was a girl, but had yet to find a bird to make it a home.

Enter Donna Wilson and her Magpies!

These little kits come with everything you need to make your own little bird, and I actually think they're intended for children...perfect :)  I picked the box with the most pink in it!

I had a pretty good time stuffing it, and playing around with the scraps that came with it to make it as "me" as possible, which is the beauty of the kit!  There are no rules!!!!

So, I added pink to the orange side...

...and a ton of pink to the black side!!! 

She's just about done.  I still need to add her legs and tail, and she'll be good to go!!! Hopefully she'll be in her cage for the nursery photos!

Check out Donna's site! She's got just adorable products, and even a blog showing all of the Magpies and Monsters that people have created!

Painting with a Toddler- Part 2

If you are just arriving, be sure to check out Part 1 to get the full scoop! :)

For our background, we used analogous colors, or colors that are next to each other on the color wheel.  Since our background was in pinks and reds, we had to wait for it to completely dry before we could add any blue or green.

*Since blue and green are opposite of red on the color wheel, if we had mixed them while they were wet, they would have created a very brown, muddy, yucky mess...Gross!  So, let things dry to keep your vibrant colors!!!  Plus, this will accommodate your child's short attention span :)

Like I said, we used some light blue and green for the leaves.  He also used a much smaller brush to keep these colors to a minimum. Since we are layering, each layer will use less and less paint, and this is easier if you give them a smaller brush.

 I first gave T just the blue...and it got a bit out of control pretty quick...I blame myself...I was trying to take pictures!!! :/  I told you, you've got to be ready or they'll run away with the project!!!

You can see in the next picture that once the green was added, he was really going to town...again with the pictures!!!  Sheesh!

However, our last step was to add tiny little yellow dots with our very smallest brush, and this went much better.  Remember to help your kiddo by turning the canvas so they're not just painting in the same area.

*It's OK to suggest other spots for them to add paint to, and it will also help them achieve a more balanced composition.

And, this was our end result.  Like I said, the blue and green got a little more out of hand than I would have hoped for, so when this layer dries, I may have him go back and add a little more of the pink/red on top, since we lost a lot of that gorgeous mixing!!! :)

I hope this was helpful, and that you'll take some time to paint with your toddler!!! You'd be surprised what they can do, and how gorgeous their artwork is!!! ...You may even have some masterpieces to hang in your home!!!

Painting with a Toddler- Part 1

I know that for some of you, the title of this post alone has turned you away! :) But, I really hope you stay and just check it out!!!

I have always enjoyed painting with T-Man, and probably started with him around when he was one.  Don't get too excited that this could be an afternoon project to share with your little one, because realistically, you're looking at about 5, maybe 10 minutes of fun!!!

My first suggestions, get prepared before you grab your kiddo.  They are quick grabbers, fast workers, and it will be done before you know it...and if you're not ready, you might miss the whole thing...and end up with a painted table :)

This is what I usually grab:

To ensure success, break your painting up into multiple parts- each part using analogous colors (colors that are similar because they are next to each other on the color wheel.)  Since we are making a painting for Livie's room, I chose pink, red, and fuchsia.

Also choose a LARGE brush.  Your child will cover more surface area, and this really helps when you are painting the background.

Now it's time to get this party started!!!  I gave T just pink to start with.  Ever since he has been painting, he has really preferred a Pointillism approach...meaning, he likes to hit the canvas/paper with the brush :)  ...Great for paint, ineffective with Crayons :)

Next, he actually requested the red, so I added a smaller amount to his paper plate.  Since he is working so quickly, the colors blend very well.  This creates value (lightness and darkness of a color).  You can see in the picture below how they blend nicely.  The more that he painted in an area, the more the colors blended.
*To avoid this, constantly turn their canvas/paper to help them fill all the areas.

We then added the fuchsia to the palette.  I chose this color because it matched a painting I created for her room (see below), and was a pretty shade to go with the pink and red.

 

Once he had covered a good bit of the canvas, we set it back to dry.  I think leaving some white space on the canvas gives as much interest as using multiple paint colors to create value.

I was actually super excited to see how his Pointillism technique created what I thought were the start of some beautiful abstract flowers!!!

Below is the picture that I made for her room!  It is both paint and fabric, and I LOVE how it turned out! I think I'll be painting the frame white, what do you think?!

Be sure to stop back by for Part 2, where we'll be adding a second set of colors to the base of our painting!!  Enjoy painting with your toddler! :)

New Years Goals

I saw this on Pinterest today, and loved it!!!  I couldn't agree more!!!

Art is my outlet.  It takes me away to a different place and eases the stresses of life.  I can complete something. See results.  Make a finished product.  It soothes me and gives me a sense of completion.

So, my New Year Resolution? 

Make. Art...a lot.
By myself.
With others.
For just a few minutes.
With my kids.
Just. Make Art. :)

Happy 2013!