Markers or Watercolors and Paint Brushes?

    It's back to school season. If you homeschool like us, or even have a child that loves art, you'll be purchasing art supplies too. Money is tight, so we're always looking for ways to save it. So should you get them markers or watercolors and paint brushes? How about both, in one convenient pen?

Markers or Watercolors and Paint Brushes?

    Liam gets his love of crafting and art from me. I homeschool him, but use a cyber school, so they send most of the items he needs for the year. However, we always buy his art supplies. He loves to draw and to color, as well as paint. But with money being tight, I can't always afford new markers and watercolor sets each year. So what do we do? That's easy. Grab this set of Watercolor Brush Markers from Lasten.

Color with a Marker, Get the Watercolor Effect

    We love this set by Lasten. The tips come to a nice point, but act like a brush. You get the ease of coloring with markers, but it looks as though you painted with watercolors. The only difference is the colors are more vibrant. So it looks as though you used very concentrated water colors. It's gorgeous!

    The Dual Tip Watercolor Brush Markers come in a pack of twelve. However, since they are dual tipped, you're actually getting twenty-four colors. One end is a dark color, and the other end is a lighter shade of the dark color. I love that because it helps to teach kids more about shades of color.

Lettering, Coloring, and More

    You can use these watercolor markers to color in your books. But you can also use them to create beautiful lettering. Use them in scrapbooks, bullet journals, and so much more. I guarantee you're going to love them as much as your kids. (So you may want to get your own set.) ;)

Art is Important Too!

    I home school Liam with a cyber school. Though I love them and most of their lessons, I feel that there needs to be more of a focus on art. After all, it's important too! Being an artist myself, I make sure that we incorporate it into our daily lives. Because learning happens everywhere, and when you least expect it!

Art is Important Too!

    To me, art is any way you can express yourself. Whether it's sketching, painting, sculpting, or even writing poetry. Sadly, for many brick and mortar schools, art classes are nixed due to funding. Even in cyber school, there's not much focus on the arts. I however know what it's like to have a creative mind and need an outlet for it. I also know how important it has been in my own life, so I make sure I expose my son to various forms of art in his life.

Self portrait from 1st grade (finger paints)

Self Portraits

    One of my favorite projects to do with Liam is self portraits. Each year as we begin a new school year, his first art assignment is to create a self portrait. I give him his sketchbook, and allow him to use any mediums he desires. He has grown from using finger paints and crayons, to markers, to colored pencils, and now even uses chalk pastels or watercolors.

    What's amazing is seeing how your children view themselves. And then seeing how that changes from year to year. You will notice how the little details like eyes and ears will vary as they learn better ways to draw. It's fantastic! I gather them up and file them away, so that each year when he is finished, we can dig them out and compare them.

Lasten Sketchbooks

    I happen to love this set of sketchbooks from Lasten. You get two books. One is large (16.5 inches by 11.4 inches,) and the second is smaller at 11.4 inches by 8.3 inches. They paper is of amazing quality. It's smooth, pure white, and thick. You can sketch, draw, paint and more in the Lasten Sketchbooks. My son loves the handles on them. They're perfect for taking anywhere you or your child roams. It's back to school season, so grab some for the upcoming school year. Then get outside, and have an art lesson in the yard, or at the creek! 

You Don't Need to be an Artist to Expose Your Kids to Art

    It's true, you don't! With the internet we can now access various tutorials on drawing, painting, sculpting and more. If you're like me, you'll join your child and learn with them. It's a great way to bond and to keep your own brain fresh and open to new learning. 

    We're currently learning how to sculpt. It's something I have always wanted to do, but was never much good at it. However, we found this young lady on YouTube that creates kawaii sculpts and so we have been watching her and learning that. It's a great way to expose your child to a new art form. Who knows, maybe Liam will be sculpting more in depth pieces soon!

Rainy Day Creativity That's Perfect for Spring

    We all know that April Showers bring May Flowers. However, after being cooped up all winter, being stuck inside on a rainy day in the spring is no fun! How about doing something fun and creative to pass the time?

Rainy Day Creativity That's Perfect for Spring

    I'm always on the lookout for fun projects to keep Liam and I both entertained on a cruddy day. I recently came across this 5D Diamond Painting Kit featuring my favorite Van Gogh painting, A Starry Night.

     It's supposed to rain tomorrow, and Liam is actually excited about it. He can't wait to get started on our "starry painting!" Turn a boring and drab day into a memory to last forever. You or your kids will enjoy creating this wonderful piece of art. You may want to grab more than one because you won't want to just sit back and watch. 

Paint by Number Got an Upgrade

    I always loved doing paint by number paintings when I was a kid, and I still love them today. However, they have now been upgraded! The 5D Diamond Painting kit doesn't actually use paint at all. Instead you're placing 2.8 millimeter beads all over the image.

    Each color is numbered, so all you need to do is place it on the corresponding number on the painting. It's less messy, and more fun! As a special needs mom, I think it's great therapy fun! Your child will be passing time on a rainy day and enjoying this project, all the while working on fine motor skills, and hand eye coordination. It's a win win for special families! 

Easy and Relaxing

    This kit comes with everything you need to create a one of a kind, beautiful piece of art. Simply put a little wax on the end of the pen, pick up each bead, one by one, and place it on the corresponding number on the image. (The canvas comes covered in the adhesive to make them stick.) That's it! When you're all done, you can frame it. Hang it in your own home, or gift it to someone you love.

I have to let go....

  This is really something that I, as a human first, and mother second, struggle with. I need control. I need to be in charge. I need to know what is happening and when, and DO NOT make plans with out telling me. Last minute things bother me.

  But it's more than that. I have an image in my head of how things are supposed to be,  how they are supposed to look, and how they are supposed to go. You know, in the grand scheme of things. Over the years, I was disappointed when the grand scheme didn't meet my expectations. It's cool, I am learning to let go.... mostly....


  Except where "art" is concerned. I am ANAL about how any art is supposed to look. Therefore teaching Liam art is so hard for me. He wants it his way, and I want it mine. I know, that's not right, but I can't help it. It's the way I am. I am learning to back off, I really am....

  Case in point: His current obsession is The Walking Dead. ALL THINGS WALKING DEAD!!! Oh and coloring. So, he is having me go online and locate/print coloring pages of the Walking Dead. We have been coloring, A LOT!

  He has been choosing the more open pics to color for himself, and leaves the more detailed ones for momma. I LOVE it. I have ALWAYS loved to color. I would rush my drawings in art, just so I could get to the coloring part. I digress.... Last night, he had a picture of Michonne. It was SUPER detailed and I wanted to color it, as did he.

  He started to color it, HIS way. When I looked up and saw that he had colored Michonne gray instead of a darker brown,  (she is a gorgeous African American woman) I got upset. "You made her look ashy! Her skin isn't gray, it's a nice dark brown Liam!" I said. I realized as soon as it came out that 1) it sounded mean and snotty, and 2) I broke his heart! 

  My heart sank. I felt horrible! I hurt my baby's feelings, and even worse, discouraged his interpretation of art. I stopped what I was doing, and told him how sorry I was. I explained that I was wrong. That everyone has their own way of viewing things,  and it was wrong of me to push my views and interpretations onto him. I then worked on encouraging him to finish the picture.

  He finished coloring Michonne HIS way.  It really is lovely. I will NEVER get rid of this picture. It will be my constant reminder that I can't control everything...

  I have to let him view the world through his own eyes. I have to let go....