This Valentine Op-Art lesson was inspired by the art of British artist Bridget Riley. I knew that the boys in my 5th grade class were not going to go for the traditional valentine project this year, so adding a heart to an Op-Art hand drawing seemed like the perfect compromise! I've done this project a few times now, and some of my 5th, 6th and 7th graders have … [Read more...]
How to Paint Colorful Hearts Inspired by Jim Dine
These colorful hearts for grades 1 and up are inspired by American artist, Jim Dine (1935 - ). They make a fun, framable project for Valentine's Day or ANY day you want to share some love! You can see my demo (above) and a few of my 1st grade artists' paintings below. Yes, those paintings below are by 1st graders! Keys to success There are two keys to success with … [Read more...]
The Perfect Gift? A Creative Keepsake!
Think of that hard-to-buy-for friend or family member on your gift list. If you could give them a creative gift they would not only use often but also keep for years to come, you'd call that a "win", right? Then I have the perfect gift idea for you... a keepsake gift made with your child's artwork from Kids Kreations. Welcome to part 3 of my Creative Gift Guide! What is Kids … [Read more...]
Dot Painting on Rocks
There's something about mixing art and nature that's just irresistible. So when you combine rocks with dot painting, you can't go wrong! While the painted rocks in this post were done by an adult (my friend, Tricia), kids love it, too! This project is perfect for a Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Valentine's Day gift, an after-school or Mom's Night Out project, or even your … [Read more...]
A Heart for Moms…. or Anyone!
Hearts, flowers, and a handmade touch are things that come to mind when I think of a gift for Mother’s Day. So why not combine all three to show some love to a mom.... your own or another special mom in your life? My friend Hazel McNab is famous for her hearts. She inspired herself with a challenge and a creative goal and painted a heart a day for several years. Now Hazel … [Read more...]
Hearts and Grit
Four years ago, I wrote a blog post about Hazel McNab, a woman who challenged herself to design a heart to go with an inspiring quote every day for a year. She held herself accountable by posting her journey online. It just so happened it was a Leap Year, hence the name of her blog: 366 Hearts. Well, it’s four years later, and let me tell you she is still going strong! As I … [Read more...]
Say, “I Love You” with Clay
There’s something about ceramic projects that makes them such special keepsakes. Maybe it’s the permanence of the glazed and fired clay, able to last well beyond a generation. Maybe it’s the tactile nature of the medium itself and the way it reveals each impression left by the artist’s hands. Or, maybe it’s that there tend to be fewer of these projects than the more common 2D … [Read more...]
How to Make an Origami Flower Ball
The Japanese art of making an origami flower ball always seems like a fitting thing to do at Christmas. It’s peaceful and calming, almost meditative to work on, and it makes a beautiful decoration when finished! As with many origami projects, this origami flower ball ornament looks much more difficult than it is. It’s really just the same simple sequence repeated over and over … [Read more...]
Easy DIY Envelopes to Fit Any Size Card
With Valentine's Day right around the corner, I wanted to share this super-easy DIY envelope you can make to fit any size card! How many times have you or your students created a wonderful hand-made card for Valentine's Day (or Christmas, Birthday, Mother's Day, etc.) and then delivered it in an envelope that didn't fit correctly, or worse yet, no envelope at all??! An … [Read more...]
Valentine Color Mixing – Paint 100 Hearts!
With Valentines Day (and the '100th Day of School') just around the corner, I thought I’d post this heart-themed version of my 'Mixing 100 Colors’ lesson! Mixing the colors and then painting hearts requires a little longer attention span, so I’ve found that 4th grade and up does best with this version. But younger students can also do this if they just work a little larger and … [Read more...]