: Rock Creatures and Magical Stones :

When we went on our neighborhood walk yesterday after dinner, we picked up a few larger rounded stones we spotted along the way. We have been collecting different rocks, the kids and I, and this time I decided to do something a little different this time. I decided to bring them to life by turning them into familiar creatures.

I painted each with acryilic paint after rinsing them and they each dried quickly. The ladybug was a necessary creation and a favorite between the boys, the frog was perfect for the shape of rock, and the bee was made with painted wax paper wings.

I was stumped and mometarily uninspired when I looked at this rock, so I decided to create a magical wishing stone...or whatever the kids come up with. I will soon create a magical stone set for the kids.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to painting rocks. It is so easy to make them come alive as all sort of insects or animals. Ask your child to use their imagination when deciding what to paint, whether it is a creature, an enchanted stone, or a natural surface for which to paint a picture. If you have any rock creations you would like to share, add your link to the comments below.

: Toilet Paper Roll Centerpiece :

Though Earth Day was last week, Earth day truly should be every day. Recycling and finding creative ways to reuse materials is always an eco-friendly choice. I actually got this toilet paper roll centerpiece idea a couple weeks ago and I cannot trace back to where it originated. I will keep searching. Either way, it was fun for my kids to make and they now have a decoration they can be proud of.

We just used 8 toilet paper rolls, a paper plate, glue, and some acrylic paint (doesn't really matter what type of paint you use). I cut the rolls at an angle at varying heights. Meanwhile, Jared painted the plate black. Then he chose different colors and painted each roll. I told him it would be a good idea to paint the insides rather than just the outsides of the rolls, but he insisted on leaving them as they are. You could certainly paint the insides to add to the colorful effect of the centerpiece. After everything was dry (it didn't take very long), he glued them to the plate in sequence and let that dry.

This centerpiece reminds me of a colorful choir..people clad in bright cloaks as they all sing in unison. Ask your child what it looks like to them. Use your imagination, as well, and enjoy making this project with your little ones.

: Cute Cloth Napkin Set :

My preschooler attends a local Montessori school. His particular school requires that he brings a cloth napkin in his lunch every day. I bought him some white napkins originally, but I recently decided they are a little boring. So, I decided to make a few napkins that have some character.

Materials

4  13-inch squares of your pattern fabric

4  13-inch squares in various matching colored fabric

Sewing Machine

Pins

Scissors

Thread in color of your choice

Directions

1. 
   
   Pin your solid squares to your pattern squares, right side facing inward.
2. 
   
   Sew a straight stitch around the perimeter, leaving a small opening at one corner. Unpin.
3. 
   
   Flip inside out. Iron edges. Sew a seam around the perimeter, making sure to tuck in the seam where the opening was.

This project is fun and easy for any stitcher of any level, especially for amatuers like me! Enjoy fumbling through your fabric stash and creating some cute double-sided napkins for school/work lunches, picnics, or meals at home.

: Earth Hand Prints :

I thought of this project last night. So, this morning I pulled out the fingerpaints and doodled on my hand. My toddler awoke about 10 minutes later and we decided to test out this activity on his little hands.

Simply use the paint of your choice in blue and green.

Paint your fingers blue and fill in the ocean.

Paint the landformations green.

And press your hand down!

You can decorate anything with this Earth hand print.

Our project has also been featured on The Crafty Crow!

: Tie Dye Sun Catchers :

After  we finished our Cherry Blossom Trees, we had paint leftover. I hate to waste it, so my youngest 2 boys did their own art on paper towels to be hung as suncatchers in the window. Dylan blotched and Jared created a design. I also folded a couple towels and dipped them into the 5 colors creating Tie Dye Window Decorations.

: Painting Cherry Blossom Trees :

Blossoming trees are a gorgeous sight in Spring! Living near tons of hilly orchards gives me great joy. I want to share this little mountain orchard with you.

Today we revisited a painting project we made last Fall and modified it for Spring. I have to thank That Artist Woman for her inspiration. We simply took 3 steps to creating these trees:

1. To paint the background, we mixed a little water with acrylic paints in Spring colors, and let our hands guide us in filling the page with a splash of color. We let this dry.
2. To paint the tree, we mixed some water and some brown and black acrylic paint. Starting from the bottom, we guided the paint by blowing through a straw to form the trunk and then the branches. We let this layer dry.
3. To paint the blossoms, I mixed a little red, a touch of blue, and white acrylic paints together. We blotched the blossoms. And that is all there is to it!

My 4-year-old's is on the right and mine is on the left.

: A Toddler's Gallery :

Finger painting can be fun for anyone of any age, but it is particularly characteristic of toddlers and preschoolers. My 24-month-old has been playing with colors with his little fingers for days straight. He is very intrigued by the change in color as we mix the different primary colors.

We are obviously trying to stick with a Spring-centered theme. The flowers I scribbled here were a perfect encompassment of the making of violet, orange, and green.

My little guy is absolutely fascinated with "birdies" so I thought we might try to do a little painting of perhaps a blue jay and a canary. We identified the colors, tried to stay within the lines and had a cool feeling of Spring.

: Geometric Finger Painting :

There is an endless array of art variations you can get your child started on. I especially like this Magic Lines Painting by Laugh, Paint, Create! because it is so easy to set up, create, and clean up. My 2-year-old created a beautiful geometric variegated masterpiece in no time.