DIY "Stained" Glass Mason Jar Candleholders

Written by Jessica.

Back in autumn, I made a simple craft project with my kids. It was an instant hit! We made a variation of it for Christmas. And for winter. At the kids' request, we’ll be making it for Valentine’s Day…spring…Easter…summer…and even in their favorite colors to use in their rooms at any time of the year.

This project is lovely enough to give to grandparents, or others, as a homemade gift. My kids love their completed projects so much that they choose to keep them on their nightstands next to their beds as “night-lights,” but they could also be used to decorate a dining or living room table.

What is this project, you ask? “Stained glass” Mason jar candle holders!

6 Simple Summertime Art Projects for Kids

Written by Jessica.

This spring we added two puppies (yes, TWO!) to our family within a few weeks of each other, closely followed by two kittens (yes, TWO!). Needless to say, for several months, our homeschool routine was utterly, completely, seriously derailed! In fact, the last few weeks of our school year were spent trying to catch up on everything that fell to the wayside and was never finished.

Art was one of those things.

Because summer vacation was just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to have the kids make some seasonal art and arts & crafts type projects that could be displayed around the house during the summer months.

Ebru: Turkish Paper Marbling

In the eastern edges of Europe during the 13th century in what is now known as Turkey, an art form emerged and eventually spread in popularity all across the Asian landscape to the far-reaching border of China. Artisans combined water, plant oils, and mineral pigments to create intricate marbling patterns that they transferred onto paper.

Kente "Cloth": African Print Project

In the heart of Ghana, West Africa you'll find Kente draping the shoulders of the Akan people. Kente means "basket" and is a fashion featuring silk and cotton fabrics which are woven together in bright, geometric patterns. Kente was once a sign of royalty but is now worn to show ethnic pride during celebrations such as weddings and funerals. 

The colors of the Kente fabrics hold deep meaning to the people and signify everything from politics to fertility, from religion to science.

Fall Blown Trees Art Tutorial

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." ~L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

This past October, we found ourselves surrounded by the flaming colors of fall. We took a day hike through the woods and got to see God's creativity among the greens, and reds, and yellows, and oranges. We came home and used those vibrant colors as inspiration for a fall art project. 

Preschool Art Class: Milk Painting

Preschool art projects should always be three things: 

process-oriented

The process of actually DOING the art should be the motive, not the end project. Preschoolers should be encouraged to use many different art mediums in many different ways.

open-ended

A child should be able to use his/her own creative expression to create a unique work of art. The opposite of this would be an art project that has specific step-by-step directions leading to a specific, one-size-fits-all end result.

large motor-skill driven 

Expecting a preschooler to glue tiny pieces and parts onto something or to use small motor skills to create an intricate design will only cultivate frustration and feelings of failure...in you and them. The larger the canvas, tools, and space to create, the better. 

Here is a simple afternoon art project that definitely meets those goals and one that can easily be squeezed into the harried homeschool day.

Rainy Day Wax Resist Art Tutorial

Not a lot of time for art today? That's OK. This simple project can be completed in moments and makes for a perfect painting activity for multi-age art time! 

Dandelion Art Tutorial

Currently, one patch of my yard is riddled with the fluffy white bulbs of dandelions...just tempting my kids to come and BLOW! And while they may not make for the best landscaping plan, dandelions can be nice inspiration for an afternoon of easy art.

"Stained Glass" Art Tutorial

Looking to add a little color to your winter white? Look no further than this "stained glass" paper craft. You can hang these in your window and watch the light cast a wonderful colored glow throughout the room.

15 Minute Art Project: Hand-Painted Tissue Paper {for gift bags}

Art at our home is a MUST.  No matter how harried our homeschool days seem to be, once a week, I intentionally carve out a time and a space to create!  

While, many of our art lessons are the slow-and-steady, enjoy-the-journey kind, sometimes they have to be the create-a-masterpiece-in-three-easy-steps kind.  Because, let's face it, some weeks are more harried than others and art time has to be squeezed into the speed of a blink.  

This, 15 minute hand-painted tissue paper project, was not only fast, it was USEABLE.  We were able to stash our creations away to be used in a one-of-a-kind gift bag for a friend's birthday.  

Scratch Art: Art Project for ANY Age

CONFESSION TIME, FOLKS!  I like art time.  Ok, ok, I looooove art time.  I love all the mess.  I love the creativity.  I love getting my hands covered in color.

But...

I'm not a huge fan of trying to come up with art projects that will appeal to my older kids but that will still be DOABLE for my little ones.  Because let's face it, my four-year-old REALLY wants his project to look just as good as his big brothers'...but it usually does not, and so disappointment ensues.  

Art Tutorial: Magazine Scrap Sketches

Wanna squeeze in some art into an otherwise jam-packed week?  Here's an easy-peasy project that can be woven into your schedule in seconds.  These simple magazine scrap sketches blend imagination with more complex art concepts such as, perspective, line, movement, and landscape.  

Because there is no right or wrong way to create a sketch, these trash-to-treasure drawings can be adapted for any age or skill level making them perfect for the HOMESCHOOL art class with its multi-level learning.  

Aerial Snowman Chalk Art Tutorial

Since the current plummeting temperature in our neck of the woods has prohibited any outdoor artistry for fear of possible frostbite, we've kept our snowman-making "itch" indoors and created a cute snowman SANS the snow. I, originally, saw a picture of one on Pinterest, but there were no directions included, only a picture. So, we just had to make it up as we went along. But, you don't have to!

This two-day project was a simple lesson in perspective as we tried to capture what a snowman might look like if we were looking down at him.

Geography Club: Japan Unit

Last month, I had the privilege of taking our Co-operative Geography Club on a "trip" to Japan.  We had a wonderful trip and even "brought back" a few crafty souvenirs.  Here's our travel log...

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As a brief living-literature introduction to Japan, we read Grandfather's Journey together.  Then, the Littles (babies-5 year-olds) were dismissed to explore the book further in their book club as the geography club "unpacked our bags" to tour Japan.  

Abstract Self-Portrait Art Tutorial

Here's me!...or at least the abstract-y, arty me.  

And have you met my two oldest kiddos?!

Summer Boredom Buster: Painting a Monoprint

"Mom, I'm boooooooooored!" 

Have you heard that yet?  Chances are, if you've had scorching summer heat or mid-summer showers holding you and your children captive indoors, you have.  Here's a simple summer-time boredom buster  that you can pull out in seconds.  Read More >> 

Greece Unit: Magazine Clipping Mosaics

While continuing our study of Ancient Greece, we learned that one of the most popular Grecian art forms was mosaic scenes. Craftsmen would use tesserae, small four-sided glass tiles, to create intricate wall mountings or floor coverings.

One snowy afternoon found us gathered at the art table creating our own mosaic masterpieces out of old magazine clippings.

Greece Unit: How to Make a Grecian Urn

After ending a fabulous Egypt Unit, we have moved to the next era of ancient history...GREECE! Since Grecian life and culture was heavily influenced by the people of Crete, we began there.

Art Lesson: Textured Houses

I love it when an art project is simple BUT also offers a lesson in art technique and/or art vocabulary. When we made these colorful house murals, we focused on TEXTURE.

This project is best done in two parts to allow for the paint to dry completely. Since we have art once a week, we PAINTED on the first week, and ASSEMBLED on the second.

Optical Illusion Art Tutorial

It was art day, but as the afternoon began to slip away, I realized we did not have enough time for the creative painting project laid out in our art curriculum. I needed something simple. I needed something fast. With a little art enthusiast just itchin' to get his hands on a fresh sheet of white art paper, I needed something NOW! After scanning Pinterest for a PLAN B, I came upon this fun little project. As it turned out, it not only made for a great afternoon enterprise, it was a study in listening and direction-following skills.