Tuesday, July 26, 2016

tide poolin'


Exploration and nature is a really big part of our lives so when the tide is low, we make sure we head to the beach. Lately we have been spending time teaching Lucy all about tide pools  and it has been so much fun!
Since tide pools are living, our exploration is not about collecting things to bring home but more about making observations. We take photos of things that catch our eye and we hunt and look for creatures to identify. Then we head home and spend time researching, identifying, drawing and recording our findings. This process began as a science activity for Lucy but it is quickly growing into something that the entire family is passionate about! Here is a little peek into our process.



Monday, July 25, 2016

new online class Clay Bouquet!


My latest online class Clay Bouquet goes live today. This is a fun one that I created for all ages who want to play with clay! The best part is that you only need air dry clay and acrylic paint. You can head on over to the shop for all the details HERE and here is a little peek inside the class!





Wednesday, July 20, 2016

avocado toast

I pretty much live on avocado toast. It's a fast and healthy meal that I eat just about every day for lunch. Grab a slice of your favorite bread, mash up some avocado and then get creative with toppings. Here are some of my favorite ways that I prepare my avocado toast!





Monday, July 18, 2016

creative exercise- double draw

I believe that creativity is all about pushing yourself, being open to new experiences and even welcoming discomfort. I've found over time, that it's in these moments that we grow evolve and find new ways of doing things. I'm starting a fun little series here on the blog that I am calling "creative exercise" where I will be sharing some simple exercises and prompts that I am hoping will inspire you to stretch those creative muscles. 



First up is something that I call "double draw" (or hand mirroring or two handed drawing or simultaneous drawing), which is basically drawing with both of your hands at the same time. This technique is a really good exercise for challenging your brain to examine the relationship between lines and shapes that make up an object. I am right handed and NOT ambidextrous so this exercise (something I learned a long time ago as an art major) is REALLY uncomfortable for me. But what I've found is that when I spend 5-10 minutes working through the process, it stretches my creative thinking and actually improves my drawing.
To get started you will need a a piece of paper (I am more comfortable drawing on a larger surface so I love using this paper easel paper from Melissa & Doug). You will also need two drawing tools. I like to use pens that are the same color and size but you can also experiment and play around with different drawing tools, in different sizes and even colors.

Before you jump into the drawing process, pick subject matter that you are comfortable drawing or things that have simple shapes and design and are symmetrical. This will make the process a little easier. I enjoy drawing flowers which means I like to start with my hands in the middle of the paper paper and work out from there.

Begin drawing with both hands at the same time. Try to synchronize the movement of your hands and the lines that you are drawing.
As you draw, stay aware of what is happening on both the left and right side of your drawing. I am right handed so the right side of my drawings always feel easier and they are clean and crisp while the left side can feel like a struggle and the lines look a little wonky.
I've found that working slow is more difficult for me because I have a tendency to over think the process. So I like to work quickly and instead of thinking too much I let my instincts take over. 

In my experience, the results are never a "masterpiece" or anything that I would use in my art projects but the process is somethings I really enjoy using as a way to stretch my creative muscles!

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