Today I'm sharing a simple DIY project that my kids had so much fun with. This would make a perfect homeschool mini unit study on the history of stained glass or a lesson for a co-op! 

During the Gothic period and the Renaissance (1100s - 1500s), stained glass was one of the foremost painting techniques practiced in Europe. The process of coloring glass was probably invented in ancient Egypt, but it was during the Middle Ages that stained glass windows developed as a major art form. Stained glass windows were an important feature of Gothic-style churches, which first arose in the mid-1100's. The windows filled the interiors of the churches with light and color. They also served an educational purpose. During the Middle Ages, the church was the center of learning. There were few books, and only a few people could read. The designs in the first stained glass windows usually depicted stories or scenes from the Bible. Such scenes were important tools in teaching Christian beliefs to people who visited the churches.

The term "stained glass" derives from the silver stain that was often applied to the side of the window that would face the outside of the building. When the glass was fired, the silver stain turned a yellow color. Artisans of the Middle Ages perfected techniques for making stained-glass windows, many of which are still used today. On a large board, the artisan drew a picture the same size at the window. He numbered each section of the picture according to color. Over the drawing he placed pieces of glass that had already been colored while the glass was being made. Then, following the outline of the drawing, he cut out the shapes with a hot iron. Finally, the artisan cut strips of lead to fit between the pieces of glass. The lead did more than hold the pieces together; it became part of the design. Large windows were given a framework of iron bars for added strength.  

New methods have since changed the appearance of stained glass. But one thing has never changed: the magic effect of sunlight pouring through colored glass. 

Supplies: 

Plastic box frame or frame glass (for older kids)

Black puffy paint with a fine tip

Glass paints (I found these at Hobby Lobby)

Small paint brush

Stained glass window template (find some here to print)

Tape

Steps:

1. Place template behind glass or plastic frame and tape into place. 

2. Using puffy paint, trace the lines of the template onto the glass (may need mom or dad's help with this part). Hold the tip to the surface of the glass and squeeze gently.

3. Allow to dry completely, at least 3 hours lying flat.

4. Once dry, use a small brush and glass paints to fill in your design. Let dry overnight.

5. Enjoy your beautiful stained glass design near a window to allow the light to shine through the brilliant colors.

The Art Cart

When it comes to reading aloud to the kids, I've found a secret weapon. Enter: the art cart. I purchased this one from Target and added lots of art supplies that I would be comfortable with them using without supervision (i.e. no paints at this point). We keep the cart tucked away in our storage room, but as soon as I pull out our read-aloud book (currently The Mouse and the Motorcycle), one of the kids excitedly rolls it out. It contains everything they need to work quietly with their hands while I read.

I will probably switch things around as the year goes on, but for now, a list of our favorite supplies. Many of these had been purchased a while ago (and you could probably find them cheaper at a dollar store), but I'll link to something similar on Amazon for each. Just click on the item to take you to a direct link. 

Top shelf: 

Washi tape

School glue

Glue sticks

Popsicle sticks

Colorful feathers

Kid-friendly scissors

Colored pencils

Colorix paint sticks

Chalk

Washable markers 

Paint brushes (these can be used with the watercolor pencils, which are very low mess. I don't mind if they grab some water and work with these unsupervised)

Middle shelf: 

Watercolor pencils 

Oil pastels

Assorted canvases

Construction paper

Bottom shelf:

Paint pad

Drawing paper

"Found" materials for collage (scraps of paper and empty egg cartons, which make perfect paint palettes if we pull out the tempera paint)

Liam & Lanie's favorite art supplies.

It's no secret that our family is crazy about art. First thing out of bed most mornings, Liam and Lanie are begging for an art project. Their supplies are kept within easy reach - the messier ones near our dining room table where they are supervised (i.e. paints), and the more tame supplies (like crayons and colored pencils) downstairs. We make art every day, and perhaps that makes me sound like supermom, but it really shouldn't. Because art is so important in my own life, it's actually life-giving to pull out the paints and clay and other supplies and watch my kids create - and join in when I can. Kids are innately creative. They need so little prompting before they wander down new paths and create on their own.

With that said, we've gone through so many art supplies. My kids have way more art supplies than they have toys, so we've tested quite a few products. I've found over time that they are more apt to want to make art with good quality supplies, so I wanted to share a few of our favorites - all found on Amazon - in case you'd like to stock up! Many of these would make perfect stocking stuffers. Or an art basket with several supplies would be dreamy for a larger gift. Just click on the supply names to take you to the link.

Watercolor pan set - Vibrant, long-lasting colors and little mess. If you have a Michael's nearby, you can use a coupon to grab these for cheaper.

Tempera paint cakes - Washable, mixable, also very long-lasting.

Paint pad - I've used this for my own watercolor with great results.

Modeling clay - We love Play Doh too, but this doesn't dry out.

Liquid watercolors - Perfect for lots of STEAM projects, such as the ones found here.

Plastic art trays for containing the mess. Perhaps our best investment (and such a happy color)!


Clear contact paper for creating "stained glass" or other projects like these.

Disposable pipettes for sensory process art like this.

Suminagashi marbling kit for marbling paper, like this.

Kwik Stix solid tempera paint - One of my very favorites. It's like paint on a stick - the colors are vibrant and they dry quickly.

Coffee filters - For painting with liquid watercolors or tie-dying with washable markers and a spray bottle, like this.

Paint brushes - A must.

Art Spinner - Perfect for Liam's age, and I love this one because it's self-propelled.

Any supplies you'd like to add? I'd love to know!

Free printable: Watercolor peonies.

During Lanie's morning nap, Liam and I have some rare one-on-one time that I try to spend intentionally. Some days, it's the only time I have to shower before work and Liam ends up playing with his trains. But on other days, we do little projects together. When I tell him, "I have an idea," his face lights up and he asks, "What are mine options?" Recently, we've been watercoloring. It's easy setup and cleanup, and both of us have fun. We share the same tray of nothing-special-paints and brushes, but the time we spend creating side by side is just magic. The other day, Liam painted a dinosaur (can you see it?) and I dabbled with some abstract peonies.

It is so tempting for me to keep meddling with a painting, but this time, I kept it stark and simple and let the unpredictable bleed of the vibrant colors do all the work. The whole painting took less than five minutes, and I think if I would've added more time and thought to it, I wouldn't have liked it as much. I scanned it today in hopes of enlarging it for Lanie's room, and thought a few of you might want a copy, too. If you do, just click on the photo above and it should direct you to a size that's big enough to download and print as an 8"x10" piece to frame. To make it even more realistic, trim a piece of watercolor paper to fit your printer and print on the watercolor paper itself. It'll look like it just came off the drying rack.  

PS - Print or gift as many copies as you'd like. It's here for the taking. Just don't sell it (does that even need to be said?). Thanks friends.

DIY: Toddler tissue paper art.

This is one of the few toddler art projects I'd be happy doing over and over again. It's low mess, super colorful, and the result is something I'm excited to hang in our playroom. It also helped Liam to learn the difference between a cool color and a warm color. Not that it's super important for a 2-year-old to know, but he liked figuring it out. 

Here's what you need: 

A toddler 

A paint brush 

Water

Tissue paper*

Watercolor paper or a canvas

Scissors or a paper punch in a shape of your choice

*In order for this project to work, you need tissue paper that's water-soluble, that will bleed its colors onto the paper. You can find it at an art store like this one.

1. Cut the tissue paper in an assortment of shapes. We chose squares (and used a paper punch) but you could do long strips of paper, punch out circles, or even tear little pieces in random shapes. We liked using the paper punch so Liam could get involved with this step.

2. Paint a spot of the paper or canvas with water. 

3. Place a piece of tissue paper onto the wet spot.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 again and again.

5. Let it dry completely, then peel off the remaining pieces of tissue paper to reveal the pretty colors underneath.

For this last one, we used a scalloped paper punch with lighter colored paper on canvas. Love the difference it made!

My first calligraphy print.

I'm feeling brave myself today, creating and posting my first calligraphy print for sale in the shop. It's an instant digital download, so once you purchase the file, you can print it from home. All you do is add the print to your cart, pay, then download and print on 8.5" x 11" matte photo paper and trim to fit an 8" x 10" frame. 

I already have mine framed in our house, in the hallway just before you get to Liam's room. It's a sentiment I hope he takes to heart because the Lord is on his side.

Calligraphy 101.

via Instagram @whitneynewby

As soon as I wrote that title - Calligraphy 101 - I had to laugh out loud. Because this is actually the second day I've ever tried modern calligraphy, so I really have no business writing this post.

Calligraphy practice, day 1

Calligraphy practice, day 1

Calligraphy practice, day 2

Calligraphy practice, day 2

But considering I've been posting up a storm on Instagram about it, I thought I'd update the blog to let you know how I've gotten started. I asked for calligraphy supplies for my birthday, and as soon as we got home from our trip to Nashville, they were wrapped up and waiting for me on our kitchen table. So happy. 

Shawn bought me this modern calligraphy book, this Speedball nib set, this black ink, and this calligraphy paper. It's all I've needed to get started, though I know I haven't even scratched the surface of possibilities. I know there are different colored inks and papers and blogs and classes and tutors and YouTube videos, but for the time being, that all overwhelms me. Maybe I'll get there at some point. 

Molly Suber Thorpe writes in her book that calligraphy is more like painting than writing. I couldn't agree more, and I think the fact that I paint nearly every day has really helped. The way I hold a calligraphy pen is the same way I hold a small paint brush, and the need for adjusting pressure is familiar to me. 

As the book recommended, I started out practicing strokes and lines and letters and not words. However, I moved on pretty quickly to words because it was just too tempting not to. Thankfully, the book features several different styles of lettering to practice, and I won't run out quickly. 

I'm so excited about this new little hobby! Hopefully someday I'll be able to offer prints in the shop, if I'm feeling confident enough at some point. And, if you're interested, I'll keep updating through this learning process. It's actually a very relaxing art for me. Though it feels a little tedious at first - and I'm definitely still figuring out how to keep the pen from splattering ink all over the page - it's completely therapeutic.

My new birth-year resolution.

I have a birthday coming up, so for the past couple weeks, Shawn has been pestering me about what's on my wish list.

But I have everything I need, Sweetie. Seriously.

I really do feel that way, but that answer doesn't appease him. So when I finally thought about it, I want to learn calligraphy. Modern calligraphy. (There is a definite difference.) I adore some of the gorgeous hand lettering I've been seeing for years now, and I love the style that looks like someone's handwriting... just better. It's a far cry from the more traditional, Old English style calligraphy I learned from a kit back in middle school.

I've asked for this book to help me get started:

Modern Calligraphy: Everything You Need to Know to Get Started in Script Calligraphy

And I found some favorite tips & nibs suggestions:


And finally, I've been inspired by these gorgeous examples...

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

So as I get to practicing, I have a feeling I'll be talking more about this on the blog... so consider yourself forewarned. :)

Any other resources I should know about as a beginner? I'd love to hear.