Hey, kids! Do you love purple?? Then it’s time to roll up your sleeves, ’cause this project is for YOU! First, collect various purple art mediums (ie. purple crayons, purple markers, purple paint, etc.) Paint, color, and/or draw… all in beautiful PURPLE!! I promise you won’t even miss those other colors. Not one little bit! […]
Marbled Ceramic Ornaments
December 20, 2011 by
The girls have been busy crafting all kinds of festive gifts for family and friends this holiday season!! This afternoon, we painted ceramic ornaments using the same marbled-painting technique we used on paper here. They had so much fun with this! Instead of placing a sheet of paper on top of the paint, they placed […]
Day 13 — Creative Christmas Countdown
December 13, 2011 by
It’s Day 13 of the Creative Christmas Countdown and that means it’s my turn to share a special way to spend some holiday time with the kiddos! We chose to make handmade wrapping paper because it’s getting to be a real tradition around here. What I love about handmade wrapping paper is that there really […]
DIY Scratch Art Pages
November 1, 2011 by
Do you have a kid who loves scratch art?? Did you know you can make your own scratch art pages?? It’s true! Aaaaand it’s a lot cheaper (and more fun!) to make your own! To make your own scratch art pages, you will need: a kid who LOVES to color, a sheet of card stock […]
Candy Corn Treat Bags
October 25, 2011 by
Clara helped me make up some cute treat bags this afternoon — using paper plates and watercolor markers! We had so much fun making these, and they are perfect for filling with popcorn, pretzels, or other yummy snacks. I used watercolor markers on the back of a paper plate to color the outer rim yellow, […]
DIY Paint with Water Pages
October 20, 2011 by
Remember those “paint with water” books from when you were the kid?? Weren’t they the best? We had lots of fun with a set of watercolor pencils this afternoon, and Clara loved making her own “paint with water” pages!! If you don’t already have a set of watercolor pencils, Crayola makes a good set, and we […]
Nature Inspired Wrapping Paper
September 29, 2011 by
The beginning of Autumn also happens to be the start of the “birthday season” for our little family, so we continued with our frugal and FUN Fall wrapping paper tradition! Emily gathered several leaves from the yard — lots of different sizes and shapes for variety! We used masking tape to secure them to a […]
Autumn Window Collage
September 26, 2011 by
Emily and I made a fun discovery this afternoon! Did you know that you can use washable glue stick to adhere tissue paper to glass??! When it’s time to change out the display, peel off the tissue paper and wipe the leftover glue stick clean with a damp sponge. (Try a small test area first, […]
How I Chose to Spend My Birthday
September 14, 2011 by
My Birthday Manifesto (i.e. 5 Steps to a Perfect Birthday): 1. Ignore Dirty Dishes in the Sink. 2. Ignore Laundry Pile. 3. Turn Off Phone Ringer. 4. Procrastinate Errands. 5. PAINT stuff. Alongside the kiddos. ALL DAY. It. Was. Awesome.
Colorful Spray Painted Fabric
July 25, 2011 by
Looking to a fun way to impress guests at your next dinner party? Need a colorful way to dress up meal time, and a fun project to keep the kiddos entertained? Then this project is for you!! Start with the cheapest (most boring) cloth napkins you can find, pre-wash and dry (no fabric softener)…. Fill […]
Cheap Thrills — Driveway Painting
June 28, 2011 by
For a fun time, gather up some empty dish soap bottles. Make up a batch of sidewalk chalk paint with 4 Tbsp. cornstarch, 4 Tbsp. water & 5-10 drops food coloring. Pour into a bottle and fill the rest with water. Repeat for each color. Put on play clothes or bathing suits, and invite some […]
Why Messy Art is Worth It
June 23, 2011 by
A few years ago, I invited Emily to splatter paint the driveway with sidewalk chalk paint and she has not stopped talking about it ever since!! It was around that time when I realized the more messy the art project, the more memorable (and FUN) the experience becomes. So when the girls were feeling particularly […]
Weekend Art — Suminagashi for Kids
May 22, 2011 by
It is very rare that we feature a project here on Inner Child Fun that requires a trip to the art store, however this is the MOST requested project Emily has asked to do during Clara’s nap time. Suminagashi has kept Emily happily creating beautiful prints for hours!! Here are some tips for trying Suminagashi […]
Invisible Graffiti
April 29, 2011 by
Love painting, but not a fan of the mess?? Ever have an overcoming urge to paint graffiti around your neighborhood, but don’t want to risk getting in trouble with the law?? Then invisible graffiti is for you!! It’s a piece of white cardboard cut into the shape of a palette with completely dried nail polish […]
Marbled Paper Journals
April 25, 2011 by
After our amazing encounter with the peacocks at the zoo, we were inspired to make some art!! Lots of marbled paper was made using this technique with beautiful peacock hues of tropical blue, cobalt blue, and apple green — so much fun!! What I love about this project is that each print is so unique — no […]
Painting with Water
April 14, 2011 by
When I was a kid, I remember walking through the house with a clean, dry paintbrush in hand and in my mind I was totally painting the entire house in bright hues of sky blue, mandarin orange, cotton candy pink, and lime green. On my imaginary bedroom wall, hundreds of “masterpiece” murals were painted!! Fast […]
Tiny Easter Baskets
April 13, 2011 by
Know what’s cuter than Easter baskets?? Teensy Tiny Easter Baskets filled with little chocolate eggs!!! I know, right??? SO cute!!!! To make your own, cut up an empty cardboard egg carton and invite the kiddos over to paint the cups, forming the “basket”! We used washable paint, and it worked quite well. Clara wanted to […]
How to Make Your Own Sunshine
April 6, 2011 by
Are you tired of Winter? Do you long for warmer weather?? Do you wish Spring would hurry up and arrive already??? Then it’s time to make your own sunshine! It’s quick and easy to do!! Start by inviting the kids to paint several coffee filters with watercolor paint — the brighter, the better! We love […]
