Push the envelope from using store-bought supplies to something original by foraging your kitchen for supplies to make paint. The other day I shared three key elements to my morning art journaling process. One the big three is to try something new. New could be making a new mark or trying a new color combination. Having this intention helps me experiment, stay in a playful mindset, and keeps me from getting caught up in perfectionism. Here’s what happened yesterday… While making my morning coffee I decided to clean up the coffee and vitamin shelf. In the process I discovered a jar of spir ..read more

Start an art journaling practice with these ideas and prompts, a foundational spot for beginners. From choosing an art journal to inspirational prompts, connect with your inner artist and start journaling today! What we’re going to cover: What is Art Journaling? Choosing Art Journal Notebooks Different Kinds of Sketchbook Binding Art Journaling Paper: What Weight You Should Choose Art Journal Supplies Get Started Tips for Beginners Art Prompts and Ideas for Pages Finding Inspiration and Staying Motivated What Is Art Journaling? Art journaling is the creative process of making art in an art jo ..read more

Do you have a morning art routine or art-making habit? Would you like to start one? When my kids were little, it seemed impossible to find time to make art and I learned to carve out time for drawing and painting with them. It was great! We played and created together. As they got older, that time challenge was replaced with another: running a college dorm. Late-night events and middle of the night fire alarms don’t really lend themselves to a stable routine. ? The morning art routine With some trial and error I’ve landed on early mornings as the most productive time to create and I love it. I ..read more

Today we’ll play with spirals to make spiral art. Circles or spirals are one of the first recognizable marks children make in their drawings. They’re intuitive, easy to create, and represent countless things in the natural world. Numerous artists incorporate spirals and circles into their work. Historically, there’s Louise Bourgeois’s spiral sculptures and prints, Vincent Van Gogh’s mesmerizing sky in The Starry Night, and Robert Smithson’s famous Spiral Jetty, an enormous piece of land art in the shape of a spiral Bourgeois really went deep into spirals and had an interesting take on them ..read more

Making your own homemade paint with kids is a rewarding process that helps children understand that store-bought is not the only way! Using a combination of salt, flour, and water, this recipe is beyond simple. How we made homemade paint My toddler is at that stage where she loves squeezing paint out of the bottles. I gave into this to give her the chance to explore this phenomena, but after using an inordinate amount of paint in the process, I thought it might be more frugal to make a batch of homemade salt and flour paint for more economical squeeze painting. This homemade pa ..read more

Watch this video to see how you can get past artist’s block of fear of blank page with help from found magazine images. This is a favorite way to create an art journal page (or any art for that matter!) when I don’t know where to begin. Start by flipping through a magazine in search of images you like…this is part of the creative process, so pay attention to what inspires you. I made a double page spread, so I chose two full page images that appealed to me. This will be different for everyone. Having something already on the page helps get ideas flowing for subsequent layers of paint or colla ..read more

Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed by artist blocks? It may seem like it’s for lack of ideas, but ideas are literally all around us. Look left: Idea. Look right: Idea! I have a theory that artist’s blocks are more about a fear of not coming up with the BEST ideas than lacking ideas altogether. If we think we don’t have the best idea, we may convince ourselves that it’s easier to say we have NO ideas than it is to just start making. Here’s a thought: There is no best idea, there’s just doing. An Exercise for Overcoming Artist Blocks Today I have a simple exercise for us to try, which helps ..read more

Some people might think that a sprawling studio or a dedicated art room full of fancy supplies is essential to finally embrace their creativity… …this simply isn’t true. I’ve known so many makers, artists, and tinkerers who have turned corners of small homes, patios, or garages into mini creative sanctuaries. The truth is, creativity isn’t determined by physical boundaries—it can flourish anywhere. What really matters isn’t the size of your space but how you use what you already have. Take my simple home studio… The light is nice, it’s in the dining room, so central to the kitchen where I ma ..read more

Starting my day with a playful layered art journal exploration can set a positive and creative tone for everything that follows. I’m a big fan of keeping a sketchbook for these daily musings, and I invite you to follow along if you could use a quick dose of art inspiration. Your art journal can be a place to capture thoughts, sketches, feelings, and creative tests. Today, I’ll guide you through a simple, 20-minute exercise using pencil and acrylic paint to create layered art in your journal. This process is all about flow, intuition, and the joy of making. For this Art Play exercise, I wasn’t ..read more

Are you looking for a simple art journal idea (that doesn’t require paint) to kickstart your creative journey? Whether you’re just beginning to explore art journaling or trying to break free from a creative rut, this playful technique with washable markers and water is fun for artists at any level. In this process we’ll let colors flow to create a dynamic base for further artistic exploration. Here’s how you can create your own vibrant art journal page with minimal planning and maximum fun. Materials: Washable markers (suggestion: choose warm or cool colors) A paintbrush or water brush A cup ..read more