Colormehappy Turkey- fun thanks giving art project using finger paints!!

All you need is

• Paperstock
• Finger paints
• Marker
• Wiggly eyes
• Glue

Dip thumb in paint and make impression on the cardstock for the face.

Dip index finger in paint and make wings.

Stick wiggly eyes using glue
Use marker to draw nose and legs.

Thanks for visiting! Enjoy and have a colorful day:))

Warli Painting - Art as an expression!!

Expression is said to be an art. Folk arts dating back hundreds and thousands of years, found carved and painted on trees, walls, and stones tell us a story of art as an expression. The people, their lives, their celebrations and fears are reflected in such rudimentary paintings. They are found everywhere in world where civilizations prevailed, left for us to interpret and bring them to life by giving them words; a journey from art as an expression to expression as an art.

Warli Painting in India is such tribal art dating back several hundred years. The word “Warli” comes from the word “warla” which means a piece of land. The Warli tribe painted the walls of their mud homes with pictures to depict their social life and mark important occasions such as weddings, birth and the harvest. Their extremely rudimentary wall paintings use a very basic graphic vocabulary from their observation of nature: a circle, a triangle and a square.

A circle represents the sun and the moon

A triangle represents mountains and pointed trees

A square represents the piece of land symbolizing fertility.

These geometric figures are joined together to form beautiful patterns. Like, two apex of triangles are joined together to form a human figure.

To make your own Warli painting:

• Choose a design

• Draw pattern with pencil

• Outline with black marker

• Fill in the colors

This art was derived from observation of nature and a limited vocabulary... Simple way to do it is just let go of all you know for few moments. Limit yourself to discover what’s unlimited and…that’s expression

Enjoy the art!!

Dream catcher - Colorful world of stories!

Featured in Times-Republican

Being a mother of two lovely daughters is one of the best things ever happened to me in my life. Their colorful and joyful stories, silly grins and giggles, fill my days with so much love and happiness.

I see them cracking silly jokes and laughing till their tummies hurt and wonder why and when in life we grow up and stop living like a child? We get stuck on things and cannot let go, we forget to forgive and start worrying too much. Why does growing up really needs leaving our innocent, beautiful heart and world behind. Even the jokes should make perfect sense:((

Dream Catcher is a joyful artwork from my daughter’s colorful world of stories! I feel blessed that I get to experience through my daughters what I left far behind in the life and even forgot how it felt.... to be a child!

To create your own masterpiece, take mundane materials from your life, run them through your imagination and let your personality shine through your work following these simple steps.

• Choose a design

• Draw pattern with pencil

• Outline with markers

• Fill in with crayons

Revisit your lives through your art work... it's so much fun:)) Thanks for stopping by and have a colorful day!!

Reuse idea - Snowman using buttons!

A simple and creative snowman!

All you need is

• Buttons of different sizes
• Scraps
• Sequins ( optional)
• Glue
• Scissors

For scarf, you can use construction paper or felt or any other scraps available. I used white, orange and red construction paper. Cut one and half inches long thin stripes. Stick them together and then, onto the cardstock.

Stick small button above the scarf and bigger button at the bottom as shown. Fold the scarf from one side and stick it using glue on the other side.

and its all done!!!!

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day:)

Celebrations - Simple and creative art project using construction paper!

What you will need

• Construction paper
• Scissors
• Glue
• Marker

Draw a string using marker.

Cut small pieces of construction paper using scissors.

Stick them on string using glue at even distance.

Thanks so much for visiting and have a colorful day:))

String of colorful lights - Fun art project using finger paints!

What you will need

• Finger paints
• Glitter
• Marker
• Sequin
• Glue

Draw a string using marker.

Dip the tip of index finger in paints and make impression on paper for lights.

Stick Sequin using glue and sprinkle glitter.

Thanks so much for visiting and have a colorful day!

Love and be loved!!

Featured in Times-Republican!

No matter which part of world or which religion you belong to, Valentines is on the roll everywhere. Love is a global phenomenon. There are millions of things you can love and millions of way to show it too.

Love is the basic necessity! From the moment we are born we learn to love and be loved. For a new born it does not matter what toys, clothes, and nursery they are in. The gentle nurturing, love and warm embrace of parents makes them feel loved and secure.

Unfortunately, our wish list rises as we grow and we start replacing love and security with material things. Only if those beautiful things in the stores could have bought happiness, I tell you the world would have been the happiest place with no one sad, depressed and lonely.

Have you ever wondered how many flowers, greetings, cakes, gifts, chocolates, candies etc. get bought every year to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day?

The essence of love is from us and the comfort of knowing that we are loved and someone is there for us no matter what is irreplaceable.

This Valentine’s Day don’t forget to tell your loved ones that you belong to them.

Here are some wonderful ideas to share laughter’s, happiness and sweet moments together on this special day.

1. Personalized notepads and bookmarks

All you need is

• Note pad
• Sequins
• Buttons
• Markers
• Glue

Stick sequence or buttons on the bottom of notepad using glue. Use markers to add a touch and write a message.

2. Thankful message board – I simply love this practice in my home. All you need is a simple chalk board or white board with dry erase markers. Share a sweet message when you can and enjoy reading sweet replies too.

3. Heart stamped rocks -

All you need is

• Rocks

• Paints

• Pencil

• Paint brush

Clean the rocks with water and let them dry. Paint the rocks using pastel shades. When dry draw a heart using pencil and fill with bright color.

4. A wall full of loving moments –

What you will need

• Colorful construction paper

• Tape

• Scissors

• Heart stencil

• Pencil

• Pictures

Using stencil draw hearts on construction paper. Cut them using scissors. Stick pictures you love on them using tape. Now stick those hearts on the wall using tape. Relive the beautiful memories. You can also hang these picture hearts on jute twig using clothes pin.

5. Create your own personalized piece of art by using old crayons.

All you need is

• Card stock

• Crayon stubs

• Pencil

• Glue

• Markers

• Scissors

Remove any wrapping from crayons. Using scissors trim uneven crayon stubs. Sketch a heart on card stock using pencil. Outline with glue and stick crayons.

Wish you all a colorful Valentines. Love and be loved!

Pillars of Christmas come alive with art!

Project featured in Times-Republican

Christmas is in the air! Our hearts are poured with so much joy and excitement.

Bright stars, color red, fir trees, glowing candles, bows, jingle bells, candy canes and the wreath remind us all to be grateful for the gift of purity and eternal love.

As we started getting the Christmas greetings ready for friends and family this year, we drew various designs. None satisfied my older one. She kept looking for more in meaning, significance and message. Finally, we came up with this design; we called it the pillars of Christmas.  

What you will need

· Star

· Markers

· Crayons

· Glue

· Sequence

· Glitters

· Other Christmas craft supplies available

Stick star using glue. Write Joy, Love, Peace, Magic, Believe, Sacrifice, Faith, Hope and Christmas for the tree. Use a crayon or marker to draw an impression of trunk.  For a sparkly effect stick sequence, glitter and other craft supplies available.

You can add more words. For a large group make it even more fun by getting everyone involved in this project. Let everyone pick and decorate a word that defines Christmas for them. Now arrange all of them in a shape of Christmas tree. Be creative and let your imagination shine through your work.

Wish you all a holiday season that shines as bright as the star of Bethlehem!  

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day:)

Pumpkins - super fun and creative fall art project using finger paints!

What you will need

• Card stock
• Finger paints
• Crayons
• Paint brush
• Paper plate 

1. Pour paint in a paper plate. 
2. Generously dip index finger in paints and make impressions on card stock for pumpkins. 
3. For stems, dip paint brush in green paint and dab. You can also use markers or crayons.
4. Touch up using crayons.

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!

Onam Greetings!

Happy Onam everyone!

Have a colorful day:)

Colorful fall - fun art and craft ideas!

Featured in Times-Republican

Colorful leaves, shiny apples, bright pumpkins, twigs, berries, acorns, bark, pine cones and nuts. Not to mention I am talking about the arrival of fall. Watching the trees turn color in all shades of yellow, orange, red and gold is a spectacular experience. The colors, texture and beauty of fall is so inspiring that it provides us with a wonderful opportunity to get indulged in inner self and appreciate the impermanence of everything.

Fall with its colorful beauty also compels us to be more creative and playful with what nature has to offer.

Here is a super fun and colorful art project to make fall trees using finger paints.

All you need is

• Finger paints

• Construction paper

• Card stock

• Glue

• Pipe cleaner

• Scissors

• Art paint brush

Using scissors cut tree trunk from construction paper. Stick it on card stock. Dip index finger in paints and press on to paper for leaves impression. Touch up construction paper using paints.

For flowers - Dip pipe cleaner in paints, press it on paper for stem. Make petals using art paint brush as shown. (Dip art paint brush in paints and press it on paper).

I am also listing few fun and easy ideas that are creative and educational.

• Collect before and after fall foliage leaves. It’s a great activity to get kids to observe, stay involved and excited.
•  Use leaves, apples and potatoes as stamps.
•  Glue pumpkin seeds for bookmarks and fall greetings.
•  Paint and roll corn cobs for fun impressions.
•  Paint acorn nuts and make faces on it using markers.
•  Paint a love you forever pumpkin and write a sweet message all over it using darker paints or markers for friends and family.
•  Tear construction paper in small pieces and make mosaic art. 
•  Colorful hand, fingers, thumb and feet impressions in fall colors.
•  Collect twigs, stick them on in shape of letters on a cardboard and make a name plate. Punch 2 holes and use jute twine to hang it. Stick leaves, acorns and barks around.
•  Collect pine cones, Peirce a hole in the stem and hang them using jute twine.

Thanks for visiting:)  Have a colorful day!

A loving note from my daughter!

Sometimes you get discouraged because you think I'm small....

I always leave my fingerprints on furniture and walls.....

But everyday I'm growing up and soon I'll be too tall....

That those little fingerprints will be difficult to recall....

Maa, here's a little hand print that you can put away....

So you will know just how my hands looked on this loving day:)

Love you always!!

Happy times! Thanks so much for visiting and have a colorful day:)

Splatter painting - Super fun and creative art project using toothbrush!

Featured in Times-Republican

Next time you are about to toss that used toothbrush in trash, just look at it and smile and say, not yet :) because this project is nothing else but so much fun for all ages, seasons and celebrations.

It's called splatter painting.

All you need is

• Tooth brush
• Paints
• Paper stock
• Stencils

1. Place stencils on the paper.

2. Rinse toothbrush in water and pat dry using paper towel.

3. Pour drops of colorful paints in a paper plate.

4. Smudge the tooth brush in paints, making sure all top bristles have enough paint but they are not over loaded, if required have another sheet available to shed extra paint.

5. Gently brush the bristles with thumb and let the colorful drops of paint form speckles all over the desired area.

6. When you are done, gently remove the stencils and cherish your beautiful creation:)

Enjoy the art:) Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!

You crack me up - A super fun and colorful Easter craft!

Featured in Times-Republican

Spring is definitely in the air! The warmer longer days, rain, sprouting seeds, colorful blossoms, green grass and chirping birds fill our lives with so much happy feeling. As we transition from winter to summer, spring reminds us of rebirth, renewal of spirit and a fresh colorful start.

This month’s art project is colorful, cheerful and fun to do Easter craft.

What you will need 

• Card stock
• Construction paper
• Pencil and eraser
• Scissors
• Paints
• Q-tip
• Wiggly eyes
• Egg stencil
• Glue
• Markers 

1. Using stencil draw 3 adjacent eggs on the card stock. Cut them using scissors and make sure that they stay attached to each other.
2. For chicken's face, stick wiggly eyes using glue on the middle egg. Cut and stick construction paper for beak.
3. Using scissors cut zig-zag on both outside eggs for cracking impression as shown in picture. 
4. Using marker draw symmetrical zig-zag design on front and back of outer eggs. Dip Q-tip in paints and fill the empty space with polka dots by gently pressing it on paper.
5. When dry, fold and write a message:))

Wish you all a very happy and colorful spring!

Colorful butterflies - Fun art project using finger paints!

All you need is

• Finger paints
• Card stock
• Pipe cleaner

Dip pipe cleaner in paint and make impressions on paper.
Dip fingers in paints and press on paper for wings.

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day!

Let love bloom - A super fun technique to paint colorful flowers!!

All you need is

• Paints
• Art paint brush
• Card stock

Generously dip brush in colorful paints and press it on the paper as shown. Enjoy!

  

Colorful Butterflies - Fun filled art project using foot prints!

All you need is

• Finger paints
• Cardstock
• Markers
• Paper plate
• Brush
• Feet:))

Pour paints in a paper plate. Using brush generously paint one foot using different colors. Press foot down onto paper and make an impression. Using the same technique make an impression of other foot.

Use markers to draw head and antennae. 

Finish with a smile and colorful polka dots on antennae.

Enjoy the silly grins and giggles and have a fun filled day!

My sweet little world - Fun art project for Valentines Day using Finger paints!

All you need is

• Finger paints
• Card stock
• Markers
• Brush
• Paper plate

Pour paints in a paper plate. Using brush generously paint one hand using colors of your choice. Press hand down onto paper and make an impression. Using the same technique make an impression of other hand. Draw hearts and family using markers:))

Thanks for visiting and have a colorful day:))

Loving hearts - A simple and fun art project using construction paper!

All you need is

• Construction paper
• Tissue paper
• Glue
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Heart stencil (optional)

Draw a heart on construction paper and cut it using scissors. Cut or hand tear tissue paper into small squares and crush it. Stick the crushed balls of tissue paper on the borders of heart using glue.

Ideas around the project

1. Write a note, stick a treat, draw a picture and turn it into a sweet greeting card.
2. Fun book (Cut same size hearts from different colors of construction paper and punch holes on left and tie them together).
3. Display pictures (Cut same size hearts from different colors of construction paper. Using tape, stick pictures displaying memorable moments. Stick them on wall using tape) 
4. Party decorations ( Tie jute twines where ever desired in a party and display pictures as done in (3) using small wooden clothespin).

Thanks for visiting and have a loving day!! Love and be Loved:))

Let love Grow - Fun art project for Valentines!

Featured in Times-Republican

My daughters are getting really creative and have their own colormehappy workshops at home, which is not bad till you will know it includes cutting all important papers (tags, receipts, bills, mails and coupons) and painting all over the kitchen floor.

I told my older daughter the other day that art comes from heart. Do what you feel like, there is nothing like right or wrong...just let go, have no thoughts and create your own masterpiece. One afternoon, I looked at her and the painted and scribbled kitchen floor.....and she says... Mom I am just trying to be creative and have no thoughts. See, I even shared and gave crayons to my little sister so she does not mess up with paints. Will you put this in your blog? Mine too mommy says the younger one......look at the sun and the moon and this and that scribbled all over the floor. Mom, we are doing teamwork!
I smiled and walked out, thinking nothing just happened. I sure should enjoy these few minutes of teamwork till they last;)

For this project all you need is

• Pencil
• Card stock
• Markers
• Paints
• Brush

Draw a heart and trunk using pencil. Use heart stencil if needed.
Dip brush in colors of your choice and dab it on the paper (in heart shape) and fill the heart. Fill color in tree trunk and personalize using markers.
You can also fill the heart using markers, crayons, construction paper (mosaic art) or stickers.

Thanks for visiting:)) Have a colorful day!!