Smile And Wave

Art Journal All Year E-Course is Here!

 

 We're so, so excited to release our newest e-course, Art Journal All Year! It's the most personal course we've written. It's filled with beautiful textures, photographs, colors and words. It's perfect for anyone wanting to get into the practice of making art journals! 

The course is broken up into 52 Challenges! It's a 'work at your own pace' course, so you choose whether you'd like to take on one challenge each week or they can be done one each day and completed in about two months! It's the perfect course to take with a friend! 

Each session has an Art Challenge and a Journal Challenge. You'll get inspired to dig deeper in your writing as well as the collage art aspect of art journaling. Some of the themes that we focused on throughout the course were vulnerability, self exploration, goals and reflection. 

I've loved collaborating with Elsie Larson on this course. We taught our first art journaling class together nearly ten years ago and we make a good team. I'm always excited about the kind of pages she creates and her use of color and texture in her work. She regularly finds new ways to use product and ephemera to create something fresh and her journaling prompts and shared stories always remind me to dream and give me a fresh perspective.

We hope you enjoy the course. You can begin at any time, but this first week of the new year would be especially perfect, don't you think? Welcome to your new favorite e-course!

Get more info here + sign up here!

xo,

Rachel + Elsie

Paint Chip Art

I was able to capture one of Ruby's favorite sayings these days in this easy paint chip art project. It's an easy way to add color to a child's room or fill a blank wall and can be finished while catching up on your favorite shows on Hulu. I've shared the full tutorial on A Beautiful Mess.

What would you want yours to say?

xo,
Rachel

Blog Party - Vintage Map Place Setting DIY by Elsie Larson

Hello there, Smile & Wave readers!

I'm here today to share some inspiration for a quick and cute table setting! I've been collecting vintage maps like crazy. They're so beautiful and can be used for so many different projects.

For this place setting I used an atlas page for the place mat, napkin ring, name card and swizzle stick garnish. Next time you're vintage shopping, grab a vintage atlas and do some experimenting yourself! Have fun....

Congratulations, Rachel! I love your new blog look. XO, elsie

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I have the best friends! Elsie, this is such a fun idea for making meals at home more fun. Thanks for sharing this fun and easy DIY with my readers.

xoxo,

Rachel

 

 

 

> Making Time for Crafts

>

The kids and I had an afternoon to kill at home while Brett studied for a test earlier this week. We'd already gone for a wagon ride through the neighborhood, jumped on our neighbor's trampoline, read some books, made a mess at lunch time, and watched Pink Panther on Netflix.

I decided it was time to introduce Ruby to the joys of water colors. Sebastian isn't always up for crafting when I suggest a new project but he's always up for painting with water colors. He spent a good ten minutes working on his project this time, which is a good eight minutes longer than he used to. That made me happy.

Ruby took to that paint set like it was an old hobby of hers. I did catch her trying to drink the dirty water, sucking the water off the brush, stealing her brother's paint brush, and painting on my arm but she lasted as long as Sebastian and ended up getting some color on her paper coffee filter.

When we were through I had to wrestle it away for a pic. It was headed for her mouth. I may save it forever.

Sebastian ended up with a stained glass effect which I thought was interesting. I wonder what this type of painting is supposed to tell me about my child.

We got the popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners out of the craft box and made flowers out of the paper coffee filters. I have about a bajillion more from a garage sale that may turn into a garland one of these days.

I need to remember to sit down with the paint sets more often. Ruby is much more interested in coloring than Sebastian ever was (or still is) at her age so it's been fun to encourage that in her. I never had to worry about marks on the walls with Sebastian, though. Thank goodness for Magic Erasers.

Sebastian was so proud of his paper flower when he was done. It was a nice little break from sword fights, couch jumping, karate chops, and crashing block towers.

xoxo,
Rachel