How to cut fabric into one long strip for weaving
I’ve always been a fan of rag rugs, but not so much a fan of cutting sheets or t-shirts into strips, until I discovered this method of cutting that makes it nice and easy to make one long strip. To get started we’ll use a scrap piece of paper because it’s much less intimidating than […]
Why Does Art Matter
Why do I have to learn algebra, when am I ever going to use it? Why do I need to read THIS book, what does it have to do with my life? Kids of all ages are always asking why, and as the adult tasked with responding to them why, it can get a bit […]
How to Keep your Sanity while teaching
Planning, it’s a dirty little word, that you might be surprised to hear me say…. us artist types aren’t known having great organizational skills. But I”m planner… also a dreamer… they go well together… because I plan on making my dreams happen, even if those dreams include adopting a mini pig and a goat. […]
Online Art Classes for Homeschoolers
You do what? That seems to be the most common response when I tell people that I teach AP art courses online. I’ve been doing it for 4 years and taken many courses online myself, so it seems totally normal to me, however, I realize that might not be the case for everyone. So […]
How to Have more Creative Ideas
You’re stuck. You can’t seem to come up with any new ideas. So you just sit there and watch another episode of Mind of Chef on Netflix, because at least it’s educationally, and who knows, maybe you’ll become a chef. ( note to self: start researching how to become a chef) I was sitting in […]
How to decide which art museum to visit
You’re heading to New York City for a day or two, you have limited time and a limited budget, but you also have an art lover in the family that really wants to go to at least one art museum, now how do you pick one? Students often ask , when they’re headed to a […]
One easy way to change the conversation and be an art advocate
Why does art matter? What is the purpose of creativity? Do these questions sound familiar? When someone asks one of these questions, they’re usually coming from one of two camps. 1. They’re actually curious and really do want to have better understand of why art matters. 2. They’re trying to ruffle some feathers, because they’ve […]
How to decide what kind of loom to buy
Are you trying to decide if you want to get a floor loom or a Mirrix, and wondering what’s the difference? As an owner and user of both, I’m going to share the similarities and differences between the two. First we’re going to talk about a floor loom. I’ll always have a special place in […]
How to weave a Soumack Stitch + mini studio tour
While I share a lot of art lessons and ideas on this site, I’ve realized that for some strange reason I’m never teaching you anything about textiles ( and that’s my thing). So, we’re going to work on changing that, and I’ll be adding some weaving/ fiber art lessons, ideas, and inspiration into the mix. […]
DIY: How to have fun making your own painted envelopes
During my first or second year of teaching, I decided that I wanted to write a personal letter to every one of my students, yes all 150+ of them. It took some time, but I did it. They loved it, and felt so good to sit down each day, reflect on each individual student and […]