The holidays are a ton of fun--from yummy food to beautifully wrapped presents, from visiting family to playing with brand new toys--but, after a while, the most wonderful time of year can get a little, well, boring...especially for kids. After all, only so much Minecraft can be played in one day! So, to alleviate a bit of the same-stuff-different-day-boredom for my son, we created Scratch Art!

If you aren't familiar with Scratch Art, the directions can be found below. Basically, though, it's a fun, colorful way to create unique works of art. Creating Scratch Art lets kids be a little messy and whole lot creative! Check out our cute works of Scratch Art:

To create your own scratch art, you will need the following supplies:
Black Tempera Paint
Laundry Detergent
Paintbrush
Crayons
Tag Board or Card Stock
Masking Tape
Paper Clips

Now that you have all your supplies, you're ready to get started:
1. Tape your paper to a table or other hard surface (Remember: Put the masking tape on your clothing before taping it to your paper. This will make the tape less sticky and--hopefully--keep it from tearing your paper when you pull it off). Taping your paper first will give you a nice, finished border AND make it easier to complete your scratch art.
2. Completely cover your paper with crayon. Press really hard and make sure to cover the entire area with any colors you enjoy!
3. Mix one part black tempera paint and one part laundry detergent in a cup. Using the paintbrush, paint your colored paper with the mixture. It may take two or even three light coats to fully cover your crayon.
4. Let your paper dry.
5. Peel off the tape, and use the paper clips to create your own masterpiece!

It’s that time of year again! Everyone is wearing their ugliest holiday sweaters, sipping fancy peppermint coffee, and playing holly-jolly holiday tunes. Glitter is everywhere, and the air smells like chocolate chip cookies. For me—and many others—it’s one of the best and busiest times of the year! With presents to wrap, sweet treats to bake, and lots of fun, family-filled days, the Christmas season is truly magical. One of my favorite things to do, though, is make my own cards. This year, I used only materials I already had: vintage sheet music; watercolor paper and paints; a stamp and ink; and a black, artist pen. Take a peek at how they turned out!