kids

How to Draw a Leprechaun

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

A Fun St. Patrick’s Day Art Project

What is St. Patrick’s Day without a few leprechauns hanging around – right? The “How to Draw a Leprechaun” tutorial is fun for all ages!

Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Pencil
  • Paper
  • Eraser – I like kneaded erasers – no pink smudges!
  • Color – use colored pencils, markers, watercolor paints, whatever you like to add color to your leprechaun!
  • Pen or Thin Marker – my choice is a Uniball Signo Black Gel Pen. It goes on so smooth!
how to draw a leprechaun printable tutorial

Download the Step by Step Tutorial!

The printable tutorial is available in my Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/EileenMcKennaArt.

The pdf tutorial is 3 pages and is easy to follow.

Download Now

Watch the Video

I want to see your leprechaun!

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St. Patrick’s Day Painting Project for Beginners

Ireland is said to have “40 Shades of Green” and in this beginner watercolor project we’ll use as many shades as possible! Beginner friendly! Step by step tutorial with photos walks you through creating this Irish landscape.

In this tutorial you’ll learn:

  • Masking with tape
  • Painting fades
  • Painting layers
  • Painting dry on dry
  • Using gouache – more opaque than watercolor
Download the painting tutorial
Fields of Green Ireland Painting Tutorial

St. Patrick’s Day Paper Craft

Download this printable paper quilt kit and have fun making your own St. Patrick’s Day Quilt. The four patterned papers include sheep, leprechauns, symbols of Ireland – harp, shamrocks, and the Irish flag. Fun for all ages!

Download the St. Patrick’s Day Paper Quilt Kit in my Etsy shop here.

For more fun St. Patrick’s Day ideas read Teaching Children about Ireland.

This page contains affiliate links to products/brands I use and recommend. I earn a small commission whenever you buy using these links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Creative Ideas to make Thanksgiving more fun this year!

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

Thanksgiving is going to be different this year. No more gathering with extended family. We’ll be home, just the five of us. Although we are limited, it is still important to celebrate and make it special. Two of my kids are coming home for college. Being together is always a reason to celebrate!

Creative Ideas to make Thanksgiving more fun this year:

Baked Goods Drop Off

Even though we can’t be with our extended family – it would be really nice to bake things and drop them off on Thanksgiving morning. Show them we are thinking of them. This “Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread” recipe is my favorite. Pumpkin bread with a nice card would be so sweet! Baking and making cards would be great activities to get everyone in the spirit prior to Thanksgiving Day.

Watch the Parade

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is always on in our house on Thanksgiving. Even though it won’t be a “parade” but prerecorded segments – I’ll gladly tune in as we prepare our Thanksgiving meal.

Set the Table

Even though our gatherings will be smaller, go all out – china, crystal. Whatever nice stuff you have – use it! Collect acorns and fall leaves to add to your table and make it more festive. Get the kids involved in creating handmade decorations! 

Don’t Skimp on the Sides

You might be tempted to go simpler with your menu – don’t! Make all the favorites. Get the kids involved! 

Gratitude Cards

We always go around the table on Thanksgiving and tell everyone what we are grateful for. 2020 has certainly reminded us what is important. Despite the circumstances we have a lot to be grateful for. These gratitude cards are available in my Etsy shop.

Table Activities

It’s nice to linger at the table on Thanksgiving, but sometimes that’s harder with little kids. Crayons and paper did the trick when our kids were small and we went out to eat. Here are a few Thanksgiving coloring pages available on Etsy to extend your table time.
Pilgrim coloring page fun Thanksgiving activity for kids

The Thanksgiving Walk

In my husband’s family it used to be a tradition to take a walk between the Thanksgiving meal and dessert. This year it would be especially nice, as we could walk with family that live nearby, while still keeping socially distanced.

Thanksgiving Slideshow/Video

After a walk and dessert, it would be awesome to take a “stroll down memory lane” and watch a slideshow or look through photos of previous Thanksgivings. The years go fast and the kids get so big!

Thanksgiving Art Project

How about an art project? This printable step by step tutorial for painting a turkey in watercolor is fun for all ages! Or create a realistic leaf with watercolor. Or create a fall paper quilt and see how different each family member’s quilt turns out! All projects are available in my Etsy shop.

Want to make it a full on paint night? Paint a Turkey on canvas with acrylics. Watch my process on YouTube:
 

Thanksgiving Family Movie

After eating a big meal, it’s nice to rest on the couch and watch a movie together. Just like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade ushers in the Christmas season with Santa, Thanksgiving night puts me in the mood for a Holiday classic like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Elf.” Or maybe we’ll watch a family classic like Indiana Jones or … hmmm. Time for us to each make a list of ideas!

Happy Thanksgiving!
~Eileen

Creative Ideas to make Thanksgiving more fun this year!

 

 

 

 

14 Creative Fall Project Ideas

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

The air feels cooler, I’ve made my first batch of pumpkin bread, and I’m collecting and brainstorming ideas for fun fall projects!

14 Creative Fall Project Ideas:

Nature –  I love projects that involve found elements and paint. Check these out: painting acorns, drawing on leaves (I love the ones with the white pen), decorating a white pumpkin. Now, I’m in competition with the squirrels to collect acorns!

Potpourri – I want to make this homemade fall scented potpourri recipe.

Paper – I’ve just launched a new paper quilt printable kit for fall! It’s a fun and easy project for all ages.

Fiber – This fall leaves fiber art by Franswazz is so cool.

Embroidery – These fall embroidery kits look fun.

Recycle – This paper bag tree is so interesting. I’d like to use it in a fall terrarium.

Wood burning – I love this wood burned acorn by Italian Artist Liliia of SorrisoDesign. “The design is hand drawn, then carefully and lovingly burned into the solid wood bead with pyrography technique.”

Polymer Clay – Finally! I had a chance to play with my stash of polymer clay, blending colors, creating fall leaves and other fun projects while watching clay videos on YouTube. This is the starter kit I purchased:

Dough Ornaments – I’d like to make a fall version of these cornstarch ornaments.

Watercolor – Paint a realistic looking fall leaf or paint a pumpkin farm. Creating the changing leaves is the best part! Or maybe it’s painting the pumpkin patch?

We all need time to explore – to try a new medium, play around with it, just for the fun of it.

**Try one of my new fall projects by visiting my Etsy shop here.**

Fall Painting Idea Watercolor Fall Farm with Pumpkins Tutorial

This post contains affiliate links to products/brands I use and recommend. I earn a small commission whenever you buy using these links, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog!

14 Creative Fall Project Ideas

Teaching Children about Ireland

| Eileen McKenna {my creative resolution}

St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Your School and Classroom

There are so many fun ideas for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at school while teaching your students about Ireland. A visit to Ireland is a feast for all your senses and these ideas cover many of them.

The Sounds of Ireland – Bagpipes, a Brogue, and an Irish Poem

As the children approach school, or come into the classroom – play the sounds of the bagpipes. For our celebration we were lucky enough to have one of the school’s own alumni, a boy named Patrick, play the bagpipes. The Irish flag hung in the school’s foyer.

Start the day with a greeting in Gaelic and an Irish Brogue. Our morning announcements featured Irish poet Connie Roberts who read an Irish poem.

The Landscape of Ireland – Rugged Coasts, Green Fields, Castles

The landscape of Ireland is one of its greatest features. Consider setting up a “Walking Tour of Ireland” by filling your school or classroom with photos of the beautiful landscapes.

Our classes took turns taking a tour and looking at the photos and reading and learning about what was pictured. Other things that were visually represented included the painted doors of Dublin and different sports in Ireland (soccer, hurley, etc.).

Items from Ireland

Ask the children to bring in any items from Ireland they might have. Children can take turns telling the class about the items they brought in.

We had a cabinet filled with items – sweaters, tea pots, crystal vases and glasses, caps, shillelaghs, etc.

Sheep dotting Fields of Green

Ireland is said to have “40 Shades of Green.” Many of the fields of Green are sprinkled with sheep, uniquely painted to show ownership.

Prior to the day, students were given an outline of a sheep to cut out and decorate anyway they liked. The instructions with the sheep stated,

“Decorate a sheep for International Day – Ireland. Use any material (cotton balls, pipe cleaners, paint, etc.). Be creative! Farmers often mark their sheep with a colored dot, so they know which sheep is theirs. How will you mark your sheep? Fun Fact: There are approximately 8 million sheep in Ireland!” 

Children decorating sheep to learn about Ireland

Homemade Cardboard Blarney Castle

The tours culminated in visiting our Blarney Castle which we had built out of appliance boxes. The kids visited and learned about receiving the “gift of gab.”

homemade cardboard Blarney Castle | teaching children about Ireland

Irish Step Dancing

Children will enjoy watching traditional Irish Step Dancing. YouTube is filled with videos you can show. Children will especially enjoy seeing kids their age perform and seeing the elaborate costumes and wigs.

We were lucky enough (pre-pandemic of course) to enjoy a performance by Schade Academy of Irish Dance, a local Irish step dancing school. The dancers were fabulous, even the very, very youngest. Their traditional Irish step dancing outfits were beautiful!

Afternoon Tea – Serve a “cuppa”

“The Irish now drink more tea per capita than any other nation in the world – between six and seven cups a day.” Source: The Irish Times. Serve some tea with scones with jam or other baked goods.

We visited the classrooms and served tea. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to serve hot tea but the children got the idea.

Art Activities for St. Patrick’s Day

Printable Ireland St. Patrick's Day Coloring Pages make a Coloring Book Kids Class Activity Digital Download is a great way to teach kids about Ireland. Color and fold to create a book! Perfect for St. Patrick's Day. how to draw a leprechaun printable tutorial Fields of Green Ireland Painting Tutorial

St. Patrick’s Day coloring sheets and book

There are many creative projects for the kids to work on. Coloring pages are a great way to show children the symbols, landscape, and even mythical stories of Ireland. The kids can create their own books!

How to Draw a Leprechaun Tutorial

This step by step easy tutorial will have kids drawing their own leprechauns in no time!

Fields of Green Watercolor Painting Tutorial

For older kids I’ve created a painting tutorial that allows them to paint in many shades of green!

These printable art activities are available in my Etsy shop at: www.etsy.com/shop/EileenMcKennaArt

I’d love to hear the creative ways you celebrated St. Patrick’s day in school!