Here at Lily and Thistle, we talk about art/creativity and motherhood – two subjects that go really well together except maybe, when it comes to keeping things in order. If you’ve been at this mothering gig for longer than say a day, you know how quickly things can get out of control. Add a…
Ah! The Blank Page. It can be so daunting! Whether your blank page is a sketchbook, an open laptop or a canvas, the “just starting part” can be paralyzing. I think my biggest fear is that I’ll waste my precious time and materials on something that won’t turn out like I want it to. But,…
Did you know art makes parenting easier? It really does! And today I’m going to tell you how. Here are ten different ways ART (either appreciating or making) has helped me become a better parent and helped my kids with life. Quick Note: Before I start I want to invite you to the Lily and…
“The enemy of art is the absence of limitation.” – Orson Welles. This is for you, artist moms. Do you need some good news today? Let me tell you about an artist I just discovered on the TED screen. His name is Phil Hansen, and he is pretty dang incredible. As an art student,…
Hello! In an attempt to make life easier for you (and me) I decided to put all of my Creative resources in one place. I now give you: The Lily and Thistle Free Resource Library! From now on, this is where I’ll keep all of our free e-courses, how-to videos, ebooks, art/nature study…
Am I the only one who spends hours reading toy reviews and guides at Christmas or birthday time – determined to find the ultimate toy for my kids and my pocketbook? I’m always sure I’ll find that perfect toy that will engage my kid’s minds and bodies and make them magically want to leave their ever…
You don’t really need much to enjoy nature, but sometimes it’s fun to invest in a few supplies that can make the experience more memorable and enjoyable. Here is a list of our family’s favorite nature study tools. I’ll add to it as we find new things (because we are always finding new things!). There…
We moved from our large home in the suburbs to a smaller home in the country(ish). And we love it! We have discovered so many things we love about this life! More time for Nature, Art, and Creativity to name a few! So I thought I’d keep a log of what we are doing each…
The Long, Dark Hallway When designing our home, we knew we didn’t want the very popular open-concept floorplan. We wanted the kitchen to be its own space with a separate living room, dining room, etc., just like an old farmhouse would have. So, in order to do all of these separate rooms, it was clear…
When we were planning our kitchen, I searched all over the internet for open shelving reviews. I love the look but worried about the maintenance. I had a hard time finding an honest review so I thought I’d do a quick post for anyone out there who might be searching. We ended up deciding to…
From the Archives January 2012 The twins just had a birthday. Four years old now. I will spare you the “I can’t believe they have grown up so fast” commentary because it has gone fast but in a lot of ways it has been slow too. Today I have been thinking about what my…
Our love affair with the American Girl books started with a desire to get the twins excited about reading on their own, for fun. I wanted to find something that would keep their interest and make them want to come back for more. My cousin (who is just enough ahead of me in this parenting…