We are growing a love of art this spring! Here are some free art lessons to get you started… Free Spring Art Lessons How to Draw a Tornado in Chalk Pastels (VIDEO – with a fisting technique) Robin Chickadee 10 Easter and Spring Arts and Crafts New Spring Art Lessons! Dr. Seuss Truffula Trees (and […]
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How Morning Room Time Builds Homeschool Learning Skills for Later
My two youngest children have outgrown our long-time homeschool habit of morning room time. Today I am sharing the benefits of this habit I’ve seen in all my children. Just how morning room time builds learning skills for later. But first, a short recap to answer, What is Morning Room Time? What About the Little […]
Free Valentine Lessons: A Lovely Afternoon of Art and Music
Art and music are a perfectly beautiful combination for Valentine’s Day or any appreciation of romanticism. We have a Valentine’s Day gift for you – a lovely afternoon of art and music! My friend Mary Prather is offering a SQUILT lesson of Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet Overture. To accompany this wonderful music, Nana and I […]
Are Your Children Socialized?
We sat surrounded by friends and family. “And their ages?” she asked. Her eyes widened as I answered, from age four to 15. “And how many?” Five. She remarked that I looked good for having had five children. “You homeschool them all?” Later, as she lifted her glass of sweet tea, the question came. One […]
Claude Monet London at Twilight Chalk Pastel Art
I think chalk pastels are wonderful to use in Impressionistic art paintings. I know that I have mentioned before that years ago a teacher explained to me that pastel pictures are not really “drawings” but are paintings. You see, you are using a pure stick of dry paint color, so you are painting, aren’t you? […]
Lavender Chalk Pastel Art Tutorial
This Lavender Chalk Pastel Art Tutorial that I bring to you today…it has very few colors, yet the colors are brilliant and bright. The Uinta Mountains are in the state of Utah, far away from our home in the southeastern part of our country…but some of the family lived there for years and I have […]
Snowman Paints! Chalk Pastel Art Tutorial
It’s always fun to paint outside! And this snowman is doing just that. We love that this tutorial offers such a wonderful amount of space for individual creativity. This snowman paints whatever YOU want him to! Enjoy Nana’s Snowman Paints Chalk Pastel Art Tutorial. Not only can you make the snowman just like you’d like […]
The Homeschool Math Answer
It was at the midpoint of the homeschool year I found we needed the math answer. The homeschool math answer. My eldest children were middle schoolers and I had preschoolers under foot. Math was a struggle. There were tears (from the children too). So I asked my fellow homeschool mamas. “Teaching Textbooks,” they said. I’m […]
Hodgepodge Homeschool Favorites
In our 17 years of homeschooling, we have gathered some favorites. Tried and true homeschool favorites we use always! I’m sharing those with you today. Not only that, but I am celebrating 10 years of blogging here at Hodgepodge. And because it is a Hodgepodge, my family and I are also hosting BIG giveaways at […]
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Happy New Year Chalk Art Tutorial
Oh there are so many possibilities with this Happy New Year Chalk Art Tutorial! You can write ‘Happy New Year’ or simply ‘2018’ – even ‘Celebrate!’ Have you noticed that we’ve been using black construction paper often lately? It just shows off the beautiful chalk colors! Plus I think construction paper simply ‘holds’ the chalk […]
Freezer Meals for Your Slow Cooker
This time last year I made it my goal to cook dinner for my family more often. You can read about it here. I was living up to my promise to my family until my son was hospitalized and our lives got busy with doctors’ appointments and tests. I knew I needed to get back to providing […]
Nutcracker Art Lesson
Shall we kick off this season of Christmas art with a Nutcracker Art Lesson? Let’s do! Enjoy a pre-recorded Nutcracker video art lesson – led by Nana – on the ChalkPastel.com Facebook page during our usual weekly art lesson time: Wednesday at noon ET. I placed the video below for you to enjoy at any […]