I feel incredibly satisfied when I engage in creative activities with my kids. The key is to drop everything else and focus entirely on the art project I promised to do with them. When I do this, it feels as if time freezes or stretches, almost as if time doesn’t exist in that moment. Something magical happens with time; I can’t fully explain it, but it’s a wonderful experience. I need to make more choices like that without worrying about whether the grocery shopping will get done or if I’ll finish folding and putting away the laundry. Who cares anyway? The kids don’t, so why should I! I’ve been promising Liam that we would try this new water marbling kit I purchased a couple of weeks ago. I discovered it while reading The Lost Arts. I started reading this weekly newsletter after setting my intention to spend more time creating this year. It’s already inspired me to do many things, including reading more books and possibly listening to audiobooks since that might be easier for me to achieve. I can listen in my car, as I’m currently in a “driving in my car” phase. 
I had never heard of water marbling, but it definitely caught my attention. Now that I’ve tried it, I absolutely love it!
I kept the kit out on a spare table, and the kids and I went back and forth experimenting whenever time allowed. This is actually what I liked about this set. It’s called the Marbling Paint Kit, and it can be found on Amazon. I’m sure there are better products out there, but this one is great for anyone wanting to experiment and just have some fun with it. The process is so cool and soothing. 
You just need an inch-deep pan or you can use any bowl, but the pan is easier—especially one that fits 8.5 x 11 paper. Of course, you can cut down paper, or if you have smaller paper, that works too. You begin by adding water to the pan and letting it settle until it is no longer moving. Then, you squeeze a drop of paint into the water and watch what it does. It’s tranquil and lovely to see the paint’s movement. 
What I enjoy about this process is that I don’t feel any pressure to be creative or to think of myself as an artist. The water and the paint do most of the work. We simply picked the colors we liked and dropped them into the water. After the color settles, you squeeze in another drop of paint wherever you choose. You can let it be, or you can grab a little stick to swirl the paint or blow it around—be as creative as you feel! When you are happy with your creation, you gently drop a piece of paper onto the water and let it sit for 30 seconds.
I had never heard of water marbling, but it definitely caught my attention. Now that I’ve tried it, I absolutely love it! I kept the kit out on a spare table, and the kids and I went back and forth experimenting whenever time allowed. This is actually what I liked about this set. It’s called the Marbling Paint Kit, and it can be found on Amazon. I’m sure there are better products out there, but this one is great for anyone wanting to experiment and just have some fun with it. The process is so cool and soothing. You just need an inch-deep pan or you can use any bowl, but the pan is easier—especially one that fits 8.5 x 11 paper. Of course, you can cut down paper, or if you have smaller paper, that works too. You begin by adding water to the pan and letting it settle until it is no longer moving. Then, you squeeze a drop of paint into the water and watch what it does. It’s tranquil and lovely to see the paint’s movement. What I enjoy about this process is that I don’t feel any pressure to be creative or to think of myself as an artist. The water and the paint do most of the work. We simply picked the colors we liked and dropped them into the water. After the color settles, you squeeze in another drop of paint wherever you choose. You can let it be, or you can grab a little stick to swirl the paint or blow it around—be as creative as you feel! When you are happy with your creation, you gently drop a piece of paper onto the water and let it sit for 30 seconds.
I’m absolutely in love with this process and recommend it to anyone exploring their artistic side this year. I also loved that this is another activity that brought my kids to the table, the younger one and the older ones. 
One of my favorite books as a young child was a book titled Chicken Soup with Rice, by Maurice Sendak. My kindergarten or 1st grade teacher would read it to us and I absolutely loved it. There was a poem for each of the month. And whether it was January, February, June or July, every month was perfect for Chicken Soup with Rice! My favorite as a child was probably the months of June or July because that meant summer time and no school. But now that I’m older, I always enjoy it when I get to read the months of January and February. These months are after the holiday hussle and bustle and they are quieter and less rushed. The days are short and the nights are long. Funny how things change.
