kids books about art

February 10, 2025 by all aflutter in Gifts For...

THERE ARE two things that I’ve almost always said ‘yes’ to with my boys since they could talk; books and art supplies. I’m a total sucker for both, partly because I love them and partly because I sincerely believe there’s no greater gift than the opportunity for further creativity, imagination, wonder and expression. And while you most certainly don’t need ‘stuff’ to explore any of those things, the addition of open-ended supplies and books that inspire are extra fun tools on the journey. I love to watch my younger son when he gets a little spark and starts pulling out the bins of popsicle sticks, hot glue and pipe cleaners to create ALL kinds of ships, guys, secret bases and other things that pop into his mind. It’s awesome.

AND BOOKS about visual art, artists and creativity are like a double bonus because the expose kids to all the different mediums and types of art that they could never have even dreamed up. They learn about how the individual artists see the world and their journeys to becoming the people we know them as today. There are SO many amazing books out there about artists, art, creativity and art appreciation written specifically for kids and they’re super inspiring. What better way to learn not only about different types of mediums and methods, but about different types of people, too. Who knows, maybe it’ll be the spark that inspires your own new future artist. Or at the very least may just fill a kiddo’s heart with wonder and curiosity and there’s no greater gift than that. For more on amazing art supplies, check out the Gift Guide to Art Supplies for Kids + Teens, it’s FULL of beautiful things that are sure to get those creative juices flowing. And if you love a kid whose creative expression comes out in food, check out the Gift Guide to Baking Stuff for Kids + Teens and you may get a sweet treat in return. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

Kids Books About Artists

>> **Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, Disney Artist Extraordinaire** >>

>> **Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos** >>

>> **A Life Made by Hand: The Story of Ruth Asawa** >>

>> **Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat** >>

>> Fausto Gilberti has a whole series of ‘Wasn’t Sorry’ biographies about very cool artists, including **Banksy Graffitied Walls and Wasn’t Sorry** >>

>> **Sandy’s Circus: A Story About Alexander Calder** >>

>> If Monet Painted a Monster is part of **The Reimagined Masterpiece Series** that takes a ‘mundane’ object and shows it through the eyes of a ton of different artists’ unique styles >>

>> **Laurence Anholt’s Series** of books feature unique stories about famous artists, including Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail >>

>> Hokusai: He Saw the World in a Wave is part of the 8-book **What the Artist Saw Series** >>

>> **Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois** >>

>> Georgia O’Keeffe is one of the artists featured in the massive, awesome **Little People, Big Dreams** collection of books about influential people who have shaped our culture >>

>> **Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas** >>

>> **A Flash of Color & Light: A Biography of Dale Chihuly** >>

>> **Great Lives in Graphics: Frida Kahlo** >>

>> **Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing** >>

>> There are a whopping 30 artists featured in the **‘Meet the Artist’** series of books, from Mary Cassatt to Piet Mondrian to miniaturist Reza Abbasi >>

>> There are 8 books in the **‘Smart About Art’** series that feature artists through the eyes of fictional students studying them for a class project, including Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors >>

>> **Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art** >>

>> **Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends** >>

Kids Books About Creativity + Art Appreciation

>> **Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color** >>

>> **Miss Edmonia’s Class of Wildfires** won the Creative Magazine 2024 Book of the Year Award >>

>> **Maybe Something Beautiful: How Aer Transformed a Neighborhood** >>

>> **The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse** >>

Board Books About Artists + Art

>> 123s of Art is one of 6 books in **Sabrina Hahn’s Art & Concepts for Kids Series** >>

>> **100 First Words for Little Artists** >>

>> **This Little Artist: An Art History Primer** >>

>> **Artists** is part of the awesome Little People, Big Dreams Series >>

>> Sunday with Seurat is one of the 9 books in the Mini Masters Series >>

>> **Pop Art Baby!** is in English, Spanish, French and German >>

>> **Opposites with Frank Lloyd Wright** >>

things i love: stasher bags

January 22, 2025 by all aflutter in Gifts For...

I LOVE MY Stasher Bags for sooo many reasons besides 'just' lunch, they're awesome for organizing all kinds of things at home and on-the-go. They're earth-friendly, super pretty and make perfect gifts for teachers, teens, moms, minimalists, neighbors, yoga teachers and just about everyone else. So while I do use them for lunch on a daily basis, I rely on them for SO much more. Now you can stay super organized, too. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

STASHERS ARE endlessly useful reusable bags made from super durable food-grade platinum silicone, so there are no nasty chemicals to leach into your food. They’re super easy to clean [you can even dump them in the dishwasher] and come in a bunch super useful sizes. Plus they’re pretty and come in so many fun colors, making it easy to keep track of stuff. I couldn’t count how many plastic bags I’ve saved by using my Stashers instead [but the company can and it’s 5.5 BILLION so far]. And they’re so crazy durable, I’ve never had a single one damaged, stained or extra stinky [and you can totally recycle them if they do eventually get that way].

MY FAVORITE USES FOR STASHER BAGS BESIDES ‘JUST’ LUNCH…

SCHOOL: Ok, yes, I totally love them for school. I use a few Snack Bags each day in both boys’ lunches [sometimes a Sandwich Bag too]. They are sooo easy to clean and I feel great about not wasting a bunch of plastic bags. You can also use them for things that live in their backpacks all of the time like hand sanitizer, lip balm, braces wax or mints and they’ll be totally protected no matter what else is floating around in there [nope, don’t wanna know].

SUPPLEMENTS: I drag a Stand-Up Mini or Sandwich Stasher full of my morning necessities everywhere we travel. It’s a little ‘breakfast kit’ with my first-thing supplements + vitamins, tea bags and a few other things that I need to start my day right. Whether we wake up on the bank of a river or in a lux hotel, I just grab my little kit and I’m ready for brekkie.

ICE PACK: My son crashed his mountain bike on a trip a while back and I used a trusty Sandwich Bag as an ice pack to nurse his jacked-up knee. It doesn’t leak AT ALL as the ice melts and I just stuck it back into the freezer when he was done to re-freeze for the next session. Stasher to the rescue.

TOILETRIES: The Stand-Up Mid is THE perfect size, shape and volume for carry-on travel. It has a really nice wide opening and the gusseted bottom makes it super spacious for ALL the stuff. I use a Sandwich for my youngest because he basically just has a toothbrush and then I make him the designated mule for the meds we drag along when we travel by air.

L’IL COOLER: The Stand-Up Mid or Mega are perfect as mini coolers for keeping snacks, lunch or even just a cold drink nice and cool. Stashers aren’t insulated, so you can’t drag your makeshift cooler around for a long time if it’s hot, but it’s perfect for bringing to work or the pool or even to the trailhead so you can dream about that cold iced tea at the finish [um, yes, I have def done that]. Pop an ice pack in there and you’re set. You can also use it as an 'ice bucket’ for drinks while you’re entertaining.

BIG OL’ SNACK BAG: I use a Stand-Up Mega or 8-Cup Bowl for ALL the packaged snacks when we travel. I fill it up with bars, meat sticks, trail mix packs, fruit strips and anything else we might need to fuel up on-the-go. When we’re ready to gear up for skiing, hiking or biking, everyone just grabs what they need to jam in their pocket or pack and off we go. Being able to easily see what’s inside is huge. I also use Snack, Sandwich or smaller size Bowls for individual snacks on-the-go, like loose trail mix, fruit + veg, dry cereal, crackers, pretzels, etc. I love that the Bowls stand up on their own and open really wide, so they’re super easy to get into.

TRASH BAG: I mean, you always end up with empty wrappers, snotty tissues, dirty bandaids, orange peels + apple cores while you’re on the trail, in the car or at the beach. Just stuff it all into an empty Stasher and chuck it when you get to a trashcan. The bags can go right into the dishwasher, so don’t be shy.

FOOD PREP + STORAGE: Apparently you can cook ramen and pop popcorn in a Stasher, but I haven’t tried it yet. I DO know that they’re awesome for keeping veggies fresh, especially when we’re camping or traveling. I cut up carrots, wrap them in a damp paper towel and stuff them into a Sandwich or Half Gallon Bag.They’re all ready to eat and stay super fresh for days [no weird dry carrots here]. Same with greens, like Romaine, which I do even when I’m home.

DOG WATER: Stasher Bowls are perfect for doggie water on the go. Whether you bring an empty just for them or repurpose one when your snacks are devoured, the wide opening is perfect for hydrating your pup in a pinch. Then toss it in the dishwasher to get all that gooey slobber off.

RESTAURANT + TRAVEL TOYS: Throw a bunch of loose Plus Plus, Pix Brix or Legos into a Stasher and you’re ready for anything. Choose a size that’s manageable for you to carry around and that provides enough pieces to allow for creative play. You’ll always have instant entertainment on hand at restaurants, appointments or anywhere else you need to keep kids busy for a bit. Check out The Best Restaurant Toys for my other favorite toys to stuff in.

GIFTS, OF COURSE: I love gifting Stashers to teachers [or kiddos] for Back to School or any old time of the year. Seriously EVERYONE can use a Stasher [or like 40] so even if they already have one, you can’t go wrong. Stuff a few fun snacks, treats, mints or a fancy lip balm inside and you have an awesome little gift for just about anyone.

MORE IN… travel + adventure

Featured

gift guide: grandparents

gift guide: women

gift guide: men

gift guide: travel

super hero muffins

January 18, 2025 by all aflutter in Recipes

I LOVE TO bake, but I don’t always want the sweet tempting fruits of my labor starting me down on the kitchen counter. If I’m honest, will power is NOT my strongest suit [or even my 42nd strongest]. So I was thrilled when my friend Lisa at Joyful Balance introduced me to these Super Hero Muffins. They’re from the cookbook Rise & Run: Recipes, Rituals and Runs to Fuel Your Day and they may not be the prettiest, but they are SUPER delicious. They’re packed with protein, fiber and other good stuff to keep you nourished, perfect for a grab + go breakfast or after a workout. There are a bunch of different savory and sweet iterations of the recipe in the book and even this one has lots of room for modification to include the things you love - this is the version that I like, but you can swap out any nuts, seeds or fruit that you like. They’re a hit everywhere I bring them and a really nice alternative to sweet treats when you want to spoil someone who may not appreciate the temptation of a sugary snack. They’re GF and refined sugar-free, too. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo

INGREDIENTS

2 cups almond flour
1 cup rolled oats or quinoa flakes if GF [I’ve used both and they’re both perfect]
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds [can swap with chopped walnuts or other nuts you like]
1/2 cup chocolate chips [can swap with raisins or chopped dates]
3 eggs beaten
1 cup grated zucchini [about 1 whole zucchini unless it’s massive]
1 cup grated carrots [around 2 carrots]
6 tbsp unsalted butter melted [or dairy-free alternative]
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1 tps vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350
Line a muffin tin with muffin cups
In a large bowl combine the almond flour, oats or quinoa flakes, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, almonds and chocolate chips
In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, zucchini, carrots, butter, maple syrup and vanilla
Mix the dry and wet ingredients until just combined, the batter will be thick
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each to the brim
Bake until the muffins are nicely browned on top, around 25-35 minutes
Gobble them all up, share with a friend or freeze some for a busy day

love bomb

January 10, 2025 by all aflutter in Gifts For...

DID YOU guys participate in any ‘boo’-ing this Halloween? My boys loved it. They were thoroughly exhilarated by the whole condoned doorbell ditching part. We drove up all stealthy and they were just bundles of super nervous energy, telling me exactly where to stop the car so they could run as fast as possible to safety after pushing the bell. It was awesome. We had friends who even rocked Mission Impossible music to really get in the spirit. Plus the part where we made someone’s day (or night!) with a giant bucket of Halloween treats and fun. It was great. So we are DEF on board for the next phase, which is Valentine ‘Love Bombs.’

LOVE BOMBS are basically the same idea. You put together a super sweet bundle of Valentine treats and leave it at a friend’s door, pushing the bell and then running away so they’re left to wonder who loved on them. It’s like an old-school secret admirer type situation, but with less drama and fewer hurt feelings (at least in the elementary level crowd). I don’t think we actually stumped anyone at Halloween, but it’s still just good, clean and loving fun.

THERE AREN’T any rules for making a Love Bomb, just gather fun goodies, candies, favors or homemade treats and wrap them all up super cute for maximum excitement. I made these cutie love wands to tuck into ours. My son also made a bunch of origami hearts. He’s kind of obsessed. His awesome teacher taught him how, but you can learn too, from our hands-down FAVORiTE art tutorials, Art for Kids Hub.

I ROUNDED up some other ideas below for adorable loot to pop into your package, but the possibilities are really endless depending on your crowd. Then drop it on a special person’s door, ring the bell or knock hard and then DASH like cupid so you don’t get busted. That’s it. It’s such an easy way to bring some sunshine in the dead of winter. I’d love bomb ALL of you if I could. xo

SHOP FOR: Little Kids XO Big Kids XO Tweens + Teens XOXO

Little Kid Love Bomb Ideas

Big Kid Love Bomb Ideas

Tween + Teen Love Bomb Ideas

gifts for cozy nights in

January 06, 2025 by all aflutter in Gifts For...

I’VE ALWAYS been a bit of a homebody. I love to go traveling and adventuring, but then I’m always so happy to be home. I love a night out with friends as long as we’re home by like 9 pm. The older I get, the more I value that cozy time at home just chilling in my sweats, snuggling with my boys [especially in the colder months]. Maybe it’s because I know those nights in with my growing guys will become fewer and farther between and I want to savor each one. Or maybe it’s just because I’m really a true homebody at heart. In any case, if you love someone who loves to be cozy at home, too, I’ve rounded up a snuggly collection of things for both adults + kiddos that are perfect for a Cozy Night In. Whether it’s movie night with the kids or a date night with your sweetheart or an evening to yourself, there are ideas for keeping it super chill in your own home. For more cozy gift ideas, check out the Gift Guide to Blankets, too. GIFT A LITTLE HAPPINESS. xo