Summer Sun by Hannah, age 7

Lily and I enjoyed the perfect kick-off to summer break this week!

We gathered a few cousins (ages 5-10) and a bundle of art supplies, and created covers for cards for the Sanctuary of Hope family. Inside the cards are hand-written notes of prayer and encouragement from the Colorado Springs Country Support Team (CST) for Hope’s Promise Kenya. My little friends and I added a touch of color and whimsy to the notes. We hope our artwork will bring extra smiles to the recipients!

Here’s a glimpse into our fun creative time:

First the kids drew on meat trays with pens, which imprints the surface.

Next, we squirted water-based printmaking ink (about $4/tube at art supply stores) on a flat, non-permeable surface.

Then, depending on the age and ability of the artist, either I or they rolled a brayer (about $12 at art supply stores) in the ink, then across the design, covering evenly.

Finally, after the prints dried, I trimmed the edges, added different color accent papers, and glued to the cover of cards.

Let me know if you try this yourself! I’d love to see the results.