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Winter Village Drawing Guide | Digital Download
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Northern Lights Winter Landscapes | Art Lesson | Digital Download
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Advanced Self-Portrait Guide / Digital Download
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Famous Artist Bundle
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The Real Me | Art Lesson | Digital Download
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Northern Lights Winter Landscapes | Art Lesson | Digital Download
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Folk Art | Lesson | Digital Download
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Delicious Desserts Oil Pastel Art Lesson || Cupcakes + Ice Cream Cones
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Autumn Landscape | Digital Mixed Media Elementary Art Lesson
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Crazy Hair Day | Art Lesson | Digital Download
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Printed Petals | Digital Art Lesson
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Famous Artist Bundle
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Famous Musicians Bundle | Digital Download
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Less Talky, More Arty – Digital Classroom Poster Download
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Artists Posters - Vol. 5 | Digital Download
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Elements of Art Posters // Digital Download
Discover the passion behind Art with Mrs. E!
Kaitlyn, an art educator with 15 years of experience, is dedicated to supporting teachers, students, and artists of all ages. Her mission is to help others unlock their creativity and gain confidence in their artistic abilities through high-quality digital resources and engaging lessons.
Advanced Self-Portrait Guide / Digital Download
Advanced Self-Portrait Guide / Digital Download
Drawing a realistic self portrait can be a daunting and sometimes difficult task for students, no matter what age they... Learn More
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Come Make Art With Me in Greece: My 2027 Sketchbook Retreats 🇬🇷
I still cannot quite believe I get to type this, but next summer I’m heading to Zakynthos, Greece for TWO weeks of art retreats! 🇬🇷🎨 After the first week of my Greece retreat filled so quickly, we decided to add a second set of dates, which means there are now two opportunities to join me: July 15–22, 2027July 22–29, 2027 Both retreats will take place on the beautiful Greek island of Zakynthos, where we’ll spend eight days and seven nights making art, exploring the island, eating incredible food, slowing waaaaay down, and hopefully remembering what it feels like to create simply because we love to. Your Turn to Create If you’re an art teacher, a creative, or simply someone who has spent a lot of time making things for everyone except yourself, you probably know how easy it is for your own creative practice to get pushed to the bottom of the list. There’s always something else that needs to be done. Work. Kids. Lesson plans. Laundry. Dinner. Emails. LIFE. And suddenly the sketchbook that you love so much has been sitting unopened for weeks. These retreats are an opportunity to change that for a little while. For one whole week, it’s your turn to create. Not because you need to make something amazing. Not because you need to turn it into a lesson plan, post it on Instagram, sell it, or even show it to anyone else. But simply because you deserve time to create, too. This Is an ART Retreat One of the things I’m most excited about with these Greece retreats is that they’re designed to be true artistic getaways. My previous retreats have combined travel and art, and I’ve loved those experiences SO much. But when I’ve talked to past travelers about their favorite memories, so many of them have come back to the same thing: The time we spent making art together. The late nights with our sketchbooks open. Art supplies and little treasures from the day scattered across the table. Sitting around talking and painting. Learning from each other. Laughing. Trying something new. Having the time and space to get completely lost in making something. So for Greece, I wanted more of THAT. Rather than trying to see and do everything possible, we’re going to go deep instead of wide. There will absolutely be opportunities to explore Zakynthos, but the heart of this trip is our creative practice. Our Home in Zakynthos Yall, this villa is dreamyyyyyy. We’ll spend the week at a private seaside villa in Zakynthos, complete with a pool, jacuzzi, terraces overlooking the Mediterranean and our very own spacious art studio. Yes. An art studio overlooking the Ionian Sea. We’ll also have a private chef preparing our meals each day, which means fewer logistics to worry about and more time to actually settle in, make art, relax, and enjoy being there. There will be plenty of time to paint, but there will ALSO be time to sit by the pool with a book, eat delicious Greek food, soak up the sunshine, talk with new friends, and simply enjoy being in one of the most beautiful places in the world. What Will We Make? SO. MUCH. ART. Our sketchbooks will be at the center of the week, and we’ll work with all sorts of mixed media: watercolor, gouache, colored pencils, markers, pens, collage, and whatever other materials you love using. We’ll pull inspiration from the things around us and explore subjects like still life, landscapes, architecture, figures, and observational drawing. But this retreat isn’t about teaching you how to make art exactly like mine. I want to help you develop your own sketchbook practice. We’ll experiment with ways to simplify what we see, loosen up, play with materials, get out of our own heads, and stop worrying quite so much about whether something is “good.” Some pages might become finished paintings. Some might be messy experiments. Some might be little collections of colors, words, ticket stubs, drawings, or memories from the day. It all counts because it's part of the process! We’ll Explore Greece, Too! As much as I could probably spend an entire week happily sitting at our villa with a sketchbook, we ARE in Greece after all! During each retreat, we’ll take four half-day adventures around Zakynthos, giving us a chance to experience more of the island and gather plenty of inspiration for our sketchbooks. Our excursions include exploring Zante Town, taking a boat trip to Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach, visiting an award-winning olive oil farm, and spending time at a Zakynthos horse farm. I love the idea of experiencing these places without feeling like we need to rush from one thing to the next. We can explore, notice, photograph, sketch, collect inspiration, and then bring all of those experiences back into the studio with us. But My Favorite Part? The People. As much as I love traveling and making art, the thing that has surprised me most about hosting art retreats is how meaningful the connections have become. There’s something really special about bringing together a small group of people who share this common thread. You might arrive knowing no one. But then you sit next to someone while painting. You eat dinner together. You stay up too late talking over open sketchbooks. You laugh about the painting that went completely sideways that afternoon. You encourage each other to try something new. And somewhere along the way, strangers start becoming friends. Some of the relationships I’ve made through these retreats mean more to me than I can really put into words, and getting to watch those connections happen between other people has become one of my absolute favorite parts of hosting them. Greece Art Retreat Details 🇬🇷 Where: Zakynthos, Greece🎨 Week One: July 15–22, 2027🎨 Week Two: July 22–29, 2027🏡 Length: 8 days / 7 nights👩🎨 Group size: Small-group retreat💵 Rooms start at $4,550 per person Your retreat includes accommodations, meals, excursions, local transportation, airport transfers at prearranged times, and all art instruction. Airfare, travel insurance, art materials, staff tips, and personal expenses are not included. I’m partnering with UpTrek for these retreats, so if you’re considering joining us, I highly recommend reading through their FAQs and all of the trip details before booking so you know exactly what to expect. Are You Coming to Greece With Me? 🇬🇷 If you’ve been craving time to reconnect with your creativity, fill some sketchbook pages, experience somewhere beautiful, meet other creative people, and give yourself permission to make art simply because you want to, I would absolutely LOVE to have you there. This isn't about being the “best” artist in the room. It’s not about making perfect sketchbook pages. And you definitely don’t need to arrive with everything figured out. Just come ready to make art, I'll take it from there. 💙 July 15–22, 2027:See retreat details + registration July 22–29, 2027:See retreat details + registration UpTrek FAQs:Read the FAQs before registering I hope to see what we create together in Greece!! xo,Kaitlyn 🇬🇷💙
Learn moreHow to Make a Monet Inspired Bridge + Pond for Your Next Art Show 🪷
Discover how to transform your classroom into a Monet-inspired garden with a DIY Japanese bridge and pond, perfect for engaging art show displays.
Learn moreHow to Make Festive Foil Embossed Ornaments
There’s just something about the holiday season that makes me want to gather with friends, sip something warm, and make something creative together. If you’re looking for an activity that’s equal parts cozy and beautiful, embossed foil decorations are it! These little gems look elegant and shiny, but here’s the best part- they’re so simple to make. No fancy tools or artistic background required, just a little bit of craft foil, a pencil, and some imagination! Not to mention, they're incredibly addicting to make :) What is Foil Embossing? Embossing is the process of pressing designs into a surface so they stand out in relief. With craft foil, you can trace or draw a design, and the lines stay permanently raised. Unlike kitchen foil, these sheets are thicker and sturdier, so they won’t rip or crinkle back. Think of them as the “sweet spot”, thin enough to cut with scissors, but strong enough to hold beautiful details. That shiny finish catches the light just right, making your leaves, acorns, and mushrooms shimmer like little treasures. Supplies You’ll Need (Note: This post contains a few affiliate links—if you choose to shop through them, I may earn a tiny commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support me in creating more projects to share with you, so thank you!) Copper Craft foil- .003" (look for foil made for embossing or “metal tooling foil”) Embossing tools or a dull pencil/ craft stick Scissors Crafting wire Foam pad or stack of paper to emboss on Folk Art Idea Sheet Optional: Ribbons for decorating or hanging Step-by-Step Instructions Draw your Folk Animal Design Choose a simple animal shape: rabbit, bird, deer, fox, or other simple animal or object. Sketch the outline of the animal on a piece of paper that's the same size as your metal square ( 5" x 5" or so). If you want to skip the drawing of your own animal all together- you can actually just cut out one of the illustrations in my Idea Sheet to just trace! 2. Trace or Draw Tape your drawing or image to the metal foil. Use a pencil or embossing tool to press lines and details into the foil. Don’t worry about perfection—the texture is what makes these special. Be sure to put a stack of papers, or even a dish cloth under the foil. This will allow the foil to "give" a bit when you press down. 3. Emboss the Foil on front and back. Remove the paper and use your embossing tools to really push the lines in both on the front, and on the back. Embossing is when your design pops up and stands out. Debossing is when it sinks in, almost like a carved impression. You can really have fun using larger embossing tools to push large areas out and then use smaller tools to draw small lines and patterns. 4. Cut It Out Once you’re happy with the design, carefully cut around the shape with scissors. 5. Add Finishing Touches (Optional) Poke a small hole at the top with a push pin or hole punch and string copper wire or ribbon through to turn your foil pieces into seasonal garland. Ideas for Using Your Foil Decorations Create ornaments for your Christmas tree Use as gift tags to add a handmade touch. String several together to make a garland for your mantel. Add to cards, collages, or even frame them as mini artwork. Crafting is ALWAYS Better Together :) One of my favorite parts about this project is that it’s so social. Because the process is relaxing and repetitive, it’s perfect for doing while chatting. Set a pile of foil sheets on the table at your next book club, pour some cider, and watch the creativity unfold. Everyone goes home with a handful of shiny fall keepsakes—and a memory of the time you spent together. Embossed foil fall decorations are the perfect mix of simple, affordable, and stunning. Whether you’re crafting with friends, your kids, or just enjoying some solo creative time, they’ll bring a touch of shimmer to your season. If you'd like to check out my tutorial on Talk Pittsburgh, just click the video link below! Looking for more Winter themed art lessons and ideas?? Check out my blog all about how to make an easy Winter Village with your students, or how to paint your windows for the season! Or how about my most popular art lesson- the Northern Lights Lesson! So many fun possibilities this winter! Have fun!
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