Inside: Celebrate Mother’s Day by making these Mother’s Day Cards with Pointillism.
It’s almost time for the best holiday of the year…Mother’s Day.
Who am I kidding? Mother’s Day is often a little hit or miss for us moms.
One year my 1-year-old daughter was in the hospital with RSV on Mother’s Day.
One year my hubby was at a bachelor’s party on Mother’s Day.
One year I had the flu on Mother’s Day and spent the day with a high fever.
You win some, you lose some.
So for my special day, I stack my Mother’s Day.
I specifically ask for what I want… usually a Starbucks cappuccino, a croissant, and some alone time (preferably at a spa).
I have been known to buy a gift for myself…I actually just bought myself a present today.
And if I want my kids to make me a sweet craft, I have to put the materials right in front of them and show them what to do.
I have to say, “Here sweetheart. Make Mama a gift.”
Last year, I had them write me a poem for Mother’s Day.
And this year, I gave them this Mother’s Day Pointilillism art project to make me. And then I had them make one for my mom too.
What is Pointillism Art?
When I was in college and took the mandated Art History courses, I discovered and then fell in love with Pointillism.
Maybe it’s because it reminded me of those Hidden Magic Eye Puzzles from the 90s.
My professor showed us a tiny, zoomed-in piece of art and all we saw was dots.
Little tiny dots.
Then he zoomed it out to the gloriousness that is A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
And once I saw the painting hanging in the Art Insitute of Chicago, I was sold.
The tiny dots that magically turn into gorgeous art is mesmerizing.
I ran across the street from the museum and bought my tiny daughter the board book, Sunday With Seurat
And when my kids were older, we graduated to these kid-friendly art history books on Seurat.
This awesome YouTube Video of Art with Mati and Dada and Seurat is a great way to further explain Pointillism to our kids.
If you have younger kids who don’t have the fine motor skills for Q-tips, get them these Dot a Dot Art Markers and they can create their own art.
And since Mother’s Day is a special holiday and I love Pointillism, we connected that holiday with art projects our kids can make for our mothers and for us.
Want more books to connect to this art project?
Here are our favorite Mothers’ Day (and Grandma’s Day) books:
Pinkalicious Mother’s Day Surprise
Supplies Needed to Make Mother’s Day Cards with Pointillism
- white cardstock paper or small canvas
- Q-tips
- acrylic paint (tempra paint is fine for the cardstock paper)
- pencil
How to Make Mother’s Day Cards Art with Pointillism
If you are using acrylic paint, let your kids know it’s “forever paint” for clothes.
And remind your kids not to smear the paint by using the Q-tip like a paintbrush. Instead, show them how they can make tiny dots close together to make it appear like a line was formed.
1. On the cardstock or canvas, lightly draw a message to mom or grandma. You want to write the letters lightly so the paint can cover the line.
You might need to help them so the letters are large enough for the dots to appear.
If you paint these on cardstock, they will make a perfect gift. If you paint them on canvas, they can be their own gift.
2. Use the paint to dot the letters they wrote.
3. Your kids can pick their favorite colors to use or Mom’s or Grandmas’ favorite colors.
4. Let them dry before you write on the inside of the card.
5. If they want, they can decorate the edges of the card or canvas.
This Mother’s Day, I’m sure it’ll be better than my past Mother’s Days sick in bed, solo parenting, or in the hospital worried about my baby.
Plus, I’ll get a handmade card from my kids.
Which is what I really, really want for Mother’s Day.
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