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How to art journal as a busy mom
As a mom and an artist I know how hard it can be to find some time to sit down and do something for you. Art journaling is a super amazing way to both boost that God given creativity that is sitting inside your mind, and soul, while also being a darn good way to de-stress. So, how to you do it? My biggest concern as a mom is that I never want my baby girl to feel ignored. She’s only going to be little for a short time, then she’ll turn into a teenage who may or may not want to hang with her goofy mama. So balancing playtime and attention time for her and art journaling time for me is something I had to find a way to achieve. If you have never started an art journal you can read my tutorial here.
Making time for your art is essential
There’s also another reason why it’s so important for you to be making time for the art you love. You are teaching your child the value of doing what you love. My mother spent loads of time with me, she was phenomenal growing up. She also spent a lot of time with her piano. She made time for it, she spent money on it. My mom set the example of following your passions and making them a priority. Your children need to see that the things they love, be it art, music, or something else is worthy of their time. There are people who will come along and try to undermine it, dream stealers, time wasters, naysayers. Don’t let those negative people have any room to talk. I know I’ve followed my art because of the example my mother set. It won’t always be easy, but I have a motto: nothing worthwhile is easy. If you don’t teach your child what they love is valuable and worth their time someone else may teach them a lesson that it’s not.
There are several ways to do art journal consistently as a mom
Benefits of art journaling for mom
- It allows you to get that pent up creativity out of yourself and onto paper. Stimulates the creativity and lets you know you’re still an artist even if you’re not selling art and don’t have some mad crazy following on Instagram.
- Art journaling keep your skill strong. You never know what opportunities life is going to throw at you. However, being prepared puts you one step ahead of the game. Perhaps you will sell your art, or teach or collaborate. Keeping your skill string keeps you prepared.
- You are setting an example for your child. Showing your child how important art is and how important it do things that matter to you. You want your child doing the things they enjoy, embracing hobbies and talents.
- It’s therapeutic and great for de-stressing. There are so many things that can stress out a mama. I used to get so much unwanted advice. I’d try to be polite and just say, “oh” or “uh-huh” but these people needed to take it to the next level. That drives me nuts. Sometimes it’s the darn kitchen that just won’t stay clean that’s a big stressor, or you’re feeling worn out and your baby is a little fussy and the loud car with annoying music keeps waking up your little one. Whatever it is in life and it’s usually many things, taking time to play in an art journal take your mind away from all that mess. It lets you play. It’s let’s you look at pretty colors and stirs the imagination. It’s a private time for you to create, listen to music, enjoy a cup of coffee or tea. It also gives you that glorious feeling of accomplishment when you’re done.
So, let’s look at some ways you can consistently art journal as a busy mom
Involve your child
Depending on how old your little one is, you can set up some finger paints and a large pad of paper so they can get creative, also.
Have you seen the picture of the toddlers sitting with pizza boxes propped up to look like easels? It’s adorable and they all have some paint and a brush and are busy making happy baby marks in their pizza box.
You ALWAYS want to make sure the paint you use for your child is child-safe. That its non-toxic and won’t damage their eyes. I’m pretty anal at making sure anything that’ll make a mess won’t cause any physical harm to my daughter.
You can usually remove any spilled paint from your rugs with a sponge or your average household carpet cleaner. I know this from experience.
Nobody says you have to art journal at a desk or table, there is nothing wrong on sitting on the floor our outside with your child and art journaling together.
How I art journal with my child
This easel does not come with paint or brushes. It does come with the cups that sit in the easel. I bought Crayola washable kids paint and Crayola Big Paint Brushes.
It can be easily set up on the kitchen table. I bought a small playable for my daughter and have the table next to my art table. It’s a pretty good setup. When I sit down to art journal I fill up her paints make sure the paper roll (which is included with the easel) has fresh paint and we paint together. This is actually a lot of fun. She loves making art with momma and I love seeing her creativity blossom while I’m also having fun making art. This is the epitome of a win-win solution.
Art journaling with your child is boosts their creativity and is great for the brain. Allowing early creative play will boost their problem solving skills and boost their development. It’s also a fun way to get some bonding time it.
Create pre-prepped journal kits for you and your child/children
I love to make collage. It is a huge part of my art journaling. My daughter also loves to make collages. This is a fun activity that both you and your children can do. I pre-make journaling kits with collage papers for me and my daughter. I bought some extra journals on sale once all the back to school supplies were discounted. When I sit down to journal I let my daughter have one of the fun journals I got on sale and I take out my art journal. I have some art crayons for me and regular crayons for her. You can also grab marker and pencils as well. I also bought a couple of non-toxic glue sticks.
When we sit down she has lots of fun gluing her collage papers in her journal just like me. I add some details with crayons and markers and let her do the same. This is a great no mess way to journal with you child. If you want you can add gesso and paint. Again, make sure you supervise you child and insure your art supplies are non-toxic.
Getting up Early or Staying up late to art
I’ve done some art challenges. The most recent being Mermay. I was determined not to miss one day. I’m also not the fastest person at creating art. I found myself staying up late, getting up early and getting all the prompts done. The month before the challenge I did not get that much art done. The point is, when I had a goal, I managed to do it.
You can get up early and it’s not that bad. The book, The Creative Habit by famed ballerina an choreographer Twyla Tharp is what really inspired my early morning motivation. She speaks on her dedication to creating a routine to keep her creative life on track. She wakes up and hits the gym everyday at 5am. To her, the routine is part of the process. Once you have a routine and you stick to it you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.
Why Mornings are a good time to art journal
There is something about the morning peace and quiet that is soothing. I’m not saying you have to get up early every morning. You may already have a super early routine. Getting up a little extra early is an option. I didn’t realize how much I’d like it until I started doing it.
Starting your day alone creating sets up the rest of your day to be in a creative mindset. You have taken time for yourself and, hopefully, de-stressed so you can go about your day in a better mood.
Tips to make art journaling in the morning easier:
Have a designated space set up for art journaling. You can read my post about creating a home art studio even if you don’t have much space or money here.
Be organized. I don’t know how many times I’ve wasted my time because I couldn’t find my art supplies. Having some sort of organization will save you time and anxiety!
Have a special routine. Getting up, making coffee, turning in your favorite playlist, making things consistent and routine can take a lot of the work out of the process and make you happier.
Don’t stress. If you don’t get up early enough don’t sweat it, there’s always tomorrow.
Stay Up Late
Moms all over the world stay up late to do what they can’t during the day. Sometimes, we as moms need to make sure that the stuff we are taking care of is us!
Sometimes the night hours can be the most calming. You’re alone with the world asleep. You can get lost in your own world.
Play dates and Relatives
I’m a single mom, so most of my help comes from my amazing family. If you have friends, especially friends with children, you can have them over and art journal together. Make a party out of it, perhaps it can even turn into a wonderful weekly event. Your children will have fun playing with friends and so will you!
Saying No to extra work and favors
I’ve had bosses who always came to me when they needed extra work done, side projects, and so on. I learned how to say no. I’ve had to say not to neighbors and pushy friends. There is also a breed of person I call “time-stealers.” At first, they seem sincere. They may need a shoulder to cry on, they need to talk. However, soon you find that they have issues like most people have bowl movements. They create their own drama and hey live to get other sucked in. Don’t let time stealers get their hooks in you.
Set boundaries with work, friends, and even family. If you’re a door mat your child will see this. I’m not saying be a selfish hermit. I’m saying have balance with your life and don’t let others through unnecessary baggage at you.
Let the laundry sit an extra hour
Sometimes you have to let the house work be the second priority. My ideal would be to have my house so tidy that it never takes long to get back in order. I adore Marie Kondo. However, I have yet to master the art of Tidying Up to her degree. So, sometimes, for instance as I wrote this, the laundry sits on a pile on the floor so I can can be creative and focus on me.
It’s okay, the world will not end. I read somewhere that some man judges people when he drops by their house and it’s a mess. Yes, being organized is ideal and really helps you live a better life. However, life is not always ideal. Things happen. I was up from 1am to 6am last night. However, I still managed to art journal. I’ll clean once I’ve finished this article and had some coffee.
Being a busy mom means there won’t always be that silver bullet fix to get everything accomplished. It means just working to be organized and also prioritizing your needs. Art journaling and being creative is a need. Don’t let anyone shame you for that.
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Never Stop Making Art
Art journaling as a busy mom may not always be easy, however, nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Keep making art, don’t let the bad days get you down. Feel free to jump over to my Facebook group. You can share your art your struggles and have someone to listen to you. Hope to see you there!
How to Art Journal as a Busy Mom
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