Guy Crafter's BLANK Bead Pattern Journal

My kids have long been fascinated by Perler beads. In the beginning, they tried some of the patterns that come with the beads. But it wasn't long before they were bored with them and their own imaginations took over. Their beadcraft was influenced by everything they loved: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, How to Train Your Dragon, animals, airplanes, Minecraft, and so much more. That's why we needed a blank bead pattern journal to record all of their unique patterns.

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Although my daughter enjoyed creating designs with these fusible beads, it was really my son who took everything to the next level. He wasn't content with the flat patterns he found in books. And before I knew it, he was creating 3-D figures that required snapping or hot-gluing separate pieces together.

Bead Pattern Journal

And I can't help but think that the time he spent just letting his imagination go to design and assemble these pieces was extremely valuable. So when he said he wished that he had documented his personal patterns somewhere, we decided to make it a reality and create our own Blank Bead Pattern Journal. Mainly because the blank books already out there, really didn't have all the spaces necessary for him to properly record his patterns.

He wanted space to indicate how many boards were needed for the pattern and which board the design currently showed. He wanted space for notes or instructions especially for those patterns that required multiple boards and/or assembly. And he wanted to be able to lay his board directly over the pattern and have it fit perfectly so that he could create the bead craft quickly and accurately.

Do you have a young artist like this? One who takes what they've learned and creates something unique and complicated of their own? Do you have a kid crazy about Perler beads and beadcraft?

Then check out my son's first book. Guy Crafter's BLANK Bead Pattern Book is tailored with the serious bead crafter in mind.

And with some prodding, I've convinced him to start working on his own pattern book, too.

New PBS KIDS Show Helps Nurture Creativity in Preschoolers

When my kids were little, being creative was easy. All I had to do was keep my art cabinet stocked full of basic goodies: drawing paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils, rulers, glitter, pipe cleaners, scissors, glue... yada-yada. My house was full of art, inventions, crafts, and such.

But I've noticed that as they grew, these items were used less and less. Today, I usually have to give my kids specific projects to get them to ask for art materials.

According to some information from PBS KIDS that I read, creativity "defines our ability to be successful in the workplace, solve complex problems, enhance our socio-emotional skills, and craft several stories a day." The first workplace spaces that popped into my mind were PR firms, graphic design studios, and publishing houses. But if you really, really think about it, pretty much EVERY workspace benefits from employees who can solve complex problems and be creative in their day-to-day work.

The same information sheet said that "kids lose their creativity as they age." And that "the creativity scores of American children have consistently cropped every year for the last 28 years." How sad is that? And how do I stop that from happening with my own kids?

I think, that with my older two, I'm still motivating them to be creative with various projects and art class. My son also has a room FULL of LEGOS and spends lots of time creating his own masterpieces.

But now I have a little baby and I am giving this whole issue more thought. Starting when your kids are young is important. Do you nurture your preschooler/elementary child's creativity?

PBS KIDS is thinking about this issue, too. And tomorrow, Monday, February 19th, they are launching their first series dedicated entirely to the arts and creativity: PINKALICIOUS & PETERRIFIC! Based on the best-selling book series by Victoria Kann, the show follows the adventures of Pinkalicious, her brother Peter, and their neighborhood friends. It focuses on encouraging its young viewers to engage in the creative arts and self-expression.

Pinkalicious is an artist at heart who imagines creative possibilities everywhere she looks. The show is designed to help your preschooler explore the arts with:

• Creative Problem Solving: the characters model creative problem solving and the power of teamwork.
  
• Everyday/Everywhere Art: Art and beauty can be found in everyday objects and in every moment throughout the day.
  
• Community Through Art: The arts help define communities, connect neighborhoods, and help us learn about each other and the larger world.
  
• Communicating Through Art: Artistic activities contribute to learning skills, helping children communicated thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

I think that as a society, we are starved for creativity. You can see evidence of it in the explosion of adult coloring books, the zentangle craze, and the renewed interest in needlework. Just walk into any bookstore and you'll see arts and crafts books in the entryway prominently displayed.

I see it in myself all the time now. When I was younger, I happily flitted from one creative project to the next. But over the last 15 years or so, I became so focused on mothering, I forgot about my own creative needs. That's why I love creating printables so much now. And I want to help my kids nurture their own creative spirits and not get lost like I was for years.

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Four Ways You Can Nurture Your Child's Creativity

1. Draw: Research indicates a connection between seemingly distracted scribbling and greater info retention and creativity.
   
2. Mold: Making things with your hands is a large part of finding your flow, and flow is highly correlated with happiness!
   
3. Look: Changing your perspective to see in a different light can lead to new ideas (try the rose-colored glasses!)
   
4. Play: Music can create happiness, which can broaden your mindset and enhance your desire to explore

So if you have a preschooler, be sure to check out the new PBS KIDS show, PINKALICIOUS & PETERRIFIC tomorrow, Monday, February 19th, on your local PBS station!


Disclosure: I am a PBS VIP. I received information about the new show and the products shown above for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.