Since we moved just last month from south Florida to north Florida, things have been a little hectic around here. We have spent a lot of time unpacking, setting up our home, taking care of all of the registrations for our community, getting to know the local businesses, and joining a gym. This past Sunday, it was time to slow down and enjoy some time with my favorite girl. How did we do that? We took a family class together at Painting with a Twist in Gainesville. Let me tell you all about it!
Learn more about Painting with a Twist here!
I’ve seen these painting classes advertised for some time, but I never tried one. In part because I didn’t realize it would be such a fun mother-daughter activity. For just $25 each, we received all of the supplies {canvas, paint, brushes, easel} to complete our own awesome paintings and instruction from one of their staff members. Our instructor began by going through the basic rules, with helpful tips to complete our paintings.
She modeled each step of the painting, with periods of time to work on our own projects. As we were working, she walked through the room to provide feedback and assistance. Lydia decided she wanted to background of her painting to be light blue, so she received help mixing the color. Also, check out Lydia’s pretend “artist” glasses. She’s so cute!
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We “sketched” the basic design using light yellow paint. This is easy to paint over, so it makes sense to get started that way. We were encouraged to paint the edges of our canvas as well to give the painting a completed look. It was fun to watch Lydia interpret the painting in her own way. She added unique touches and even changed the provided phrase from “Love Grows Here” to “Let’s Grow”.
It’s very rare that I get to work on my own creative project, so it was nice to focus on my work as well. I changed the background color from blue to a maroon-type color toward the edges that lightened a little as it went toward the heart-shaped flower. Oh, did I mention one of the coolest parts? You can bring your own snacks and beverages to enjoy while painting. I picked up some food on the way that Lydia and I shared as we worked side-by-side. We also put on cute headbands that were placed on our easels when we arrived.
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Our instructor showed us how to add the final touches to our painting. She even passed around some shimmery gold paint that Lydia added to her project. When everyone was finished painting {the class is a total of two hours}, we all stood on stage and took a group photograph holding our works of art next to the original. Lydia and I asked for an extra photo of just the two of us. How’d we do?
I love how each of our paintings shows off our unique aesthetic. I hung them together in my office so I can look at them while I work. I’m not sure if this will be their final location once we complete our home renovations, but I think they work well there for now.
What fun ways are you bonding with your kids this summer?
Have you visited Painting with a Twist?
Outside painting surfaces are set up by cleaning and scratching on a case by case basis. Top notch paint is then applied when the surface is dry and no downpour is normal in the following 24 hours. Inside painting surfaces are washed and scratched depending on the situation. Predominant latex paint is then brushed or moved on to dividers and roofs making your home look new once more.