Kidzaw.com Master Kitz The Starry Night

This (last?) review of the TOS Review Crew 2018 year is a fun one! Kidzaw.com has put together some fabulous art kits for your young (or older) artist, inspired by the Masters. We were sent the Master Kitz The Starry Night, which, if you know your art titles, is obviously from Van Gogh. This made me very happy, as well as his older sister, who is an Art Ed major, and a fan of van Gogh. As a matter of fact, one of her major projects last year was a collage of the precursor to The Starry Night, and right now she is painting in oils a pair of old boots. So it's a lot of fun to have them both doing Van Gogh inspired projects at the same time, albeit 7+ hours apart. ;)

Van Gogh on the Left, Eldest on the Right for both pieces

If you visit the Kidzaw Website you will find more kits inspired by Klee, Kadinsky, Klimt, Monet, Rouge, and Hokusai. Each kit comes in a very nice, self-contained, magnet closure box, as you see here:

Inside this particular box, we found two pieces of deluxe art paper and a large Starry Night Cyprus Tree (Both rolled up, the stencil is green...) Washable (Yes! It comes off hands very well!) Blue, Black, and White Acrylic paint, 4 oil pastels (white, yellow, orange, and dark blue~ apparently the kit has been updated with a 5th, light blue pastel as well), low tack star sticker mask sheet, a Van Gogh texture roller, a sponge roller, instructions and a colorful information sheet. The Van Gogh roller has a protective covering on it when it arrives (as you see in my unboxing photo), but it has a nice texture to give the feel of Van Gogh's strokes. 

So, we are * almost done with this project~ There are a few steps involved, not the least of which is getting the paper and the stencil to lie flat (Paper is easy~ tape it down. The Stencil was a little more tricky, and after having it flat on the table overnight with the box and a few things stacked on top of it, we still needed to use tiny rolls of masking tape in strategic areas to get it to lie flat on the paper). I'll go over the process as we followed the included instructions. 

First, the star masks are placed on the upper half of the paper, then the entire paper is covered with Van Gogh strokes with the roller using blue paint, followed by a "cloudy" layer with white paint.
The star masks are removed, and when the paint is dry the stencil is laid down and the sponge roller is used to apply black paint.

After waiting for it to dry (It really is very fast-drying paint), the stencil is removed, and it is time to apply the oil pastels.

This is one of the places where we have figured out how we want to do things differently on the second piece of paper.
Probably do a blue sponge layer of paint first.
A darker layer with the Van Gogh roller of blue and black paint mixed across the top, but stopping more halfway, because we found the oil pastels didn't cover quite as well as we'd hoped.

And this is as far as we've gotten at this point. The pastels definitely take a little more concentration and time. I will say, that looking at this as a photo, from a distance, it looks much better than looking at it up close in person, which is often the way of impressionist art. :)

I am always a fan of well-done art kits that engage kids in the process and create an interest in the specific artist. Because of my Eldest's major, we do have a lot of discussion and exposure to art and artists, and Youngest was pleased to be doing something that coordinated with his big sister. I think this would be a fabulous gift to give to any aspiring young artist.

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: Kidzaw.com
• Product: Master Kitz The Starry Night
• Ages: ? with help, as young as 5, but even at 11, I was assisting some.
• Price: $29.99

You can visit Kidzaw on their social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Homeschool Review Crew and see what others had to say. As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool budget.

Blessings~

#hsreviews #art #homeschoolart #masterkitz

Adored: 365-day Devotional (Review and Giveaway)

Looking for a gift for your teen (13 - College) daughter, niece, granddaughter, friend that will offer a dose of daily spiritual uplift? I'm looking forward to sending this one back to PA with my daughter this January when she returns to college!

Adored: 365-day Devotional from Zondervan is a lovely book in shades of blue, white, and gold with (mostly) one verse devotionals written for young women of today. There are a variety of topics addressed~ some are more generally related to knowing and understanding more about God and His Love for them. Others include some that younger teens may be experiencing for the first time, like bullying and dealing with social media, while there are others that are still very applicable to older teens/college aged young women as they tackle friendships and dating.

This would be a lovely gift for any young lady in your life, and while it can be started any day of any year, the new year is always a good time to put devotional habits into practice!

List Price $14.99
Purchase at Christian Book Distributors
You can visit Zondervan's Adored Devotional page and receive a free 7-day download to get a feel for what is offered in the entire book.

You can also enter my giveaway for a free copy of Adored 365 Devotions for Young Women if you wait just a minute or the rafflecopter form to load.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings~

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

 #AdoredByGod #FlyBy

Less Messy Painting ~ Kwik Stix @ BJ's!!

You might remember a post this spring highlighting a no mess (or at least "great, less mess potential...") art product, Kwik Stix solid Tempera Paint. Well, I have some great news for my wholesale club shopping friends. Kwik Stix are now available at all BJ's Wholesale Clubs!

If you're looking for a cool new art supply for the school year, this could be it! Oh, and although it is somewhat marketed to the elementary crowd, just know that you'll probably be having fun with them yourself! :D You can (re)read my review from this spring to get an idea of what all can be done... (I think there is great potential for Popsicle stick painting and various lessons for the Prek/K crowd, too!). 

It's also a great idea to stash away for gifting! :)

I'm loving the new greater variety of colors, and can't wait to get started with some projects of our own (I'm holding off from officially starting school until the first full week after Labor Day, as usual). 

Blessings~

Lamplighter Publishing, The Secret Bridge (A Literary Review)

I have been familiar with Mark Hamby and Lamplighter Publishing  for a number of years, since I first heard him as a gripping keynote speaker at our state homeschool convention, so I was delighted to be chosen to review their newest title, The Secret Bridge by Amy Le Feuvre (originally published in 1899).

If you aren't familiar with Lamplighter Publishing, let me tell you just a little bit about them. The purpose of the company is to republish rare books from the 17th, 18th, and 19th century, with an eye to encouraging and building up people of Godly character. The books chosen for publication either illustrate characters who exhibit high moral standards, or are more cautionary tales of those who make wrong choices and suffer the consequences. The idea being that good stories will instill in their hearers/readers (whether children or adults) the desire to model their characters after the good characters of the heros/heroines of the stories.

Now~ a little bit about the physical qualities of Lamplighter Books. They are all beautifully bound, a this one is no exception! The cover catches your eye immediately, with its gilded title and embossed illustration.  I mentioned the "hand" of a book in a recent review, and the hand of this book is delightful, with a lovely smooth feel. Everyone who has seen it has been drawn to it immediately. The photo above really does not do it justice, and I'm sure mine won't either, but here are a few more shots, to try to give you an idea of the shine, detail, and texture: 

Finally~ because you can't judge a book by its cover, even if the cover is simply amazing, I will tell you a bit about the story itself. :)

Some of my favorite books were written by 19th Century authors, so I was immediately comfortable with the language and syntax of Amy Le Feuvre. Her main characters, Godfrey and Bridget come to life on the page immediately.

We learn that Bridget is the orphan of an English expat, who has returned to England to throw herself on the mercy of her uncle. She discovers that her uncle has passed away before her arrival, and she is left alone, with no money, family or friends (barring a friend made on her voyage home, one Godfrey Bullingham). Although she tries to find gainful employment and make it on her own, Godfrey steps in to save her from sure destitution.

Bridget and Godfrey strike up a correspondence when he is called to duty with the British Navy. I must note once again the care with which this volume was crafted~ with different fonts for each hand writing a letter. I love that attention to detail!

At the beginning of the story, neither Bridget nor Godfrey are close to God, but soon Bridget is brought into contact with a delightful character, Mr. Jocelyn. Although not exactly  a member of the clergy, he is certainly a minister of The Truth. He urges Bridget to "Acquaint thyself with Him" and gives her little Scriptural clues, rungs on a ladder to climb if you will, in her search for Truth.

One of the quotes that I mulled over for awhile comes when Bridget is speaking with Mr. Jocelyn as they walk in the same direction. He is a great naturalist, and enjoys explaining bits and pieces of his discoveries, interspersed with the words of The Creator. At the end of the walk, Bridget thanks Mr. Jocelyn:

"Thank you for what you have told me. You have interested me in more natural history this afternoon than I could ever have thought possible, and your other words--"
"They're not mine," he said abruptly, "and they're too costly to be treated lightly. The less said about them the better. Man's words will sometimes destroy their beauty, like the rough fingers of a schoolboy on a butterfly's wing. Thought is the only hand fit to touch them -- thought and prayer." (P114)

In today's world, where so many think they have the corner on what God means, and write multiple books explaining their view of God's truth, it might behoove us to take Mr. Jocelyn's advice, and simply go back to the original, the Word of God.

I won't tell you any more of the story, but will note that there is plenty of gentle mystery to keep the reader's interest while exploring the themes of faith, trust, and loyalty. This is the sort of literature that is truly a breath of fresh air when so much around us today is gritty and saturated with the pollution of the prevalent worldview.

Lamplighter Books would make excellent heirloom quality gifts for the reader in your life, and there are titles suitable for ages 6-11, 9-14, and 12-adult. They offer a book club and a number of different collections. There are even comprehension quizzes that can be purchased to go with each book if you so desire.
Lamplighter Publishing... Building Christlike Character, One Story At A Time.

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: Lamplighter Publishing 
• Product: The Secret Bridge
• Ages: 12- 99+ (publisher recommended age~ I added the plus ;) )
• Price: $28 

Visit Lamplighter Publishing on their social media pages:
Facebook, Twitter, and  Google+

Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Homeschool Review Crew and see what others had to say about this delightful volume.
As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool budget.

      Blessings~

#hsreviews #classicliterature #lamplighter

The Pencil Grip Inc. Thin Stix (Art supply review!) cool no-mess paints!

A couple of years ago I did a review for The Pencil Grip Inc. , reviewing their Kwik Stix Tempera Paint Sticks around Christmas time. We had a couple of fun projects we did with them, so if you didn't read that review, be sure to go check it out later. This spring the TOS Homeschool Review Crew has been sent their newest product to review, the Thin Stix 6pk of Classic Colors. As I mentioned in my first Kwik Stix review, the original product is reminiscent of a glue stick in shape and form. While a lot of fun to work with, they lacked the ability for adding finer detail, so I was delighted with the opportunity to check out their Thin Stix cousins.

One of the main benefits to the Kwik Stix line is that they truly are paint in an almost mess free form. No spills and drips, and they dry in 90 seconds (the only negative to that is if you are trying to blend two colors, you have to work FAST! :) ).

My college-aged daughter and I enjoyed playing with the new Thin Stix, and experimenting with a few things.

I used the original Kwik Stix to draw the outlines of the flower and the leaves, the thin stix to draw the detailed lines on the petals and the leaves, as well as the black "pointillism" center.

This picture was drawn almost exclusively with the thin stix~ I wonder if you can figure out where I used the thicker original Kwik Stix???

Here I was experimenting with layering~ Using the white Kwik Stix over the tree trunk on the top "vine" to see if it eliminated the transparency of the bottom two lines~ worked pretty well, don't you think?

My daughter drew these flowers mostly with the Thin Stix~ she ended up using the very edge of the original Kwik Stix to make the orange lines~ definitely much easier to use the Thin Stix overall.

My son used the Thin Stix for a project that I've been wanting him to try for a while, a
3-D hand picture. The Thin Stix were ideal for this project as the lines to fill in with color end up being pretty skinny. He enjoyed using the Stix for this instead of a marker or pencil, as the coverage makes it very nice to look at.

One other project that I did just a bit of was using the Thin Stix on large wooden popscicle sticks. We had seen the idea of making a "deck of cards" out of these as an easier way for smaller hands to hold a bunch of "cards" and still be able to see them all, for games like go fish, crazy eights, and more.

 

I think this would be a neat way to create some math "flash cards" as well, to practice basic operations. You could even decorate them and glue magnets on the back to give as gifts to moms and dads, grandparents and more.

Not So Nutty Nitty Gritty 

• Company: The Pencil Grip Inc. 
• Product: Thin Stix 6pk of Classic Colors 
• Ages: Clearly, I think this is a great product for all ages! :) 
• Price: $8.49 

You can visit The Pencil Grip Inc. on their social media pages: Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. 

Please click the banner below to visit the TOS Homeschool Review Crew and see what others had to say. As always, I hope that this review was useful to you as you choose where best to spend your homeschool budget.

Blessings~

#hsreviews   #MessFreeCreativity    #ThinStix

My Holy Bible for Girls, Journal Edition (Review)

Have you, your daughters, nieces, friends, cousins, mothers, aunts, etc. been intrigued by the current Bible Journaling trend?  I *love* that there is a trend out there concerning reading the Bible! How awesome is that?  Well, I was sent a lovely Journaling Bible for review, My Holy Bible for Girls, Journal Edition*, and I want to share some photos and my thoughts on this particular Edition (and suggest that it is for girls of all ages, not just the young'ns. :) ) 2025 UPDATE: It appears that this specific Bible is no longer readily available, but I did find one that is almost the same ~ changed the link to go to Amazon *affiliate link) 

The cover of this Bible is a sturdy turquoise hardcover with a lovely foil design, featuring gold, white and pink accents.

The spine is pretty, too! 

The attached pink elastic band holds the Bible closed when not in use (Which is helpful in protecting the spine of hardcover Bibles), and the turquoise passage marker ribbon helps to keep your place.

The text is the very readable NIV, and while not the version I use to memorize, a very good version for general Bible use/journaling. There are no additional printed notes or study aids, so this will become a personalized Bible with the addition of your notes and thoughts. 

The pages are thicker than the typical Bible, which allows them to hold up better to highlighting, underlining, note-taking and drawing. I will observe that you can still see the text through from the other side, so I wouldn't recommend using extremely bold coloring, unless you don't mind it showing through.

Each page has a nice wide, lightly lined column to use for writing notes, thoughts, or adding drawings to the passage. I particularly appreciate that the lines are not heavy or bold, so that if you wish to exercise your artistic abilities, the lines won't really detract from that.

Although my daughter had received a journaling Bible previously (I purchased it when there weren't many options out there, and I will add that it was the version she memorizes in), she very drawn to the sparkly cover with it's butterfly and doily-like decorations~ again, definitely not a "little girls" Bible only.

If you are contemplating using a Bible devotionally, and planning to add notes or artwork, this would not be a bad choice, and I think it would also make a lovely gift for someone, either as an encouragement or to mark a special occasion. Side note: this Bible comes with other cover options: pink, minty white, and purple, if the turquoise isn't quite what you're looking for. :)

Blessings~

Thank you to Handlebar Marketing for my review copy
*Amazon Affiliate link~ purchases through my link are appreciated, but not necessary. :)