Family Sketchbook

         Our family likes to draw- I mean we really like to draw! With the darker- rainier days that are upon us we have been drawing a tonne- at one point we had so many pages of computer paper with half started drawings floating around the apartment that we actually ran out of paper to print things out on! Which is just silly when Mommy works in an art supply store- so we started the Family Sketchbook.

       The Family Sketchbook sits out on the dining room table- a jar of pencils and pens conveniently located along side for spontaneous creativity. Anything goes in this book of ours- you can start a fresh page or add onto an old drawing- it is the sketchbook for all. These Littles of ours have such an amazing imagination that we wanted to provide an outlet for all the colours and imaginary folks swirling round their brains- it is such a pleasure to watch it all come out the end of a pencil and alive on the page.

       Can I just say- that while we enjoy our fair amount of screen time it's good to unplug- to unwind with something that does not require batteries or a plug. Drawing together as a family brings peace to our home in a way that no amount of video games ever will- there is very little frustration with drawing because there are no mistakes- no levels failed- no game over. In the midst of a busy school year I find it equally important to give my kids a win at something they are good at- drawing provides that outlet- no way to get in trouble with drawing.

     The Family Sketchbook really does bring us together as a collective family unit- often a theme or tone is struck and it sends our entire family off on a tangent- for example recently we were drawing sea animals- which meant we also needed to hear how they sounded- look up (in a book) all the different types of dolphins and then go to the Vancouver Aquarium to draw them in real life. Drawing engages us all at every age level- drawing soothes the soul and right now it's just what we need.