Jen Parr

Today, I’m super excited to guide you through the process of neurographic art—a creative technique that’s not just about making something visually appealing, but about tapping into your emotions, thoughts, and connections within your brain. It's a technique that anyone—but especially those of us who are neurodivergent—can use to channel our thoughts and emotions onto paper (or screen) in a way that's cathartic, mindful, and beautiful. Neurographic art is about creating neural-like connections with your mind, but through your hands. You’ll be letting your brain’s pathways flow, and watching your inner world transform into a piece of art. It’s meditative, it’s reflective, and it’s all about letting go of perfection while embracing personal expression. Ready? Let's dive in! Materials You'll Need: • Paper or a digital canvas (up to you!) • Fine-tip markers/pens (or brushes if you’re feeling traditional) • Ruler (optional, if you want some structure) • Coloring tools: Colored pencils, markers, or digital color tools (you choose!) • Optional: Some reflective music to vibe with the process (because we all need that calm energy, right?) Step-by-Step: Step 1: Start with Flowing Lines Grab your pen (or stylus if digital) and just let your hand flow freely on the paper. Start drawing random, wavy lines—no pressure to make them perfect. This is all about what feels natural to you. These lines are your brain’s “neural pathways” in the moment—just pure, unfiltered thought in motion. Let your mind wander as your hand moves. Think of it as a dance between mind and paper! Step 2: Connect the Dots (Literally!) Now that you’ve got some flowing lines, let’s start connecting them. Use curvy, smooth lines to link different parts of your drawing. Don’t worry about perfection; focus on keeping the flow relaxed. This part is all about bringing structure to the randomness—making connections, both visually and metaphorically. How do your lines feel when they come together? Calm, chaotic, fluid? Step 3: Soften the Angles When your lines cross, you’ll notice sharp angles where they meet. Here’s where the magic happens: Round them off. You’re softening the edges and bringing balance into the picture. This represents the calming effect of making sense of chaos—softening tension, literally and figuratively. As you round the intersections, think of it as giving yourself space to breathe. Step 4: Add Color to Your World Now the fun begins: color. Your color choices are a reflection of what’s going on inside, so don’t overthink it! Maybe you want soft blues and greens to calm your mind, or bright reds and yellows to energize your thoughts. As you color each section, ask yourself: How does this make me feel? The act of coloring these sections is almost like giving different parts of yourself a voice. Step 5: Reflect & Meditate Here’s where we really slow down. As you color, take a few deep breaths and check in with yourself. How are you feeling? What’s popping up for you while you create? Does a specific part of your art resonate with a feeling or memory? This step is about grounding yourself in the moment, while the art helps you process emotions. It’s not just about what you make—it’s about how it makes you feel. Step 6: Personalize Your Art Want to add a little more depth? You can include symbols, shapes, or words that reflect something personal for you. Maybe you’re feeling overwhelmed and need to add something that calms you—like a little heart or a peaceful symbol. This is where you can make the piece uniquely yours. Let your intuition guide you. Neurographic art isn’t about creating a "perfect" piece. It’s about creating your story through lines, shapes, and colors. It’s about processing thoughts and emotions while being in a state of mindfulness. You have the power to connect your mind and creativity in a way that’s both personal and powerful. If you’re up for it, share your neurographic art in the forum! I’d love to hear about the process for you—what came up as you created? Did you discover something new about yourself along the way?

Start by lightly wetting the canvas and then use lightest colors first and work to dark. 1. Use the emerald green to lay in the moonlight on the horizon and water. 2. Use the blue to lay in the sky and water while the green acrylic color is still wet for easier blending. 3. Bring in more shadows by brushing the medium brush side to side with more blue paint. 4. Work from the outer edge of the canvas in to keep the lightest colors in the center. 5. Use a smaller brush to draw in the silhouette of the palm trees and land masses. 6. Use a small brush with white to add details around the land and on the palm trees for highlights. 7. You can use a little yellow and green for highlights and grass. 8. Use a wet brush with white paint to splatter in some stars on the sky.

Supplies • Paper mache cone • Christmas pom poms • Star topper • Glue • Foam brush Step One Start by separating out your pom poms by color and size. Then cut off the tip of the cone just enough to be able to fit the base of the star into the cone. You can use a bit of glue to secure the star, but it isn’t necessarily needed. Note: The star does have pointy ends. Be cautious when allowing young children to handle the star. You can use a tinsel pom pom in place of the star if needed. Step Two Using your foam brush, dip it in the mod podge glue and paint a little on the cone. Place a pom pom on the glue and hold in place for approximately 20 seconds. Start with the largest pom poms on the bottom and use the smallest at the top. You now have a fun and colorful Christmas decoration that your child can say they helped make!

Supplies • Wood Lace Fan • 1st paint color (metallic teal) • 2nd paint color (metallic silver) • paint brush Prepare Your Space Be sure to cover your table or workspace with newspaper to make clean up easy. Step One Pour out a generous amount of your first color. In our example, we’ve chosen to use a metallic teal. Using a medium to large size brush, dip the bristles in the paint and start working from the bottom of the fan towards the middle. As you near the middle of the fan and the paint is starting to dry, dry brush your strokes upwards so a little bit of color extends past the middle. Be sure to gently lift the wood fan bones and paint underneath to completely cover the fan. Don’t forget the other side as well! Step Two Allow the first paint color to dry for about 15 minutes. Use the same paint brush and don’t rinse out the first color. Pour out the second color (we used metallic silver) and paint the new color on the fan, bringing it into the first color. Let the paint thoroughly dry before attempting to close the fan. Now you have a stunning ombre gradient fan to show off! For a final touch, you can add a ribbon and charm as well.

Boho Dreamcatcher Kit Tutorial Step One: Start by removing the inner hoop from the outer hoop and placing the doily in the center of the hoop. Prepare the natural jute by unrolling a few feet. Step Two: Weave the jute through the ends of the doily, bringing it back around the hoop and then back to the doily until you’ve made it completely around the hoop. Be sure to keep the doily center. Step Three: Place the outer hoop back on top of the other. Use the wired jute to wrap around the entire hoop. Be sure to leave a little bit of space as you go. You’ll use the entire roll. Step Four: Measure out 36 inches of the colored jute. Fold in half and then loop the jute through itself onto the hoop. Continue adding jute to your liking. Step Five: You can also braid some of the jute for interest. Step Six: Add the feathers. We added ours to the three braided sections. Step Seven: Add a piece of the natural jute to the top and tie a knot after you’ve added three beads. Step Eight: Cut jute at an angle keeping the center the longest. You’ve now made a dream catcher!

Here is a tutorial for a simple and fun craft project that you can do at home with just a few materials: Materials needed: • Scissors • Glue or glue stick • Construction paper (in different colors) • Pen or pencil Instructions: 1. Cut out various shapes from the construction paper. You can use circles, squares, triangles, or any other shapes you like. You can also use different colors of paper for added variety. 2. On a piece of blank paper, draw a simple scene or design using the shapes you have cut out. You can create a landscape, a house, a tree, or anything else you can imagine. 3. Using the glue or glue stick, attach the cut-out shapes to the blank paper to create your scene or design. 4. Allow the glue to dry completely, and then display your finished craft project proudly! This is a simple and fun craft project that is perfect for kids or adults of all ages. You can get creative and come up with your own unique scenes and designs using the cut-out shapes. Have fun and happy crafting!

Winter is the perfect time to get cozy and creative, and what better way to do that than with a fun and festive winter craft? Here’s a tutorial for a simple and stylish winter wreath that you can make in just a few easy steps: Materials: • Wreath form (foam, straw, or wire)Hot glue gun • Winter decorations (pinecones, berries, ribbon, miniatures, etc.) • Scissors • Lights (optional) Instructions: 1. Begin by gathering your materials and setting up your work area. Make sure you have a clean and flat surface to work on, as well as a hot glue gun that’s plugged in and ready to go. 2. Next, decide on the overall look and theme of your wreath. Do you want a traditional holiday look with red and green decorations, or something more rustic and natural? Gather a selection of decorations that match your desired aesthetic. 3. Start by attaching your largest and heaviest decorations to the wreath form using the hot glue gun. This will help anchor the wreath and give it a solid foundation. 4. Once you have the main decorations in place, start filling in the gaps with smaller items like berries, pinecones, or ribbon. Use the hot glue gun to secure these items in place. 5. As you work, be sure to step back and take a look at the wreath from all angles to make sure it looks balanced and visually pleasing. You can add or remove decorations as needed until you’re happy with the overall look. 6. You may even with to add various miniatures and fairy lights to your wreath. Just be sure you have an appropriate base to help keep the miniatures in place. 7. When you’re satisfied with the wreath, let the glue dry completely before hanging it up. You can hang it on your front door, above a fireplace, or anywhere else that could use a touch of winter cheer. And there you have it – a simple and stylish winter wreath that’s sure to brighten up any space. Get creative and have fun with it, and don’t be afraid to mix and match different decorations to find the perfect look for your home. Happy crafting!

Materials: • Glass jars with lids (baby food jars work well) • Red and black paint (You can optionally use fabric or felt) • Paintbrush • Googly eyes • Pipe cleaners • Glue Instructions: 1. Start by cleaning and drying the jars. 2. Next, paint the jars red and let them dry completely. If not using paint, cut your fabric or felt to size and glue around jar. 3. Once the jars are dry, use the black paint to add two spots on each side of the jar to resemble ladybug spots. 4. Once the paint is dry, glue on the googly eyes. 5. Cut a pipe cleaner in half and bend it to create antennae. Glue them to the top of the jar, just above the eyes. 6. Close the lid and give it to someone special as a sweet Valentine’s Day gift. 7. You can fill the jar with small cand or flowers for added decoration. Note: this craft is also great for kids who can help in painting and adding googly eyes, but will require adult supervision when using glue.

Valentine’s Day is a great time to get crafty and make something special for your loved one. One fun and easy craft you can make is a decoupage glass vase lantern. Here’s a tutorial on how to make one. Materials: • Glass vase • Tissue paper or napkins in various shades of red and pink • White glue or decoupage medium • Paintbrush • Tea light candle or battery operated tea light • Scissors • Ruler or measuring tape Instructions: 1. Clean your glass vase and dry it completely. 2. Cut your tissue paper or napkins into small squares or shapes. 3. Mix some white glue or decoupage medium with a bit of water to create a paste. 4. Use a paintbrush to apply a thin layer of the paste to a small area of the vase. 5. Place a square or shape of tissue paper or napkin onto the vase and smooth out any wrinkles or bubbles. 6. Continue to cover the vase with the tissue paper or napkins, layering them and overlapping them as you go. 7. Once the entire vase is covered, brush a final layer of the paste over the top to seal and protect the tissue paper. 8. Allow the vase to dry completely. 9. Insert a tea light candle or battery operated tea light into the hole, and enjoy your new lantern. Your beautiful new decoupage glass vase lantern is the perfect way to light up your Valentine’s Day and show your loved one just how much you care. Happy crafting!

Glitter jars can be a great decor piece or used as a calming sensory tool! These are simple and quick to make and can be easily customized to your style. The Supplies A jar with a watertight lid 1. Water 2. Glycerin 3. Glitter 4. Glitter glue 5. FolkArt dragonfly color shift glaze (optional) First, add a little bit of water to your jar. You’ll want to leave more room for glycerin later. Glycerin will help suspend the glitter in the jar so it falls to the bottom more slowly. The water helps mix all of the different glitters. Step 2 Next, add your glitter glue! Here I am using two different kinds. One is a glow in the dark glitter glue and the second is a blue called “Blue Moon.” Glitter glue adds a bit more of a “stringy“ look which can help it have a more galaxy-like effect. Step 3 Now, add your glitter colors! I’m using an ultra fine purple and pink colors. Once you’ve added all of the colors you’d like, be sure to put the lid on tight and shake it up to mix them together. Step 4 You can optionally add the Folk Art Dragonfly Glaze. This color shifting glaze adds a bit of a “milky” look to the jar. Lastly, you’ll want to add your glycerin (I’m using a vegetable glycerin). Fill the jar the rest of the way up, making sure to leave just a little bit of empty space in the top so you can shake the jar. Shake it all up and watch your new glitter jar sparkle! These look even more awesome if they sit on top of some sort of light source to illuminate the effect. Be sure to share your creation in the comments!