Stop wondering if they're learning.

Start seeing the proof.

Join the art-first movement
  • Bold letters in all caps with various colors saying art makes me smart. On top of this in smaller black text on the screen it says an art first approach to learning tm. At the bottom of the art makes me smart in black swirly font and all caps it says membership.
  • Boy sitting at table coloring in different types of international flags with markers. Behind him is a paper banner hanging on the wall with different colored international flags.
  • A picture two designs of pastel mosaic creatures. One design is a mosaic fish with orange, light blue, dark blue, and purple colors. The other is a mosaic insect with orange green and blue colors. Next to these two prints is a watercolor palette and a stack of papers.

As an intentional parent, you understand the importance of a well-rounded education and believe art is vital in nurturing young minds and hearts. With the Art Makes Me Smart Membership, you'll open the door to a journey that sparks the imagination, cultivates talent, and fosters a love for learning!

  • On a dark wood table is a boy drawing on a brown paper rectangle. On the rectangle is designs of Egyptian symbols of white birds, light green zig zags, and red swirls all inside of of a drawing of a blue oval shaped stand. Next to this is another brown paper rectangle. Drawn on this are symbols of a blue snake, two round green sticks, and two red fox looking animals. These are also surrounded by a drawn oval shaped stand that is yellow. Next to these is white school glue, a paint palette, a mini egyptian flag, scissors, a jar of water, and an Egypt packet.
  • Girl sitting in front of green tall grass with a book that has a page with graphic outlines of various insects and another page with graphic outlines of butterflies. The girl is wearing a blue dress

At Lily & Thistle, we believe art isn’t just about drawing or painting—it’s about sparking curiosity, building connections, and making learning meaningful. The Art Makes Me Smart Membership is your all-in-one creative hub, with projects that blend art, nature, culture, math, and more. It’s hands-on learning that feels like play—for kids of all ages (and grown-ups, too). Are you ready to make creativity part of your family’s rhythm?

  • Two kids and one adult sitting at a dark brown table. Each kid has a watercolor drawing or outline in front of them and are painting and drawing on it. The adult is painting three butterflies with white and yellow and blue colors with a reference photo of the same painting. One girl is painting a purple octopus with a purple octopus reference photo. One boy is coloring various colors of bugs. Also on the table are two jars with crayons and watercolor palettes and a paper with writing and color swatches on it
  • A boy watercoloring a painting of a roman greek column with a plant looking design on the top. On the background of the column is light blue watercolor. Next to the painting on the table is a watercolor palette with the boy's hand putting his paintbrush in. Also near the painting is a pastel palette, a jar of water, a mini Greece flag, and a stack of papers.

YES, but so many things get in the way!

SUPPLIES

“Do I need fancy paints? What paper should I buy? Is this brush good enough?”
You’re just STUCK, unsure where to start or what actually matters.

Time

The days are busy and long, and you feel EXHAUSTED. You want to include art and culture into your lives, but there never seems to be enough time.

research

Trying to find age-appropriate projects plus planning a lesson feels OVERWHELMING! There are too many options, you just don’t know where to start.

  • A boy and a woman in front of a wood table. The woman is wearing a white shirt with a apron with bird drawings and the boy is wearing grey shirt. The boy is painting on a paper with bleeding various watercolors. Also on the table is a watercolor palette and a jar of water.
  • Kid drawing watercolored fish. The fish is pink and purple watercolor and the background is green and blue watercolor. Sitting at wood table with a watercolor palette and jar of water next to him.

That's exactly why we created the Art Makes Me Smart Membership!

Just like you, I spent years trying to find learning experiences that actually worked for all of my kids—each with their own styles, strengths, and challenges.

After lots of trial and error, I discovered something simple but powerful: when we started with art, my kids started to love learning.

Art lit the spark. It captured their attention, made lessons stick, and turned school time into connection time. (And honestly? It worked on me, too!) 😉

That’s why I created this art-first approach—to help you bring creativity and meaningful learning together in one simple, open-and-go resource. No more overwhelm. Just more joy, connection, and curiosity.

That's what Art Makes Me Smart is ALL about!

READY TO GET STARTED? CLICK TO ENROLL NOW!
  • Bold letters in all caps with various colors saying art makes me smart. On top of this in smaller black text on the screen it says an art first approach to learning tm. At the bottom of the art makes me smart in black swirly font and all caps it says membership.

Let's explore the world together through art!

  • Girl sitting at black counter pointing at plastic tub of brown paint water . Next to the tub of paint water is an open book showing pictures and information about birds. Next to this is also a plate with paint on it, two different picture of hand drawn or painted robin pictures. In front of these is also another paint plate with a owl drawing next to it and two pencils. In front of the girl is a handmade painting of a blue bird. The girl's head is turned sideways with a bright smile on her face and she is wearing a white apron with marker marks on it
  • Empty frame that is a peach color with embellishments. In the frame is two lines of twine tide in. Clipped on the two lines are five cut out paper outfits. The first one is a plaid green dress with a pink overcoat in blue leggings and light tan books. The cut out is holding some soil and a flower in the soil. The other outfit is a blue puffed dress with a white apron with black borders and white stockings and black shoes. The outfit next to it is a light green mermaid tail with a coral textured top with yellow bands. The next outfit is a pink dress with a big skirt and a red border with blue shoes and holding a paper. The next outfit is a blue dress with a white apron with a red band in the middle of the apron with red shoes and a tan basket. In front of this frame are two girl paper doll cut outs one with blond short hair and light skin and the other with curly brown hair in two buns and dark skin. The one with light skin has a light green dress with a ripped bottom and light blue wings and red shoes. The other doll has a light pink old regency dress with light blue shoes. Behind the light pink frame is a girl holding it up wearing a fluffy blue dress with silver embellishments.

What's Included in the Art Makes Me Smart Membership?

Art

TUTORIALS

Prepare to be delighted with our fun and immersive art tutorials! These step-by-step lessons invite your family to explore a wide range of subjects—from math and science to history, nature, and world cultures—all through the lens of art. Using simple, easy to find tools, your children will build skills while making meaningful connections across every subject.

Educational Materials

Immerse your family in a world of creativity, curiosity, and wonder with our carefully curated collection of videos, picture studies, STEM projects, book lists, music, recipes, fun facts, and hands-on activities. Each resource is a gateway to meaningful discovery—offering an engaging, art-first way to explore subjects like math, science, history, nature, world cultures, and more.

Simple Techniques

Discover the joy of creating beautiful art with fun and engaging techniques designed for everyone, regardless of their artistic background! Say goodbye to the notion of being a "natural artist" as we take away all the guesswork, making learning a delightful and rewarding experience.

Supplies List

We’ve kept supplies to a minimum to make creating art easy and affordable for you! You’ll generally use the same set of supplies for these projects – plus, we give you lots of great tips to avoid the stress of clean-up with little artists.

Self-Paced

Start, skip, or re-watch again and again. You decide how fast or slow you'll go. All courses in Art Makes Me Smart go at whatever pace you need. You also have unlimited access to everything for as long as you are a member. This will allow you all the time your family needs to explore, experiment, and learn.

Support

You’ll get access to our own private community, where you can ask questions, find support, meet other members from all over the world, and share your art! Our team is available to give feedback and answer any questions you may have. It's also a great place to be inspired by other students.

Music anD Dance

Feel the rhythm of learning through joyful movement, rich composer studies, and engaging music appreciation. From folk dances to classical melodies, your family will explore the history and heart of music in a way that’s memorable and meaningful.

Recipes

Embark on a delicious journey through the subjects you study with our collection of mouthwatering recipes—thoughtfully paired with topics like nature, science, world cultures, and more. From classic dinners to sweet treats, there’s something to delight every palate and bring learning to life around the table.

Booklists

Deepen your family’s learning with thoughtfully curated book lists for every subject—from history and science to nature, math, and world cultures. These rich, engaging stories span a variety of ages and offer meaningful connections that spark curiosity and bring each topic to life.

  • A boy sitting in a big grey suitcase in a blue sweater. He is holding two paper cut outs of boys. One boy has brown hair and brown eyes and is wearing a plaid shirt with a light green over sweater and light blue leggings with brown boots. The other boy has a light green button shirt with a red over sweater and ripped black pants and a blue satchel with apples on it
  • A boy is crafting three paper Koi fish. One Koi fish is light pink, the other is blue with a yellow tail, and the third koi fish is orange with a green tail. The pink koi fish has red, blue, purple, yellow, and pink pastel outlines. The blue koi fish has blue, white, and pink outlines. And the orange koi fish has black, green, white, and orange outlines. Each are whole punched near the top with either light blue or dark blue string strung through. This is all done on a dark wood table with a pastel palette, scissors, yarn, hole puncher, and mini flag next to it.

Here's what others are saying....

I wanted to personally thank you for how well you break everything down, my 12 and 10-year-olds were engaged and it made sense to them as well as me! Thank you so much!

CHANDA L.

Lily and Thistle has provided an easy stress-free way for the whole family to enjoy making art with beautiful results. You have given all of us the courage to try a new experience and also the confidence to continue creating. Thank you so much!

caryne D.

Lily and Thistle has been nothing short of a blessing for us. My daughter is ASD, EDS, and is visually impaired following an accident. Her self-esteem and confidence with any art was non-existent. My daughter has very complex needs and was suffering with anxiety and depression as a result of being at school, constantly told 'you can't'. Although I had purchased the subscription for my younger home-educated daughter, my older daughter, despite her difficulties, was intrigued to 'try'...Slowly she joined in, at first reluctant, self-critical; and slowly her confidence grew. She said she felt having the classes available at home created a 'safe space' to learn, practice and produce art which she can feel proud of. The 'you cant' turned into 'I can' and, as a result, has now enrolled in an art course at a SEN provisional college and starts this coming September. None of this would have been possible if it wasn't for trying with Lily and Thistle; I am truly grateful.

TRACY H.
  • A watercolor of a big hexagon beehive. Inside of the beehive hexagons are outlines of little measured flower shapes. This is on a wood table with ruler, t shaped ruler, paper towel, jar with water in it, paint palette, and a girl in a pink shirt sitting at the table and painting it

Your Life BEFORE Enrolling in Art Makes Me Smart:

  • You feel constant pressure to make learning meaningful—but also manageable. It’s hard to balance depth with simplicity, and sometimes it feels like you’re falling short on both.
  • You’re tired of piecing together lessons from random Pinterest boards, YouTube videos, and outdated curriculum. You just want everything in one place, ready to go.
  • You’ve lost count of how many times your kids said, “This is boring.” You want them to light up with curiosity—not zone out.
  • You’re stretched thin, emotionally and mentally. Some days, it’s all you can do to keep the household running, let alone plan a meaningful, multi-subject unit study.
  • You want your kids to remember what they’re learning—not just get through it. You’ve tried the check-the-box style of learning... and you know it doesn’t stick.
  • You’ve spent good money on resources that didn’t fit your family. Whether it was too rigid, too messy, or just too much work to figure out, it ended up sitting on the shelf.
  • You worry your creative child isn’t being fully engaged—or that your not-so-into-art child might be missing out. You're looking for something that invites everyone in, regardless of their strengths or preferences.
  • You long to enjoy homeschooling again. You didn’t choose this path to feel constantly behind, frazzled, or uninspired.
  • A child is painting an elephant on a red background. The elephant is a light grey color with traditional Thai decorations on the elephant's trunk, tusks, head, neck, and body. The decorations are pink, green, blue, yellow, purple, orange, colors. In the red background are little red suns. Next to this painting is a paint palette, a glue stick, various markers, a jar of water, and scissors.

Your Life AFTER Enrolling in Art Makes Me Smart:

  • You feel confident and supported, with open-and-go lessons that are already beautifully organized for you. No more late-night lesson planning or Pinterest rabbit holes. Everything you need is ready to use—simple, clear, and stress-free.
  • You have one home base for creative, meaningful learning across subjects—art, music, science, history, math, and more. Instead of juggling a dozen programs, you’ve got one simple place for hands-on projects that connect learning in real, memorable ways.
  • Your kids are actually excited about what they’re learning (and you’re kind of shocked at how much they’re remembering)! When kids create, they retain. Art sparks curiosity, and suddenly learning sticks—without anyone feeling forced.
  • You can adapt everything to fit your day—whether you have 15 minutes or a full afternoon. With flexible lessons, you can squeeze in creativity when it works best for your family.
  • You’ve got creative projects that are doable, low-mess, and deeply engaging—for everyone at the table. Simple supplies, no-fuss setup, and projects that keep everyone (yes, even you!) excited to join in.
  • You no longer dread "fitting in" enrichment. It’s naturally woven into your rhythm—and it feels life-giving.
  • Your family is connecting more—through shared creativity, conversation, and discovery.
  • You’ve reclaimed the joy of homeschooling. Not because it’s perfect—but because now, it’s deeply meaningful.

Begin Your Journey with the Art Makes Me Smart Membership Today!

LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

$897 $297

One-time payment
Exclusive Pricing for Founding Members!
Get access to everything added to the Membership for life
enroll in lifetime membership

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s your one-stop library of joyful, art-first learning for the whole family.  Inside, you’ll find all our most-loved programs—like Around the World, Math + Art, Watercolor School, and Nature’s Art Club—plus brand-new content like The Music Connection and Composer Studies, Anatomy Adventures, Unit Studies on over 80 subjects, Artist Studies, Paper Play Nursery Rhymes, and more being added regularly. Everything is easily searchable, self-paced, open-and-go, and designed to support a real-life homeschool rhythm (even on your busiest days).

This Membership was designed with whole families in mind, especially those juggling different ages, learning styles, and personalities. Most projects are perfect for ages 6+, but younger kids can join in with a little help (and older kids love them too!). Whether your child is a hands-on learner, a deep thinker, a creative spirit, or someone who needs a little extra support, these low-pressure, open-ended lessons are made to meet them where they are—and help them thrive.

Think of this as your flexible unit study playground.  You’ll explore art, culture, science, music, nature, history, and even math through creativity. While it’s not a full “boxed” curriculum for each subject, it’s designed to integrate beautifully into what you’re already doing and bring learning to life in a way that’s fun, meaningful, and memorable.

Here's a peek of what we have inside and more to come!

  • Around the World Vol. 1 & 2 (includes 50 countries)
  • Watercolor School plus added Unit Studies for 80+ subjects
  • Nature’s Art Club
  • Math + Art Connection
  • Backyard Bird Bundle
  • Paper Dolls & Paper Doll Camp
  • NEW: The Music Connection, Anatomy and Sensory Adventures, Composer Studies, Artist Studies, Paper Play Nursery Rhymes, and MORE!

And YES— with a team of certified curriculum writers and artists, you can be sure that new content is being added regularly! You’ll be the first to know when new adventures (like United States study coming summer 2026!) arrive.

Flexible Options for Your Homeschooling Family
We want the Art Makes Me Smart Membership to fit seamlessly into your homeschool life. That’s why we offer flexible subscription options, one simple price per family!

Choose the plan that works best for you:

  • Monthly Membership – $40 per month
  • Quarterly Membership – $114 every 3 months
  • Yearly Membership – $400 per year
  • Lifetime Membership – $897 one-time payment, but jump in THIS WEEK to get Lifetime Access for $297 (that's $600 in savings!)

No matter which option you choose, your entire family gets full access to the Membership as long as you are a member!

A Commitment-Free Experience
All Memberships renew automatically, except for the Lifetime Access Membership, which is a one-time payment. All automatic renewal Memberships can be cancelled at anytime!

Still unsure if it’s the right fit? We offer a 14-day refund policy so you can try it out on your own with no questions asked.

Of course! We have special access packages just for you! Choose a 6-month or 12-month plan and decide whether you’d like access for all participating families or just for you as the facilitator.

  • Small Group Co-Op (3-5 families)
  • Medium Group Co-Op (6-10 families)
  • Large Group Co-Op (11-15 families)
  • Facilitator Access Only (Any group size)

To learn more and get your custom pricing, reach out to our team at support@lilyandthistle.com. We’re here to help!

Many of the essential art supplies you'll need may already be available in your home, such as crayons, markers, and watercolor paints. Additionally, we'll introduce your family to new and exciting materials like gouache paint and oil pastels.

We provide a detailed budget-friendly supply lists with convenient links to all the required materials. So, whether you're utilizing familiar tools or trying out new techniques, you'll be well-prepared for a fulfilling artistic experience with the Art Makes Me Smart Membership.

We’ve got you covered. If the Membership isn’t what you hoped for, just email us within 14 days of purchase for a full refund. No guilt. No hassle. We want this to be a true yes for your family. Email us at support@lilyandthistle.com.

If you’re on a monthly, quarterly, or yearly plan, you’ll keep your access to everything in the Membership until you cancel. If you choose the Lifetime plan, you’ll keep access to the Membership and everything inside it!

You'll still keep access to every course you've purchased with us before where they are currently located on Teachable.

The Art Makes Me Smart Membership lives inside a new platform called Mighty Networks, where everything we've ever created, all new content, and future releases are added since it began in July 2025.

It’s all organized in one easy-to-navigate, searchable space—designed to support your whole family with creative, open-and-go learning across every subject. So even if you already own a course or two from our previous content on Teachable, the Membership gives you access to a whole world of resources you’ve never seen before that is ONLY available inside the Membership!

We would love to help you convert to the Art Makes Me Smart Membership and get you switched over.  Just send us an email at support@lilyandthistle.com and we will get you taken care of! 

Yes! You’ll be part of our private online community inside the Mighty Networks app, where you can ask questions, share your family’s work, and get encouragement from our team and fellow members. Whether you’re feeling unsure or celebrating a big win, you’ll have a whole community cheering you on.

We would be happy to answer any other questions you may have. Please feel free to reach out to us at support@lilyandthistle.com.

Subscribe Today and Get Access Now!

enroll now to become a member!

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