Stop wondering if they’re learning.

Start seeing the proof.

  • 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 the arts are vital in nurturing young minds and hearts. With the Art Makes Me Smart Membership, you’ll open the door to a journey that sparks imagination, cultivates talent, and fosters a love for learning!

  • Girl watercoloring sunflower on dark wood table. Next to her are real sunflowers, an art makes me smart sunflower watercolor packet, jar of yellow watercolor water, and various pages from the art makes me smart packet.
  • Kid watercoloring natural arch with orange color. In the background is white, blue, and brown mountains. In the sky is teal blue watercolor. This is being painted on a wood table with a watercolor palette, a jar of water, a container of colored markers, a tray of markers and pencils and paintbrushes, and a utah packet

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, music, nature, geography, math, science, 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?

  • On a dark wood table a girl is drawing on a design that has a blue paper background with a drawn on woman in an old french aristocratic dress wearing earrings. She is shown from her shoulders up taking over most of the paper. She also has lots of paper scrolls glued on for her wig. Next to her is a design that has an orange paper background with a drawn man in old french aristocratic clothing shown from his chest up also taking over most of the paper with glued on white paper scrolls for his wig. Next to the designs on the table are strips of white paper, scissors, a glue stick, a mini French flag, and a pastel crayon pallet.
  • Boy watercoloring the smoke and lava of a volcano. The smoke is light blue, purple, and orange colors. The rock or base of the volcano is glued on with black paper. This is done on dark wood table with watercolor palette, stack of colored paper, jar of water, paintbrushes in organizer, and art makes me smart hawaii packet next to it.

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 their 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.
  • A child is coloring in parrot, armadillo, toucan, and leopard animals. On each of these handdrawn animals are cut out eye holes and they are each tapes onto a thin stick so they can be masks. Next to these on the table are colored markers, a jar of water, a Brazil packet paper, and a mini brazil flag.

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.

What’s Inside the Membership?

Join 1,300 families who have made art-first learning part of their homeschool using the Art Makes Me Smart Membership

Girl sitting at wood table with red headphones on and a white sweater. On the table are pages from the Antonio vivaldi art makes me smart composer study packet and leaning againstg a wooden stand is the cover of the packet with a painting of antonio vivaldi in a blue coat. The girl is drawing on a per with pastel chalk. Also on the table is a watercolor palette and a tin cup of pencils

Composer Studies

Music becomes more meaningful when kids know the stories behind it. Our composer studies help children explore famous composers through listening and simple, creative activities—making classical music feel approachable and enjoyable.

  • Hildegard von Bingen
  • Josquin des Prez
  • Antonio Vivaldi
  • Johann Sebastian Bach
  • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  • Pyotr Ilyich Tchiakovsky
  • Frederic Chopin
  • Elizabeth Cotten
  • John Williams
  • Robert and Richard Sherman
Boy using a water dropper to put water on watercolor of the anatomy of an organ. He is doing this on a dark wood table. Next to the organ watercolor is a Anatomy of the Digestive system paper, a little cup of water, a paintbrush, a pencil, a watercolor palette, a sharpie pen, a dirty paper towel, a jar of paint water, and another anatomy of the organ reference page.

Anatomy Adventures

Anatomy Adventures makes it simple to teach the human body in your homeschool. With open-and-go lessons and hands-on activities, kids can explore anatomy in a way that’s both meaningful and manageable. Includes all the human body systems!

  • Circulatory System
  • Digestive System
  • Endocrine System
  • Immune System
  • Integumentary System
  • Muscular System
  • Nervous System
  • Reproductive System
  • Respiratory System
  • Skeletal System
  • Urinary System
Table with Art makes me smart sensory adventure the sense of sight booklet with a drawing of a eye with a brown iris in the middle. Under this booklet are pages from the booklet that include the anatomy of an eye, a hand drawn eye, and facts. Next to these are a watercolor palette, a pencil, and colored markers.

Sensory Adventures

Sensory Adventures invites kids to explore the world through their five senses. With hands-on activities and simple lessons, children discover how they experience the world in a way that feels playful and meaningful, and of course…with art!

  • The Sense of Hearing
  • The Sense of Taste
  • The Sense of Smell
  • The Sense of Sight
  • The Sense of Touch

Nature Studies

Nature Studies makes outdoor learning simple. With nature journaling, bird studies, crafts, and more, kids can explore, observe, and create—all in a way that fits naturally into your homeschool rhythm.

  • Backyard Birds (Study Guide and 12 watercolor tutorials)
  • Birding 101 (Including Introduction to Bird Identification, Birding By Ear, Sketching Birds in the Field)
  • Nature E-book
  • Printable Nature Journal
  • Creating a Sit Spot
  • Sound Maps and Spectrograms
  • Building Homes in Nature: Fairy House, Brush Pile, and Toad Adobe
  • Insect Hotel
  • Making a Birdfeeder
  • Animal Track Molds
  • Setting Up a Moth Sheet
  • How to Respect Nature
  • Simple Ways to Help the Environment
  • Snakes, Insects, and Spiders
  • What If I Find an Animal That Needs Help?

Imaginative Play

Imaginative Play makes it easy to add creativity to your day. With simple story scenes inspired by popular nursery rhymes, kids can engage in open-ended play that builds language, imagination, and confidence.

  • Paper Doll Camp – 7 days of creating your own paper dolls
  • Paper Dolls (hundreds of dolls and outfits including Girls Around the World, Girls in Literature, Boys in Literature, Century of Fashion, Girls in Sports, Boy Bundle, Seasons Bundle and the Paper Dolls Coloring Book)
  • Hey Diddle Diddle
  • Hickory, Dickory, Dock
  • Humpty Dumpty
  • I’m a Little Teapot
  • Itsy Bitsy Spider
  • Little Bo Peep
  • Little Jack Horner
  • Little Miss Muffett
  • Old Macdonald Had a Farm
  • Three Blind Mice
  • Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
On a dark wood table, a girl is painting a white dotted outline of a hand on black paper with three white dotted circles inside. Hand is surrounded by dotted outline of dots in various colors starting with an outline of yellow and progressing through light orange, dark orange, pink, dark pink, purple, and blue- filling the whole page around the hand along with smaller white dots on top of the colors making up letter-like shapes around the hand. Next to her is a paint pallete with various colors and a water glass and a mini Australian flag and a stack of papers.

Around the World

Around the World helps kids explore different countries and cultures in a simple, engaging way. Through hands-on activities and creative learning, children discover how people live around the globe.

  • Egypt
  • Madagascar
  • South Africa
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • Thailand
  • Turkey
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Ireland
  • Italy
  • The Netherlands
  • Portugal
  • Russia
  • Scandinavia
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom
  • Argentina
  • Brazil
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Australia
  • Polynesia
Dark brown wood table with a Henri Matisse painting of a window with flower pots on the sill opening to boats going out on the ocean on a clipboard. Next to this is a hand drawn replica by someone else. On top of it is the Henri Matisse art makes me smart artist study packet with a Henri Matisse self portrait in the middle. Under this are pages from the art makes me smart booklet. On the table are small paintbrushes, colored pencils, a small paint palette with dried paint, a watercolor palette, markers, and markers and pencils cup.

Discover Artists

Discover Artist Studies introduces kids to well-known artists in a way that feels creative and approachable. Through simple activities and exploration, children learn about different styles while creating their own art.

  • Vincent van Gogh
  • Carl Larsson
  • Beatrix Potter
  • Leonardo da Vinci
  • Mary Cassatt
  • Currier and Ives
  • Henri Matisse
  • Claude Monet
  • William and May Morris
  • Pablo Picasso
  • Henri Rousseau
  • Johannes Vermeer

Art Classes

Our Art Classes bring structured creativity into your homeschool. With beginner-friendly watercolor lessons, a hands-on Colors Course, and more, kids can learn new skills while enjoying the process of creating.

  • Colors Course
  • Watercolor for Beginners
  • Introduction to Landscapes
  • Drawing Nature
  • Modern Watercolor Basics
  • Loose Florals
  • Christmas Cards and art projects
  • Additionally, Over 60 Watercolor Tutorials included in Unit Studies
Kid drawing Statue of Liberty painting. The drawing is the statue of liberty from her chest up. She is painted in with light green watercolor with darker green for shading. The background is a blue color. The outline of the statue of liberty is black pastel. This is drawn on a dark wood table with watercolor palette, colored markers in a basket, containers full of colored pencils and colored markers, black sharpie pen, and paint palette.

United States Study

Take your homeschool on a journey across the United States. Roadtrip Around America invites kids to explore each state through creative, hands-on learning that makes geography feel meaningful and memorable.

  • Travel through all 50 states with meaningful art projects
  • Learn about famous landmarks and people from each state
  • Map work
  • Get a taste of each state with delicious recipes
  • Conduct experiments with STEM activities relative to the state
  • A bonus study on our nation’s capital, Washington D.C.

Some of the best homeschool days begin with something simple: pulling out the art supplies, gathering around the table, and creating together. That’s where connection grows and learning comes to life.

Hannah Stevenson, Founder of Lily and Thistle and Art Makes Me Smart
Ready to EXPLORE? enroll now!

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.
  • Girl painting a watercolor of a big hexagon beehive. Inside of the beehive hexagons are outlines of little measured flower shapes. On the table is a t ruler, ruler, watercolor palette, paper towel, and a jar of water

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!

MONTHLY

$40

Renews every month
Flexible access that works for your family, cancel anytime.
Enroll in
monthly membership

QUARTERLY

$114

Renews every 3 months
Save $2 per month and renew every quarter ($38 / month)
Enroll in
quarterly membership

YEARLY

$400

Renews annually
Purchase annually and save the cost of 2 months with this deal!
enroll IN
yearly membership

LIFETIME

$897

One-time payment
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, 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 at what’s inside with 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, Road Trip Around America, 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 arrive, like United States Study that just released!

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/year
  • Lifetime Membership – $897 one-time payment or 3 and 6 month payment plan options available

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 full access to the Membership until the end of your billing period—even if you cancel.

If you choose the Lifetime plan, you’ll be able to access the all current and future content inside the Membership at no additional cost.

You’ll still have lifetime access to any courses you’ve already purchased—that won’t change!

The Art Makes Me Smart Membership includes everything we’ve ever created, plus so much more—like our newest addition of Anatomy Adventures, The Music Connection and Composer Studies, Unit Studies on over 80 subjects, Artist Studies, Paper Play, Nursery Rhymes, and new content added regularly (like the United States Study coming 2026!)

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, the Membership gives you access to a whole world of resources you’ve never seen before.

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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