Hannah Mercer
Hannah is a mother of three who believes creativity should feel peaceful, affordable, and doable for everyone — even on the messiest day. She spent years organizing community craft nights and homeschool art activities before putting her ideas online.
Her projects use everyday materials, and her instructions never assume you know what you are doing (because half the fun is figuring it out together). She specializes in simple projects that fit into busy family life.
Outside of crafting, Hannah is baking sourdough, hiking trails with her kids, and collecting pinecones for the next seasonal project.
Articles by Hannah Mercer
Plein Air Watercolor Kits: What to Pack for Summer
Pack your plein air watercolor kit with confidence this summer. A warm, personal guide to the easels, paints, brushes, and essentials that let you focus on painting, not packing.
Pressed Flower Art: Summer Nature Craft Tutorial
Capture summer's beauty with pressed flower art. This beginner-friendly tutorial covers pressing methods, arranging, and creating lasting nature crafts.
Colored Pencil Blending: Beginner Layering Guide
Learn colored pencil blending and layering from scratch with gentle techniques that build confidence and beautiful results.
How to Draw Faces: Portrait Sketching Guide
Join Hannah Mercer as she shares a warm beginner's guide to drawing faces, from basic proportions to shading techniques for capturing someone's likeness.
Sketching for Beginners: How to Draw Simple Flowers and Nature
Learn how to sketch simple flowers and nature scenes with just a pencil and paper — no fancy supplies or prior experience needed. This beginner-friendly guide turns the fear of …
Ground Painting Tips: Leaves, Grass, and Soil
Transform muddy ground into vivid landscape detail with simple techniques for painting earth, grass, leaves, and pebbles.
Pencil Drawing for Beginners: Simple Still Life Techniques
Discover the joy of pencil drawing through simple still life techniques that build confidence, sharpen observation, and bring calm creativity to your day.
Painting in Gouache on Toned Paper: A Beginner's Guide
Discover the forgiving magic of gouache on toned paper — a medium that lets you paint light over dark, embrace happy accidents, and fall in love with art all over …
Gilding the Lilypond: 4 Tips for Painting Monet-Worthy Water Scenes
Rediscover the quiet joy of painting luminous water scenes with these four gentle, beginner-friendly tips inspired by Monet himself.
How to Paint a Cloudy Sky in Watercolor: Free Step-by-Step Tutorial
Learn to paint atmospheric cloudy skies in watercolor with this free step-by-step tutorial, from gathering supplies to mastering wet-on-wet techniques for cumulus, cirrus, and stratus clouds.
How to Paint Monet-Worthy Water Scenes: Gilding the Lily Pond
Bring the magic of Monet's water lilies to your own canvas. Learn simple techniques for painting reflections, light on water, and atmospheric garden scenes.
Plein Air Painting: Paint Outdoors This Summer
Escape the studio and capture summer's fleeting light. This beginner-friendly guide makes plein air painting feel like a joyful adventure, not an intimidating challenge.
Watercolor Resist Techniques for Beginners
Master watercolor resist techniques with masking fluid to create crisp edges and luminous effects. A gentle guide for beginners who love the magic of watercolor.
Gouache on Toned Paper for Beginners
Discover the magic of painting with gouache on toned paper — a forgiving, budget-friendly medium that makes your illustrations pop.
Watercolor Blush Makeup Art: Paint Soft Floral Beauty
Discover the dreamy world of watercolor blush makeup art — painting soft, feminine beauty looks on paper using your favorite blush tones and a brush.
Cross-Hatching for Ink Drawing: Add Depth with Simple Lines
Discover the meditative art of cross-hatching, where simple ink lines create rich shadows and stunning depth.
Quick Drawing: 100 Faces in a Week Challenge
Drawing one hundred faces in seven days sounds intimidating, but it is one of the most freeing, skill-building exercises any artist can try.
Charcoal Drawing: Master Texture and Tone
Charcoal is forgiving, expressive, and surprisingly beginner-friendly. Learn to create rich textures and soft tonal gradients with essential techniques.
Watercolor Blush Painting: A Soft Summer Art Trend Tutorial
Discover the dreamy art of watercolor blush painting — a gentle summer trend that blends soft hues with personal expression, perfect for beginners.
Oil Painting for Beginners: Easy Summer Landscape Techniques
Learn to paint a simple summer landscape in oils with this gentle beginner's guide. No experience needed, just a Saturday afternoon and a willingness to try.
Bow-Tie Pasta Monarch Butterflies: A Magical Craft Project
Turn ordinary bow-tie pasta into stunning painted monarch butterflies with this easy, family-friendly craft tutorial. Perfect for a rainy afternoon.
30 Bedroom Paint Ideas for 2026: Shades You'll Love (Not Regret)
Discover the paint shade you've been overlooking—and how to use it to create a bedroom that feels both timeless and utterly fresh. These 30 ideas will help you transform your …
DIY Hanging Planters: 21 Creative Indoor Garden Ideas
Transform your home into a vertical paradise with 21 creative DIY hanging planter ideas. From macrame hangers to recycled containers, wall-mounted designs to window gardens.
Alcohol Ink Art on Tiles: A Mesmerizing Beginner Technique
Discover how to create beautiful alcohol ink art on tiles with this step-by-step guide. Perfect for beginners and craft enthusiasts alike.
Best Watercolor Brushes for Beginners: 2026 Buyer Guide
Discover how to create beautiful best watercolor brushes for beginners in 2026 with this step-by-step guide. Perfect for beginners and craft enthusiasts alike.
Tin-Embossed Heirloom Crafts: Easy Metal Art for Beginners
Discover how to create beautiful tin-embossed heirloom crafts with this step-by-step guide. Perfect for beginners and craft enthusiasts alike.
Best Summer Yarns for Crochet and Knitting That Won't Feel Heavy
Discover the best lightweight yarns for warm-weather crochet and knitting projects. Hannah Mercer shares her favorite cottons, linens, and blends that keep you cool while you create.
Crepe Paper Peonies: A Step-by-Step Flower Craft for Beginners
Turn simple crepe paper into stunning peonies that never wilt. This step-by-step guide makes it easy to create beautiful blooms, even if you have never tried paper flower crafting before.
5 Easy Summer Origami Projects to Keep Little Hands Busy
Keep little hands busy this summer with five simple origami projects made from just paper and patience. Fun for the whole family.
Make Your Own Savannah Bananas Jibbitz with Air Dry Clay
Turn air dry clay into Savannah Bananas-themed Jibbitz for your Crocs with this easy, beginner-friendly DIY tutorial. A fun craft project for the whole family!