Mini Monet’s – Storing and Displaying Children’s Artwork

Today is the day my baby boy starts Kindergarten.  
This time 4 years ago I was heavily pregnant with a 9 pounder baby 
and now he is off to Kindy for the first time šŸ™   
Where does the time go?
He is ALL BOY
Rough, tumble, fast, determined, outdoorsy, stubborn, hilarious, friendly and a chatterbox!
(not sure where he gets that last one from)
However, unlike most boys he HATES getting messy!
I can count on one hand the number of paintings he has created!
BUT…..just incase this year is different…..I have been searching for ways to store his artwork (pirate maps, letters to his dogs, collage spaceship/flying car/helicopter)


The one and only Fiona Kate.
I discovered Fiona Kate years ago when I read about her gorgeous home in a magazine.
Her storage products are brilliant!
A3 Art folder tied with gorgeous grossgrain ribbon
Can be personalised with alphabet stickers also available from Fiona Kate
Sturdy and wipeable
$21.95


 $17.95 comes in 3 different sizes and various designs for both boys and girls.
The largest box will fit a piece of A3 paper.

Designed to keep all kinds of items but would be useful for artwork as well!


Ok so these are not Australian, but aren’t they divine!
Little Miss A’s colours, pink and green!
I am sure you could find something similar here in OZ.

Ok so it’s Fiona Kate again, but this is ingenious!
Monster Storage box that can also be used as a table, talk about multifunctional!

another version of the “Monster” storage box by Fiona Kate.
This box would be great for storing those craft projects or collage creations that would not fit in small flat boxes.
You know the spaceship/train/flying car creation made out of cereal boxes and toilet rolls!


This is what many preschool/kindergarten teachers do!  Make this very easy cardboard picture saver.
Instructions from Martha Stewart.

 But some pieces of art are just too gorgeous to have put away in a box,
especially the ones where your little one draws a picture of the family or a mothers/fathers day card!
So there are a few options …..
OPTION 1
FRAME IT
Love, Love, Love it!
Frame mini versions of your childs artwork!
Art Eater can frame your children’s prints (above) or even create custom art picture albums.
OPTION 2
CANVAS IT
Simply take a photo of the artwork or scan it and have it printed onto canvas.
This also makes a great personalised and inexpensive gift!
You can do this online or through many department stores like KMART and BIG W!
OPTION 3
BOOK IT
Have too many pictures to frame them all.  How about creating an artwork photo book each year?Any photo book company can use your scanned or photographed childrens art and turn it into a photo book.  The best thing about this is that you can insert custom text onto each page describing the picture, or what prompted the child to create that piece.  You can also create the book in any order you choose, by month,  by type of art etc

Their are many companies around I personally have used click on print and memento which have both been easy to use and quite affordable but once again you can do this instore most large department store.
OPTION 4
HANG IT
 
If you look on the right hand wall above the art table, you will see how we display pictures in our house!
I got this idea straight out of the ikea catalogue!
It is a metal curtain wire, mounted on to the wall.
You can also buy little metal peg/clips to attach the art to the wire.
Ikea also have plastic pockets that can hang off the wire to display bulkier pictures!

Maybe this will be the year when Master O takes to painting with full gusto?
I have my tissues packed, I am sure Mr Sociable will be fine as he starts this new adventure
but what about me!!!!!!
Photobucket