Amelie is OBSESSED with paper and scissors and tape and paint and markers and crayons. I went to the library by myself one evening last week and picked up some craft books. I usually pick up a few each visit, since I have a craft-obsessed four year-old. However, I'm usually not alone and have to grab and few and run, without really looking at them to decide if any of them are worthwhile. One of the books I got is called
Paper and Paint: Hands-on Crafts for Everyday Fun. I think it may be the best craft book we've had, so far, in terms of the number of projects I'm willing to do and their feasibility. So far, we've woven place mats and painted with q-tips. Also, we're looking forward to marble painting, eyedropper art, and the ultimate for Amelie: tie dyeing. She can hardly wait until it's warm enough to set that up outside! Until then, you'll have to delight in her sunshine entirely painted with a q-tip. A true masterpiece. Violet wasn't interested in the q-tips, but she was interested in the paints! She painted a number of snails. Can you see them? No, turn your head the other way. You CAN see the snail that my sweet two year-old painted, RIGHT? I thought so ;).
As a side note, I am seeking some advice. Because of her love of all things crafty, I have a GAZILLION pieces of paper which contain her masterpieces. Adding to the problem is my extreme sentimentality and aversion to throwing any of it away. I'd love to know of any "systems" any of you may have to deal with this issue. Thanks!
As a side note, I am seeking some advice. Because of her love of all things crafty, I have a GAZILLION pieces of paper which contain her masterpieces. Adding to the problem is my extreme sentimentality and aversion to throwing any of it away. I'd love to know of any "systems" any of you may have to deal with this issue. Thanks!
6 comments:
What a great book! I'll have to keep that one in mind. The "Seeds" CD's that you suggested are our favorites. Thanks for the great advice!
Being the pack rat that I am, something that I have considered (although I haven't done it yet) is to take a picture of the things you would like to keep if you had all the storage space in the world. I'm not saying throw them away right away or to throw away all of them, but this way you can still remember them and see them while storing them on a tiny little disk. :)
Um...can I please be the tie dyeing cousin! Do you know how many shirts I have done ...well bunches. I would love to do that with Amelie when I'm home from school (early may'ish). It is so much fun and unwrapping your shirt/socks/sheets/undies at the end is the best part :-P
nanc, just wait till she starts school! i can't believe how many pieces of paper zoe brings home. we take pictures with our digital camera. i just lay it on the floor or prop it up and give each piece its own picture. then we can always print them out if we need to be reminded. this seems to be working for us--even zoe is less upset if she knows we took a picture of it.
I was going to suggest taking pictures of them, which I see someone else already mentioned. The other thing I would suggest is finding double uses for as many of them as possible. (i.e. turning her sunshine banner into wrapping paper for a gift....or taping some 3-dimensional craft onto a gift bag for decoration....or using little figurines she makes as gamepieces for Candy-land or whatever.) I am ALL ABOUT efficiency and finding double uses for things, so you give me the craft and I will try to think of a double use for it. Then you at least feel like its gotten TWO uses (or more!) before you toss it. Plus, Amelie will be tickled that you want to use her recent painting as a placemat - at least I HOPE she is .....and not heartbroken that its being used in such a way! :)
~annie
I give my boys a small, paper sized tub for them to put their schoolwork & artwork in. When the tub gets full, the boys have to decide what to do with the "art" that is left, what they will keep and what they will toss. I take photos of my favorites and sometimes post them on the webpage also; that way the kids will know when they were taken and be able to place them "historically" when they are older.
Family Fun magazine suggests a clean pizza box, one for each year, that fits under the bed. (Ask for one at your local pizza store). Hope that helps! --chris f
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