It’s nearing the end of the school year and that means… that artwork your kiddos made all year is about to come home in one giant construction-paper-and-glitter heap.

Children’s artwork is one of the #1 areas my clients (and I!) struggle. It’s so cute! It’s so sentimental! It was made by those precious tiny hands during a precious tiny window of time!

But…

Nobody wants 10 tubs of it in their attic forever.

So here are my top tips for preserving your child’s artwork in a minimalist manner that will also satisfy your momma heart. Pinky promise. 🙂

TIP #1: Take a picture of it.

I know. You’ve heard this one a million times. But it’s true. Taking a picture allows you to preserve that paper plate of glued macaroni much longer than if you stored it in a tub. And once you have the picture, possibilities are endless… add to a photo book? Print and make a photo album? Put it on a T-shirt? Add it to a Facebook album? You can do any or all of the above cuz digital makes it possible, yo.

TIP #2: Take a picture of your child HOLDING the artwork.

This is my personal fave and I wish I’d started doing this sooner. I’ve learned that the most precious part of of my kids’ artwork is not the artwork itself, but my kid who made it. So take a pic of your child HOLDING their masterpiece and you will not only capture the masterpiece forever, but also the sweet face of your kiddo at the age they were when they made it. #winning

I keep a folder on my phone just for these pics. It’s currently called “Kids 2nd Grade Artwork” and I print all the pics at the end of the school year using  FreePrints  and then I put them in an old school photo album. Yep, I’m still a fan of those. Don’t hate.

The most precious part of my kids’ artwork is not the artwork itself, but my kid who made it.

TIP #3: Make it into an awesome piece of artwork with bragArt.

This is a really cool option for those of you who need more than just a picture. My friend Lynne Goldberg is an artist and founder of bragArt, a company that helps you turn your children’s artwork, souvenirs, certificates, etc. into a unique piece of art that you can treasure forever.

Here’s a pic of some of her cool work:

I recently asked Lynne a few questions about bragArt:

Q: What’s the most meaningful project you’ve ever done?

A: I did a piece for a mom who lost her daughter to a rare disease. It was very healing for the mom, because she now has her daughter’s artwork hanging on her wall, so she can look at it everyday.

Q: What’s your process like?

A: The first thing I do is go to the customer’s home and we go through the bins of artwork together. We put the pieces into piles of: definitely use, maybe, and no. Then we choose a traditional paint canvas size and discuss your preferences for the piece. Then I compress, manipulate, transfer and sometimes transform (with your permission!) your original art onto canvas. Each canvas is wrapped with stamped names, dates and favorite quotes, song lyrics or poems, and then preserved with an archival epoxy resin.  

Q: How long does it take you to do a piece?

A: About 4 weeks.

Q: Where do you work?

A: Most of my work is in Columbus, Ohio, because that’s where I live.  But I have done pieces in California, New York and St. Louis. I’m happy to travel!

If you want more info about Lynn, you can visit her website, e-mail her at [email protected], or call her at 614.204.0744.

I hope these tips give you ideas for how to get past the bins and create lasting memories with your child’s artwork while still taking care of your sentimental heart. 🙂  

As always, to your peace of mind,

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