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Saturday, December 11, 2010

Starry Night

Paper and Crayon drawing by Mia: age 5

I never know what to do with the extravagance of artwork created by my daughters.  Which princess with puffy-sleeved dress should be kept, and which black cat with 'CTA' spelled helpfully across the top should be stored?  I don't have a scanner, and even if I did, I don't think I'm dedicated enough or organized enough to undertake the task of saving each paper-craft they create into a manageable zip-file.  (Um...is that what it's even called?)  Comparatively, I can't throw them away!  It's like scoffing at a gift.  Would I throw away a gift given with heartfelt thought and joy?  Moreover, what if...what if one day my child is an artist?  What if one day, she creates masterpieces that will be collected and valued and deciphered 'round the world?  And I'm the harried mother who threw away that masterpiece?

I should hold on to this, is what I'm saying.

Come create with us!

5 comments:

  1. Ooohh, I've never thought about it that way before! It's not just that I'm saving those eighteen identical dinosaur drawings because I'm sentimental...I'm doing it for the good of all mankind! You have me looking at my overflowing art cabinets with a newfound respect.

    And that house of Mia's? Definitely a masterpiece!

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  2. That's such a hard one!. I keep whatever I think is especially worthwhile--that it's a really good drawing for the age of the kid, or really creative, or makes me smile for whatever reason (this is probably no more than a few per year!) and heartlessly toss the rest. It's hard...but I do. I have three daughters and they all draw/color/create EVERY SINGLE DAY. My house would collapse under the volume of artwork if I did otherwise.

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  3. You need nothing fancy, I take a picture of everything and than recycle it. We have use the art to make photo books we have used as gifts. I have also used the larger pieces as wrapping paper.

    Because what if? I don't want to be the mom who threw out Picasso's first sketches :-)

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  4. That one is a keeper.
    Orrrr ... I have a blogging acquantaince who is collecting children's artwork for her new business she's launching. I'm keeping a folder of it to send to her. She's going to turn the artwork into decorations, jewlery and such. I think that's a good use. ;)

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  5. Oh, yes. You must keep that one. The stars even have the radiating lines coming off of them! Definitely priceless. ;)

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Hmm...And how did that make you FEEL?