I am reusing this post from December 2008 for Heidi's Monthly Craft Challenge over at Blue Eyed Blessings. This month's material is ribbon! 
My girls produce art at an unprecedented rate. Every single day they bring tons of it home from school as well. There is not enough refrigerator space, wall space, bulletin boards space, etc. Also, because they get half of their genes from their father, are very sentimental and want to keep and display everything. What do you do with all of the birthday cards, thank you notes, good job letters from the teacher? My solution - recycle it - but that doesn't go over well (unless you hide it very well in the recycle bin under stuff they have no interest in - NOT all of the toy catalogs you have been getting each day in the mail - they want to dig those out). It's not that I'm completely void of sentiment (I do have boxes of "special" art work from each year), there is just no possible way to keep everything and even less room to display it. We barely have enough room for the three kids.
SO, to make everyone happy, I used the one flat surface that hadn't been utilized - their bedroom doors. Throw a wide piece of ribbon over the top long enough to touch the floor on both sides. Thumb tack it on the top to keep it in place. Buy a bag of clothes pins to hang everything on there (they like the colorful ones). With both sides of the door there is plenty of room for that week's art. There are usually papers on top of papers on top of papers but they don't seem to mind. It's displayed. Every so often I clean it off (late at night or when they are away at school). This year I'm sending a ton of it as filler in Christmas presents to my unsuspecting little sisters who do not yet have children. They would love it, right?!?!?
Check out Rocks In My Dryer for more Works-For-Me Wednesday ideas! (this link will no longer work)
Good idea! My son is only 15 months and he is already bringing home tons of artwork from daycare. I can just imagine what it will be like when he gets older. Or if I had 2!
ReplyDeleteI love that idea! I know what you mean about the prodigious amounts of artwork. It accumulates faster than stuffed animals ...
ReplyDeleteAnd it does seem like those darn stuffed animals procreate while we aren't looking! That's another thing I try to get rid of when nobody is watching.
ReplyDeleteI like the ribbon idea. My sister used to have a couple of big frames in the living room where she would rotate her kids artwork. They got to pick a new favorite each week or so and those would be the keepsake ones.
ReplyDeleteWe do almost the same thing -- except the cord is horizontal, tied at both ends to the wall. It works great!
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea. At first when you said you used one of the flat surfaces you had not used in their rooms, I thought ceilings. That feels like the last space we have left for the kids artwork. Mine love to make it and they love to keep it. I generally purge it while they are at school.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea. I have 3 kids and 4 daycare kids...I can definitely put this to work!
ReplyDeleteVery good idea! My boys are constantly flooding me with their artwork. This will work great.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThat IS a good idea. I try to implement the "one picture per child" on the fridge rule, but it's not very effective yet, seeing as all 3 girls can create numerous works of art in just one day! I think they inherited the "art" gene from my husband. LOL
ReplyDeleteI remember reading this the first time you posted it and it's still a great idea. How creative.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea!! With 4 producing artwork, my frig and laundry room door are overloaded. I love this-so easy and simple! My girls will like it too.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen this idea and I love it! What a great way to display their work!!
ReplyDeleteThat is a clever way to display art work. I get so overwhelmed with all the little school and church projects all over the front of our fridge. This would be an easy solution.
ReplyDeleteLOVE IT! I like how you shared to wrap it all the way around the door on both sides. In the comments on my blog you also shared that you have one for the office door with reminders, your cards, etc. What a great way to keep papers off the desk and getting lost in the shuffle. I'll definitely be using a modified version of this idea in the future.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing something fun for the party!! I love seeing whatever others have to share. Happy Thursday!
I thought I invented the thing I posted today for the ribbon party, but I guess I was wrong! lol!
ReplyDeleteWow what a great idea, I had been using one stretched out like a laundry line, but it takes up a lot room on the wall. I love the idea of moving it to the door! Great suggestion and I am so going to do this!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to display artwork!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion!
What a great idea!! There is never enough room for all the beautiful art we get!:-)
ReplyDeleteAh, Aveda! Lucky! I think I should find a better school than the one I go to.
ReplyDeleteLooks wonderful. If you want stop on by tomorrow for my Round Robin event.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute and clever idea...I love it!
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea!! Thinking out of the box...I like it!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
ReplyDeleteI am new to your blog and we have just been using tape and taping all that stuff on the door going to the garage.
I do love ribbon!
Have a great day!