A simple solution for craft crazy kids

I got completely busted the other day trying to subtly throw out some of the mountains of craft that the kids have made.  “Mum, why are my pictures in the bin?” asks Master J  “What do you mean?” I enquire (knowing full well what he meant).  He disappears and comes back with a huge pile of ‘crafts’ and dumps them on the kitchen floor.  “All these!!  They’re my favorite ones and YOU put them outside in the red bin!!  You know....... the one with the red lid where you throw things away??”  “Oh goodness”, I say, “I don’t know how that happened???????  It must have been your dad! (I’m great at passing the buck in these sorts of situations!)

Yes!  I had to photograph each and every piece!

I do love my kid’s craft (well most of it anyway) and I do try to keep some of the ones that I think are really special.  But honestly – if I kept them all we’re end up with our house looking like something out of one those TV shows about hoarders, where you can’t even see the furniture from all the ‘stuff’ in them!!

Master J's very own bedroom door display

While spending a little time on Pinterest (so addictive) I discovered this smart phone app called ‘Parent Pocket Gallery”.  It allows you to take photos of your kids’ artwork with your phone and add them to a virtual gallery.  I have set up a folder for both Mater J and Miss H and it’s just fantastic!  You can add labels and tags and any information that you want to the pictures and it stores in them all in dated order, and in custom folders.  I’ve also added a little story to each picture (something they’ve told me about it).  The best part is the slide show.  They get so excited to show Mr D the “show’ of all their work on the big computer screen.  It’s just too cute seeing them so proud and enthusiastic.  Another great perk is that you can have your virtual albums transformed into coffee table books.  That way you’ll never be in trouble for ditching their work again!