Museum Quality

Organizational series continued. When my children turned one, they started to bring home more and more art projects from our weekly classes. While, at first, they were no more than a few dots on a page, they have begun to evolve into paintings and collage. Originally, I had purchased this Alex portfolio to store their work, separating the art by year. The portfolio is very sturdy, has a cute little pocket to put the child’s picture in (helps me decipher Brody’s versus Bryce’s), and it is large enough to fit those obscurely shaped or extra long papers that seem to comprise the bulk of their work.

Recently, I also began searching for a method to display their art. As they enter preschool next year, I am anticipating the heft of papers they will bring home. I wanted a method to showcase some of their favorites. Since our kitchen refrigerator is not magnetized, I opted to keep their work limited to the playroom or nursery. I wanted something that was slim and discrete, yet big enough to actually hang multiple papers – I am hanging TWO of everything.

Most importantly, I wanted it in a location that the kids would notice pridefully – within arm’s reach – but not so low that they were constantly being pulled down and crumpled or taken apart. I also wanted to preserve the artwork after, so I did not want any damage in the display process.  This strip, does not use any small pushpins or magnets, which maintains the integrity of the work, and because at two, Bryce and Brody still get a kick of putting anything in their mouths.

It also allows me to display artwork thoughtfully, simply by sliding it within the seams. It was easy to hang, I mean like just a few mounting squares, and it is narrow enough to sit discretely under some family portraits in the playroom. I like that my children can see their work on a daily basis, and it has added a slightly ‘homemade’ dimension to the landfill of primary-colored plastic and Fisher Price that also lives in the space.