Displaying Kid Art!

Way back when, I created this photo wall in my daughter's room...



It was a really simple project.  I went to the ribbon isle at JoAnn's and bought that thicker cording that is kinda like the good old boy scout belts.  Do they still wear those horrible things?  I also bought a little fun frilly ribbon to coordinate.  I cut slits at both ends of the cording, strung the frilly ribbon through and tied the frilly ribbon to create a loop.  I put two copper nails in the wall and strung the cording between them.  I attached pictures with some painted and some plain clothes pins and it was a great way to display cute pics in my daughter's room.



But I was recently sitting in her bed reading her a book and started thinking that maybe it is strange for a 3 year old to have a entire wall of pictures of herself in her room.  Hmmmm?  Is that odd or am I just odd?  Well, that's a whole other topic.  But maybe it is time to change it up.

Ever since she started school my daughter comes home with piles of papers.  Many of them "art" that I have no idea what to do with or honestly what they are.  I put them on the fridge for a day and then when she isn't looking I sneak them to the trash.  (Horrible mother, I know.)  But as she has become a big 3 year old in recent weeks I am trying to get her more involved in decision making so I thought maybe I could turn her picture of me wall into my art wall.  And when she brings home a new masterpiece that she wants to add to the wall she can decide what comes down and what stays.  What do you think?

So I snatched down all the pics and put them in a keepsake pile, which btw I need a true home for at some point - add to the project list.  And I have started putting up her art.  The very first to go up is my very favorite because it is her first ever scribble...

...and I was smart enough at the time to put a date on it so it is a great keepsake.  But as the art comes in it will go up and eventually rotate out.

And as I think about it, this idea was inspired by The Happiness Project idea of "be a treasure house of happy memories".  For a DIYer there is nothing better then the bargain of home made art and for our happiness there is nothing better then displaying things that fill your heart with wonderful thoughts.  So this project is a two for one deal, how about that!?!?!

The Happiness Project

Have you read this book?  The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin.  It is not a new book.  It came out in March of 2011, but it seems to be popping up in places again so I thought I would check it out.





As the full title explains The Happiness Project is a book about why Gretchen spent a year "trying to sing in the morning, clean (her) closets, fight right, read Aristotle, and generally have more fun."  It is not the story of a woman who leads a miserable life, who is unhappy and needing a huge change.  Instead it is about a woman who is a lot like many of us.  She loves her job, has a great marriage and two pretty awesome kids, but even so she often asks herself if she could do better, live better and treat others better.

Have you ever asked yourself these questions?  Are you sitting around waiting for "when this happens" or "when that happens" you will be really happy?  Don't we all do that?  I know I do.  And along the way I take out my grouchy moods and unnecessary stress on the people who matter most to me (read - my husband).  Oh and one of my biggest faults - everything becomes about the to-do list and the good stuff just slips on by.

Well, I am not her publicist and I have no monetary connection to Mrs. Gretchen Rubin but reading this book is really making me think and act in a happier way.  And that right there is worth selling!



She also writes a blog and you know I like me some good blog.  You can check it out on her website here.  She seems to be half way through a 21-Day Challenge right now, which I know nothing about but I'm sure it is great.

So let me know if you have read this book and / or read her blog.  I would love to hear others' experiences with their own happiness project.