To save space in a smaller home, rotate the artwork that you display. A simple option is to use colorful washi tape to hang a few pieces of artwork on the wall at a time. After a few weeks or once a month, choose new pieces to display. Another creative display option is to hang a string and use decorative clips to attach the artwork. You can even get special picture frames with fronts that swing open so it's easy to swap out the artwork.
Have a storage container for the artwork that's not on display. This can be as simple as placing the items in a small plastic storage bin, or you might place drawings and scraps of paper in a filing box or cabinet. You can easily choose new artwork and the originals stay protected.
If you don't have room to store the actual artwork, digitize it so you can keep it all virtually. Take photos of each piece of artwork or scrap of paper. Then, you can upload the images to a digital photo frame. The frame cycles through the different pieces of art. It's a constantly new display, and you can keep a record of all the artwork you've received. Plus, you can easily take more photos and upload new artwork as you receive it to keep the display updated.
Another creative way to capture images of the originals without storing lots of artwork is by making a printed coffee table book. You can take photos of the artwork and upload them to a photo gift website. Then, plug the images into the pages of a photo book template. You can add captions that include the date or a description of the artwork. Make a separate book for each grandchild so they can each see their artwork in print.
If you like the idea of a book but don't want to get rid of the original artwork, turn the papers into a scrapbook. You can place each item onto a separate page in the scrapbook and protect them with plastic covers. Add captions to record the details of the artwork, such as who created it and what the picture shows. If your grandchildren live nearby, ask them to help you make the scrapbook so it becomes a fun family project.
Hold onto those hand turkeys and Christmas tree pictures. They make beautiful seasonal art to add a festive touch to your apartment. File away the seasonal creations with labels so you know which holidays are available. As the holiday or season approaches, pull out the related artwork and put it in a frame or hang it on your refrigerator. It's a more personalized option than holiday decorations you can buy at the store.
Whether it's seasonal or not, artwork can become personalized ornaments for your Christmas tree. For smaller crafts your grandchild makes, simply attach a loop of ribbon and hang it directly on the tree. For drawings or other paper items, grab small wooden ornament shapes or cardboard paper mache ornaments. Cut pieces of the artwork to fit the shape of the ornament, then glue or decoupage the pieces of art onto it. At Christmastime, you can display all the various snippets of art, letters or other keepsakes in a unique way.
When your artwork stockpile is overflowing, consider sharing the love with other relatives. The child's aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives might appreciate a little glimpse at their artistic talent as much as you do. You can send the artwork by itself or turn it into cards, envelopes, wrapping paper or other items.
Catch a glimpse of a new piece of artwork each month by turning it into a calendar. You can buy a scrapbook calendar that has blank pages above the calendar grid for each month. Glue a drawing or other paper item to each month to design the calendar images. If a piece of artwork is too large for the page, cut it to size, or cut smaller pieces from several drawings and make a collage.
Another option is to create a photo calendar similar to the photo book. Take photos of each piece of artwork, upload it to a photo gift website and plug the pictures into the calendar template. You'll receive a professionally printed calendar with the artwork images on it.
Instead of having several individual pieces of artwork displayed on your wall, create one larger collage. You can use a piece of foam board to create the collage. Frame it or leave it unframed and display it on a wall or shelf.
