Kids' art collage

It was time for me to create something out of the kids' school art that I could never bear to part with.  You can only store this stuff for so long.  Eventually it will crumble, decay, smell funky. My "kids" are now 36, 35, 31, and 27.  But I still love this art so much!  I gathered all the pieces that I could bear to cut and glue and purchased a 30x40 canvas at Michael's for about $40.

Then I made this:

I love everything about this project.  It makes me feel joyful to look at how detailed and colorful they created art.  That they loved hearts, rainbows, helicopters, snakes, birds, dogs, and patterns.  Happy kids make happy art!

I laid the large background pieces out on the canvas about where I thought they should go, then took a photo of it.  I tried to make sure I had a least one of everyone's handprint and written name.  I decided to leave a small border around the edges of the canvas by painting the edges in some leftover wall paint.

This will also go nicely on the wall I am hanging it on - the guest bedroom.

After I spread some archival Mod Podge on the canvas and backs of the pieces, I carefully placed them by referencing the photo I took.  Then I used a rubber brayer to smooth them out.  Then I just started layering smaller pieces of art.  Admittedly, there are still some wrinkled places - but authentic art is organic like that, no?  I gave it several coats of clear acrylic spray when it was all dry.

I fished around in my stash and found two picture hangers to affix to the back corners, used my tape trick, and hung it up.

Looking at it soothes my grieving mama heart.

Its visual proof that my children knew they were loved and felt safe and happy.  Which is everything I have ever wanted for them, or myself for that matter.

(P.S. I didn't come up with this idea on my own, I just followed directions I found on-line)

Gina