It's Not a Dog Dish, It's Art!

I just emerged out of my "craft" room. We have company coming and the bed needs to be cleared off so it can be slept in. Currently it serves as a storage facility. In my craft room I have an assortment of sewing supplies, hair clip supplies, miscellaneous craft supplies and of course my scrap booking supplies. Amongst all of my scrap booking stuff I have MANY folders. Folders full of various pictures and what not intended to be turned into scrap books. I have always felt the need to keep every single thing that my kids have made, from homemade cards to art projects, with the intention of preserving it. I realize at this point that it has gotten WAY out of hand. Again that guilt creeps in. I feel bad if I throw anything away.

I think now I know why I feel the need to keep all of their papers and art gifts.

My parents kept very little if anything that I ever made for them. When I was in first grade each class member drew a lovely picture for their Moms. That picture was then transferred to a plate (a plate you eat off of) to later be given as a Mother's Day present. I was sooooo proud of my colorful rainbow and of how well it turned out. I am not sure what amount of time had passed between my Mom actually receiving her plate and to where it finally ended up but I do remember feeling pretty low about its final use. My pretty rainbow decorated plate became a dog dish. Somehow it ended up outside as the food plate to feed our cats and dogs. Ouch. That one still stings.

My goal is to not let this type of thing happen to my kids. I don't want to make them feel like something they made for me is worthless. Worthy only of a dog dish or the garbage. So let this be a lesson to all. If you don't want that "gift" and no one will be the wiser if it ends up in the trash, then make sure it actually disappears from view. You know what they say, "Out of sight, out of mind." I probably would have forgotten all about that dumb plate had it just disappeared.

I am going to bite the bullet and go down there and clear some stuff out. I will make sure it goes directly to the trash bin outside. Later macaroni necklace....