School is starting soon, and my son will be bringing home plenty of worksheets and art projects. It is always a challenge to decide what we keep and what has to be recycled. I don’t want to hurt my son’s feelings, but we can’t keep EVERYTHING he brings home.
If you need a way to corral schoolwork, but want to keep your child’s self-esteem riding high, try making a feature frame for his work. A frame decorated with neon AstroBrights papers highlights a special piece of work, and helps your child decide what he or she is particularly proud of.
AstroBrights paper comes in 23 bright, bold colors and is perfect for printing flyers or posters for school events. But they also make great paper to use in arts and crafts projects like the frame I created with my preschooler.
I purchased an inexpensive frame at Walmart, but you could also use a frame you have on hand or find a cheap one at a thrift store. All you need is a frame, so this is a perfect way to upcycle a broken mirror or photo frame.
Get your little helper working cutting the AstroBrights paper into small rectangles. This gets your child involved and can help with preschooler’s scissor skills.
Once you have a good amount of paper cut, you can get to work on the frame.
Remove any glass and backing from the frame before you start adding the paper. You will want to be able to wrap the paper onto the backside of the frame.
Apply a layer of decoupage glue and have fun sticking the bright colors of paper all over the frame. Make sure the colors overlap and cover the frame everywhere. Use your fingers to smooth the paper down and remove any bubbles. This is a messy craft, so have fun! Seal the paper down with another coat of decoupage glue.
After the glue has fully dried, attach a length of floral wire to the back of the frame. I purchased mine at the dollar store, but any strong wire will do.
I used eye hooks to attach the wire to the frame, but hooks would also work.
Hang the frame in a place of honor and clip the chosen schoolwork to the wire. Have fun displaying aced tests and beautiful paintings all year long!
AstroBrights is running a “Give a Brighter Year” sweepstakes. Visit the AstroBright facebook page and enter to win a $500 gift card for you and $30,000 in school supplies for your favorite school. They are also holding a “Make Something AstroBright” design challenge where you and your family can enter your projects to win cash! The next challenge is the “Get Playful” challenge. Find out more on their facebook page.
