Smarty Summer Craft #6

By Rachel H

Memory Wall
Materials: Scrapbook paper
Photos (4 x 6 vertical and horizontal shots)
8 x 10 Frames
Scrapbook photo tape or scotch tape
Optional: artwork from kids

Description: This is a great summer project to complete with your kids! You can decorate your child's bedroom or playroom wall while involving them in the process. First step is to decide how many frames and what sizes you would like to use. In the picture above, I went with 10 very inexpensive frames of all the same size. Then involve your children by going through photos and choosing which ones you would like to display on your Memory Wall. We tried to find a good mix of my son's little pals, grandparents, and other relatives. Then have your children choose scrapbook paper that will be the background of each frame. If they are old enough, they can cut the paper to fit inside the frame. Then they can tape two pictures inside each frame vertically or horizontally. Together, you can decide the layout for the wall. I actually traced the frames with chalk on the wall so that we could see how it would look before we hung them. Then put your frames together, hang them, and you've got a memory wall! There are so many options for individual walls. I did a wall for my niece's room and alternated frames with photos and frames with pictures of her artwork from school. They all still included the scrapbook paper as background in the frames to match the color scheme in her room. Other options are to paint illustrations in between the frames as I did with the airplanes. You can draw or write with chalk to practice and then paint right over top of it. The chalk wipes off easily with a dry towel, so no need to worry if you mess up while drawing! It is also a great opportunity to let your child do the drawing and painting themselves if they are old enough. You can also write words going horizontally or vertically around the frames such as "family", "friends", "happiness", "fun", etc. Most of all, have fun decorating your wall and enjoy going through the pictures with your children! (Double click on picture to enlarge.)

Posted by Triad Smarty Pants at 5:00 AM