How to create childrens pictures for practically free




Recycled vintage childrens book





Ikea frame & illustration from vintage book

My children are very lucky to have a playroom of their own.
But the problem is it has turned into a toy storage room (read dumping ground) and rarely played in. This means the toys are dragged everywhere and I can only trip over so many in one day.
I sat in the playroom and realised the problem. It was set up two and half years ago and as you know that is a long time in a childs development. The room was aimed far too young. It has been cleared out many times but really just toy removal.
So today began the mission to make the playroom played in again ( and to return the sitting room to a respectable room so I am not mortified when anyone calls in and have to spend an hour trying to make it decent again)
Its been four hours and I've made a dint. Its amazing how many books, puzzles and toys are just too young I had to subtily moving them out of the room without being caught. I'll transfer to charity bags and bins when children are asleep/out.

I upgraded some old pictures while I was at it.



"New" artwork for children

The top picture consists of three matching frames which I bought in Ikea a few years ago. They were very cheap at the time and have plastic in the frame instead of glass, perfect for children if you have a fear of glass breaking! I removed the three colourful pictures that they contained as they were aimed at younger children.
I inserted pages from old childrens books I picked up in a charity (thrift) store. The top right is an illustration from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Then the other two are from a Lewis Carroll book,

The pirate costume picture is a page from hardback book that was falling apart. It was too damaged to pass to another child so I added a piece of ribbon to the side of one of the pages to cover the book tear and hung it on the wall. It looks cute and is something new out of something destined for the bin. It probably is too young style wise for the children but the illustrations were so cute I couldnt resist.

I leave you with the Mad Hatters song from the Lewis Carroll book:
Twinkle twinkle little bat
How I wonder where you're at
Up above the world you fly,
Like a tea-tray in the sky,
Twinkle, Twinkle.


All the best,
Maria