What should I do with this?

We have an 'art gallery' in the utility room, (reviewed every now and then) It's a tiny utility, just big enough for the freezer and washer and dryer. We leave them there for years.

tell her its far too nice for you to keep and that you couldn't possibly imagine it not being in her house/bedroom (I'm afraid I do that when the grandchildren try to give me things like that!). And that you are honoured she thought of giving it to you as it is obviously SO special.
Whoops I see someone else had said something similar!!

My gorgeous Aspie GS has the memory of a very large elephant, and makes a beeline every visit to the place where he remembers we put his last offerings. If something is missing, he notices. He only visits a couple of times a year! Grandad now has a very large corkboard in his study, and a shelf unit with space to put models. When I visit them I come away with so many works of art, and he will always ask me where I will put them. He remembers!!!

For the smaller art works.. a really good suitcase with her name on... work kept on show until a new one appears! The castle.. well, outside of course..It can be placed in a corner somewhere?
and a story told to small granddaughter about castles weathering storms and in and wind and decaying naturally into ruins
Ideas here...
www.theschoolrun.com/homework-help/castles

https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201707/medium-562814-img-2964.jpg%3C/span%3E https://signal-corridor.live/uploads/talk/201707/medium-36666-img-2967.jpg%3C/span%3E

The secret box !

Confessions time - when my children were small and made 'junk models' at playgroup I used to suggest we left them in the car boot 'until the glue dried'. From there they were transferred straight to the bin and none were ever missed.
Unfortunately this ploy won't work if the glue is already dry! Also my two clearly didn't have the memories of elephants. I did keep most other artwork though. I think it is all in a big box in the loft.

Oh, I remember a niece (who possessed more enthusiasm than actual talent, skill or imagination) presenting what was supposed to be one of those Thunderbirds "Tracey Island" thingies that were all the rage a few years back when the show was revived.

It looked exactly like an enormous cardboard cow-pat......how I so wanted to 'accidentally' put a match to it.

My grandson was so proud of his "masterpiece" that my DS kindly framed it for me! I was stuck with it on the wall for years. Now he's seventeen, he's been fine about me taking it down. Phew! With a giant piece of artwork I think I'd have to say that it's lovely, but too big for Granny's house. Keep it at mummy's so I can admire it there.

I still have two pieces of woodwork made by DS1 around 40 years ago. One is a rather good model of a bird, whilst the other is either a whale, or viewed from another angle, a snail..... Both are on display.

I have clips that we bought on the internet, personalised for each grandchild and art work goes in there, just one on top of the other. Not living close by, I don't get too many. Grandchildren do like to look through when they visit.
Haven't had the problem with large scale models I'm afraid - the chance would be a fine thing!

I have a box with all my Grandsons creations. I even named it, like I did with my own children.
I have recently moved and found loads of my children's creations, along with their old school reports in a box, they of course came with me as they mean the world to me ( they were made with love ❤️ specially for me.

Have a space on wall where 'masterpiece' of the week can be put. put rest in a box.

Oh my move has unearthed boxes and boxes of my children school and artwork. It is being sorted into three large boxes and they will get their box and then they can deal with it all

Oh dear you are so lucky! Living abroad means I do not receive any of these so special gifts

I would never destroy or throw away my children or grandchildren's work! Think about why your DGD makes these things for you - she's expressing her love for and bringing a truly heartfelt gift. She is giving of her love, her time and her imagination - does she really deserve for you to callously put all of that in the bin? This year we had to retire a Christmas tree decoration made by DS when he first started school (DS is 41 now). Yes, space is always at a premium but isn't it about keeping warm memories instead of a sterile, pristine house?

I don't get lots of "masterpieces" but I have a couple of pictures on a cork board in the kitchen (soon to go in memory box). A couple of magnets on the fridge.

I have a memory box which contains photos, cards & precious "works of art"

I think the idea of photographing the pieces and putting them in an album is wonderful. Wish I could have done that over 30 years ago with my son.
Having said that I still have one picture my son(now 34) did aged 5 and it is framed, a few bits are in the loft. Why? I have on display a couple of pictures from my 2 year old grandson and as I don't see him much I leave them out for me to see. But for the future I love the secret box and the album.

I love the secret box idea too. My little grandsons (4 & 2) will be coming from NZ in Dec and staying for 6 weeks (eek) and as the eldest is a keen 'palaeontologist' I'm sure we'll end up with a lot of 'fossils' he's going to collect as well as many Christmas pictures of glue and glitter (courtesy of Nana) they'll be making - I'm going to need a big box! I did have a lot of my granddaughters presentations too when they were small - I think they're in a box in the garage with other rubbish memorabilia

I'm always very pleased and touched by anything my small grandson makes for me never mind how 'home made they look! Drawings and paintings go on fridge freezer door, and then he and I put them into a 'special box' when we run out of space! The latest ornament' made carefully and lovingly especially for me is given pride of place in my sitting room; people turn their nose up at their peril!!! This gift will be replaced, the former, again, put away to make room. When I'm extremely old, and he's grown up, I shall look at these long forgotten gifts and drawings and remember with love and pride that little boy who loved me enough to go to so much trouble, however garish, to make things just for me.

Whilst I love the idea of a secret box - any encouragement of the idea of having 'secrets' is not a good as it's a term abusers will use to keep the silence.

Over the years I've tried to think of another word thats just as good - but a 'surprise' box just doesn't really do it.

gillybob Fri 21-Jul-17 10:43:34 Fantastic! I am going to make one after the wedding next week. She's only two so the efforts are 'small' right now.

I was surprised some 20 years ago to find my mother kept all my early years school drawings in a scrapbook. She was enjoying good health back then.

It was a bittersweet find as many were cards made for Mother's Day, etc. She was not a nice person with severe emotional problems and almost daily told my brother and me that we were selfish ungrateful children. It was years before we realised that her meanness was part of her mental illness. I did not keep the scrapbook as it was too painful.

any encouragement of the idea of having 'secrets' is not a good as it's a term abusers will use to keep the silence

You really are joking aren't you rizlett ?

rizlett Fri 21-Jul-17 11:16:05

I didn't get the impression that it was 'that deep' of a secret. It's up there on a shelf in full view!

I used to tell my nieces and nephews to keep things secret... like when we worked on wood-craft pressies for their dad's birthday etc. until the big day.

Aw I am a retired nursery nurse and these art activities are so very precious to chn...and to the parents/grandparents.... Just keep them for a while..perhaps hide them n bring them out when you know they are visiting....one day you will look back on all these very fondly.

I have heard many a tot wailing because they have a bone in their leg!!

Gillybob the secret box is a brilliant idea. Thank you!