I digitized my kids’ artwork (and it was the best thing I’ve done all year)

Nothing quite describes the feeling when your child starts bringing home artwork. Seeing pieces that their tiny hands made, well, we might start crying thinking about it right now. It’s special. And you want to save all of it—from the sparkly butterfly to the massive Halloween witch they decorated with pompoms and pipe cleaners.

At the end of the school year—who am I kidding, I’m usually going through last year’s artwork the night before the new school year begins!—I gather all 476 pieces and awkwardly shove the bulky items into a giant paper bag in each of my three kids’ closets. And that artwork sits there, never to be looked at again.

Until recently, this is what I’ve done.

So, when I heard that one of my favorite printing companies, Artifact Uprising, had partnered with kid artwork digitization brand Plum Print , I was all in. Offering two packages— the Classic and the Premium —of photo books, cards and prints, you simply pick which you prefer, and you’re sent a pre-paid shipping kit, where you curate your favorite 30 items and ship them back for scanning and printing.

Here’s where I get deep, ya ready?

Skimming through their pieces made me laugh and get emotional, as I re-lived all the ways they grew and learned and gushed with creativity during the school year. And then I picked 10 favorites from each child, sealed them in a box, recycled the rest of the pieces… and oh my goodness, the weight lifted off my chest was enormous.

Because let’s face it, dealing with the onslaught of artwork totally stresses us mamas out. But knowing that I was going to be able to memorialize their masterpieces in a clutter-free way in my home made me want to legit do a happy dance.

Now onto the results: I sampled the wares and can attest that the products are gor-geous . If you want to spend a bit less, the classic package’s items are smaller and the book is soft covered, whereas the pricier premium package’s goods are a few inches larger and the book is a luxe-looking, fabric-bound hardcover that will be a beautiful addition to your coffee table, bedside or on a bookshelf.

Since arriving, the books have been entertaining my kids endlessly—they feel like professional artists!—and now Grandma wants her own copy. While I didn’t quite get the appeal of the cards and prints at first, after seeing them in person I’m delighted by them. Printed on thick archival paper, the pieces are mementos you can send out to friends and family or place atop the included easel for a rotating gallery.

Shop both the collections below and you too can get all of your children’s art out of your drawers and into these timeless packages.

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