Monday, December 20, 2010

Multi-saving, savings.

Time saving,
Tree saving,
Money saving,
Space saving,
Landfill saving,
and the occasional little smile while attending to jobs.

We have gone through all the school books and craft that have come home for the year. Oh my gosh, my two have a rather large collection of books, journals, and artwork. It's difficult for me to part with it, but I just cannot keep it all. I have resume binders that I keep special pieces of artwork, we use some for wrapping paper, we use some to post away. I have decided to keep their kindy books, but from then on we just keep their journals and story books. I so love to read back over their writing and see where their imagination takes them or how they retell a book studied in class in their own words/pictures. Each year I do try to cull a bit from the previous year, and this seems to work - sort of - just a little bit. (not really Joyce!)

Anyways, some of their books that we have decided to part with still had some unused pages in the back and so I have made notepads, phone message pads, to do lists, and shopping lists.

They are a little crude looking, but they will still provide rather useful. Some of the fronts are covered with some artwork, others with writing, and through each of them there are bits of handwriting from pages not quite filled up, so that while I am checking my shopping list at the markets, I can savour a little of my boys writing or a cute little maths equation written in their little hand. (I am not a fan of doing groceries and being out and about doing 'chores' so this will totally brighten my jobs list.) Can you see the cover to the bottom right? This was done by my youngest in a little exercise book I gave him when his big brother started school. He used to so seriously hold his little pencil and 'write' letters to people. When I found this book I just had to use one of these pages as a cover. I don't mind using these pages, because they are all well over a year old, and now I have room to store 2010's 'great works'.

Those poor trees worked very hard to become paper for school books, there was a lot of energy involved in making them school books. We did pay for the books through the school fees after all, and my wastepaper shopping lists from last year are running very low of stock.

What do you do with your childrens school books/artworks and journals? Can you bring yourself to part with them? Do you recycle unused pages, do you make coasters or laminate pretty artworks for placemats? I would love to know how you do end of year school bits.

Have a lovely day at your place.

4 comments:

Michelle Jamieson said...

I also have the same problem, Frances!
I don't like to turf the school books and artwork out, but you just can't keep it all!!!
I let Zac keep one book each year that was special to him from his school books. We keep the favourites in the artwork dept, but again you just can't keep it all!!!!

Merry Christmas to you and your family, Frances!
Have a good one. :)
Chelle Xx

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

I would say keep the story writing ones because they will always be special, but all the others can be tossed. Not that I've done it myself yet!! Most of them are still in the bags they came home in. I have washed the lunchboxes however! The nice art work I hang in our hallway gallery. It covers the horrid wallpaper nicely.

Mrs Twins said...

Hi Joyce,
I have every drawing, every little piece of writing. I have absolutely everything. I even have every toy up in the loft. I have every little milk tooth safely kept. I cannot part with anything. Their school books infant work, junior school, senior school are all underneath the bed along with folders of their art work. I've managed to find a place for everything. I could never ever throw anything away.
Thanks for visiting SIBOL today, your kind words are very much appreciated.
Have a great Christmas, and I'll see if I can be good, but not promising!
Love to you from a very cold UK.
Suex

'Joyce' said...

Hi Chelle, Oh it's good to know we are all in the same dilemma. I just love going through their books, but really am unable to keep it all.
Hi Sarah, yes, normally I don't go through them until later in the year, but this year, thought I would be organised and get it sorted. I just cannot part with their journals and stories. They are far too personal to be letting go of.
Hi Mrs Twins, oh wow, I would love to be able to have the storage for it all. That is awesome. I have kept clothing and toys that I cannot part with and even today my youngest come to me and said he doesn't play with his kitchen set anymore. *ouch* broke my heart it did. But I will just tidy it away and bring it out again next holidays. lol.
You are welcome - and as for being good, oh gosh, Mrs Twins, its a little bit fun to be a bit cheeky sometimes you know. lol. Snuggle up warm and hugs to you across the waters. Bless.