Kid Art!
Finally, a simple solution
for preserving the pinch pots, finger paints, oil pastels, complex collages, and block prints brought home by your wee little Warhols. Now you can tuck them away safely once and for all, so stop fretting about it. If you've got random piles because you don't have boxes that are the right size,
now you can finally (joyfully!) reclaim your closet ... or guest bed ... or
playroom ... or table top ... or whatever.
I've worked on collections in the Library of Congress, the Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, the Chicago Red Cross and family collections just like yours.
As an archivist, I know exactly how to store paper treasures so they last as long as possible.
One of the simplest ways is to create a microclimate by using archival quality boxes and folders. Boxes keep treasures away from damaging elements such as light, heat, dust, and pets. Archival means acid free and lignin free. Acids will actively deteriorate paper in a process that we archivist refer to as a "slow fire." Your boxes and folders should also be lignin-free because lignin causes the paper fibers to become acidic over time. In addition, archival boxes are constructed with metal edges instead of glue -- which can be acidic and can add other chemicals into the environment. Metal edges also add stacking strength, which is a nice bonus.
As a mom of a fifth grader and a third grader who finally got around to organizing the kids' art this year, I know precisely what kinds of boxes you need.
The result is my newest kit, the School Days Time Capsule. It has all the boxes, folders, and tissue you need, plus a pair of gloves and a handy dandy How To guide.
Psssst.... Here's some free bonus advice: Save yourself and your kids a lot of hassle by keeping only a selection of creations from the vast ocean of school papers and pint size Picasso creations they bring home every school year. If your goal is to keep this archive so your children can enjoy their work after they grow up and move out, it makes sense to to treat these select few "keepers" the right way. But don't keep so many that your grown up child won't have room to store it.
Important Note! Before you go any further, you need to read this....
As with all Practical Archivist kits, there
is not always stock on hand. In order to
keep our prices as low as they are, we have to pool customer orders
until they reach a certain threshold. It's kind of like a buyer's coop.
Your order should ship within two weeks. If that isn't possible, we will
contact you via email with an update. If you need your kit shipped
immediately, let us know via email and we'll see if we can meet your
deadline (contact information is at the bottom of this page)
We will continue filling orders on this rolling basis until
December 31, 2011. After that, we may return to the once-per-year
ordering system we have used for all previous kits.
Fabulous! Bonus! Items!
The Practical Archivist's Backpack Mail: Preserve the Art Treasures, Conquer the Clutter. Practical
tips to help you use your sparkling new kit to its full advantage. Tips
like: The best part of your house to store your treasures, How to
prevent spills from destroying one-of-a-kind artwork, and Fun things to do with the art you decide not to keep. It also details my simple plan for giving yourself a break and waiting to organize the letter size stuff until after you have a year's worth accumulated. This doesn't get you out of signing permission slips and keeping track of important dates.That's outside the realm of my superpowers, unfortunately. ;)
All of the goodies listed above will ship with your kit.
$57.75 + $20 S&H
Estimated Ship Date: Two weeks from the time of order. If this is not possible, we will contact you via email to discuss other options. If you need this kit immediately, please contact us to discuss possibilities.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I HAVE EXTRA ROOM?
Don't have a pile three inches tall of oversize kids artwork? That's cool. You can leave the space empty. This is also the perfect box for certificates, diplomas, small to medium sized posters and really big photos. Maybe you're planning ahead and your kids are still in diapers. Clever trousers! You can do this two ways. Leave it empty and fill it as time goes on, or fill it now and replace as more elaborate works are created.
*CONTACT INFO: Got questions?
Call my voicemail: 608-616-0058. *It's easiest for me if you leave an email address for replying.
Or skip the phone altogether and click here to send me an email.
Who is The Practical Archivist...and how do I know she's qualified to give advice?
