recycled kid art & paper crafting

Recently I gave new life to a wrinkled, water-torn paint experiment created by my 3-year-old. I've read books about introducing your children to art and the proper way to encourage their creativity. "Destroying" their art in order to create something else is a big no-no. However, knowing this piece wasn't a keeper in my household anyway assuaged any guilt I might have had.

I used the abstract textures as the basis for some cut paper greeting card creations. I did flowers for mother's day cards and stars for graduation cards. The actual cards, a boxed set of solid colored cards with white envelopes, has been one of my most useful craft store purchases.

By the way, when my daughter emerged from her bath and saw what I had created by cutting apart her painting she was most intrigued and expressed a desire to try her hand at cutting (scissors are a new thrill). So much for being horrified at the destruction of her masterpiece!