Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Everybody Loves Raymond


Have you ever taken a decorating tip from a tv show?  I have.  I'm sure it might surprise you that I found inspiration from the tv show "Everybody Loves Raymond".  Did you watch that show?  Did you ever notice the decor?  If so, you're thinking I've probably lost my mind about now.  In the master bedroom, there were a couple of paintings but most of the wall decor look like framed prints.  When you look closely, you notice that all of those prints were actually children's artwork, implying that they had framed their children's artwork and hung it as art.

I remember when I brought home something from school that I made or pictures I drew and colored for my parents.  I would give it to them and they would make such fuss over it like it was the most awesome thing in the world.  I remember how I felt; so special and proud and loved.  My sister's and my "artwork" hung on the refrigerator or was placed around the house.  It was given a place of importance which meant what I did was important to my parents.

When I had my son, I wanted him to feel the same way.  However, I wanted to decorate my house in my style with everything just right.  Where did children's coloring pages fit in?  As I watched an episode of that tv show, it became clear.  My son will be 14 in December.  In those almost 14 years, he has been quite creative.  All of the artwork/wall decor in our master bedroom was done by our son.  Does it fit my decorating style? Not at all.  However, waking up in the morning and seeing his poems we've framed and pictures he's drawn make me happier than any rusty chippy vintage thing ever could.

So, here is some of our most prized artwork in our home.  


Handmade "porcelain" figurines (I think one is a turtle and one is a penguin)


The poem on the left was a mother's day gift and the one of the right was for his father for Christmas.  He did these all by himself as a surprise.



This is my most favorite thing...he thanked me for my "providedence".  Priceless.

He was 7 when he wrote that.

Another mother's day gift; notice the two hearts, one red and one pink, one for me and one for him.  
Can it get any better than that?


There we are!  The three of us with our dogs...we don't always wear matching clothes.

Here's a homemade birthday card from him.  His poems are incredible.  Our son is not encouraged to buy gifts for us for any occasion.  He is encouraged to "make us something", make us a new art piece for our room. He's given us poems, paintings, musical recordings, cards, letters, pictures, etc.  

We framed some of his artwork for his bathroom.  


Our son's a rockstar.  He rocks our world.

I don't see a lot of children's artwork on the blogs I visit.  I see beautiful homes and amazing things. Although I don't see much of it, I hope your children's artwork is beautifully displayed somewhere for you and your children to enjoy.

If you want to see the inspirational bedroom, click on the link to see a clip.  It's funny so you'll have to keep your eye on the artwork.  There's a good closeup shot of it behind Ray when he's flexing. 

What do you do with your children's art?

I may link this up to my favorite link parties in the list above the post or down on the right side of my blog.  

10 comments:

  1. I am guilty of not hanging my kid's artwork....I never know what to do with it. Usually it ends up on the fridge for months....I'm inspired to go thru their boxes and see what I can frame. LOVE all the stuff your son did for you. So precious, and so cool!

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  2. First of all I love the heart! And nothing is more priceless then their words on how much they appreciate you.

    When my boys were little I had them sit down and draw some pictures of fish. I found a cheap frame with a mat with 3 spots and framed those fish to go in their bathroom. Along with some ceramic fish that had been made by one of them. Now they are older and one is a photographer. I love having his art hanging still!

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  3. Awh, I love it! How sweet. I have a few of our boys' artwork framed.

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  4. What a lovely post. I love how you framed his artwork. I actually am guilty of not putting much of my kids artwork up. We have saved it in a memory box, but we didn't frame it. Good food for thought!

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  5. Those poems/card just melt my stone cold heart.

    (It's especially stone and cold today. It's been a DAY.)

    Yeah I've had plans for the last two weeks for an art wall. Have I done it yet? Nope. Why? Who knows. Maybe I'll go down and get that done right now. :)

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  6. What a beautiful post full of wonderful ideas on ways to display your children's art. I do try and display items around the house and most of them are replaced regularly but there are a special few that are more permanent.

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  7. Well, my 2 year olds art work usually ends up on the fridge, or sent to grammy and grampy who live out of state. They especially enjoy it! I recently saw another blogger, sorry, can't remember which one, who did inexpensive frames with cork in them, and then the kids could just take a pin, and find a frame that fit their art and put it up. She said once a month she went through and pulled them down and replaced them with new ones. I thought that was a great idea! Oh, she did this on her staircase, where it would be seen, but not the first thing you see in the house.

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  8. All so cute and perfect. My favorite the two hearts. But, he is very talented even from a young age.

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  9. I love that poem~buttloads of fun!

    I need to frame my kids stuff. I have it all, I just haven't framed it.

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  10. What a GREAT post. I adore the pics. Isn't it profound to wonder what is going through their minds as they create those kinds of things for us? That's what moves me the most. Yes, I diplay my kids' artwork in the house, on the frig and have saved tubs full. I also have an accordian file folder in my hope chest with the most precious things my kids (ages 11, 11 & 13) have ever made, written, or drawwn, not just for me and their dad, but also things they've done for each other. You will enjoy my "mom cave" post I did last week because, as the mom cave contest directions suggested, it is my favorite place in my house and just like what you've posted. It is here. http://angela-unfussyfussiness.blogspot.com/2010/10/mom-cave.html

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