I used the excuse of moving to get rid of a lot of stuff, including in the craft box. All of our on-its-last-legs art supplies -- worn down crayons, half-empty paints, semi-dry dot markers, glue dregs, foam sheet scraps -- came out for one last hurrah before I threw them in the trash. I put everything on the table in front of Anouk with a stack of junk mail (catalogs that won't stop coming no matter how many times I cancel are my pet peeve) and let her get to work.



The result were these mixed media collages that I think are very colorful and fun. It was hilarious and really interesting to sit back and watch A. make them, exploring her newfound creative freedom over what was basically the whole craft box. Trying to get in there and experiment with everything all at once is basically her life's mission right now. This was her chance and she took it with gusto.





Now I have some art for the fridge at the new house and my craft bins are about 5 pounds lighter. I don't think of it as throwing stuff away, I think of it as Strunk-and-White-ing my art supplies (Omit needless pom-poms).

Happy Monday! Have you been fall cleaning this year? Any creative ways of getting rid of excess junk?