Cinderella Days! Fun Ways To Display Children’s Artwork!

Cinderella Days!  Fun Ways To Display Children’s Artwork!

With school being out for the summer for most children, you’ve probably got a stockpile of artwork masterpieces your kids have collected throughout the year stored away in a box under their beds…or maybe you’re just wanting to find the door of your fridge again!

So I decided to devote this special entry of… 

Cinderella Days! Fun Ways To Display Children's Artwork! www.mytributejournal.com

to showing some…

Fun Ways To Display Children's Artwork! www.mytributejournal.com

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As parents and grandparents we can’t help but want to nurture a child’s creativity when they present you with their first “genius” work of art–especially if you are like me and you weren’t blessed with too many inherent skills when it comes to drawing!  But even if they aren’t necessarily artistically inclined, I think helping kids find ways to express themselves in a creative fashion is a great way to help them maintain their individuality!

Art is as natural as sunshine quote www.mytributejournal.com

I know one of the things my granddaughters love to do most when they come to play at my house on our Cinderella Days is some sort of artwork!

Cinderella Days! Fun Ways To Display Childrren's Art! www.mytributejournal.com

“Every child is an artist”  Pablo Picasso

Showing Off Kid’s Masterpieces!

   • Framing art is an obvious choice.  However, you could end up investing a small fortune on picture frames and sooner or later you’d run out of wall space in your house, that’s why I like these hinged frames that make it easy to change out the art.    

Fun Ways To Display Children's Artwork! www.mytributejournal.com  

I love these unique latch frames from improvementscatalog.com  They come in black as shown above, as well as white and cherry , there are also various sizes available.  All you have to do is lift the latch and insert the latest creation from your budding artist into the existing picture pocket!    

Pottery Barn Kids slot art frames www.mytributejournal.com

These side-slot frames from Pottery Barn Kids make it easy to update your child’s artwork display; they can hold several drawings, so they’re a good storage place for some of your favorite pictures too. 

Fun Ways To Display Children's Art! www.mytributejournal.com

If you’ve got any old frames around your house…paint them to match your child’s room décor, hang, then use colorful painter’s tape to put the artwork in the center of the frames, and as you can see, switching out the pictures in these frames will be so easy!  

Special framed artwork to go on a bookshelf is always a good idea and makes for a great gift too.  As a grandparent, I love getting pictures that our granddaughters draw!

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This is a page out of our oldest granddaughter, Makena’s little journal…my husband was impressed that she starts most of her entries with “I ‘fill’ great today.”–so our daughter surprised him with his own framed page for Christmas!      

   • Artwork displayed on bulletin boards and magnet boards is more popular than ever before.  My husband and I made our children a bulletin board for their bedrooms when they were growing up, now this big one that was once used by my youngest daughter in her study area, has become the proud focal point of my granddaughter’s playroom!

Fun Ways To Display Kid's Artwok! www.mytiributejournal.com

My husband made this bulletin board by gluing some commercial grade cork board to a sheet of one inch plywood, then he framed it out with a wood border and had that wrapped with metal at a local sheet metal company so we could hang some pictures with magnets too.  My granddaughters love arranging their artwork on this big bulletin board!   

Fun Ways To Display Childrens Artwork! www.mytributejournal.com

Don’t you think this burlap bulletin board and tin magnet board from Magnolia Market have such a neat, eclectic look; they seem perfect for displaying kid’s notes and artwork! 

   • Using some everyday items like office supply clips and clothes pins are a couple of other fun ways to display children’s artwork.  The low-cost and ease of using these ordinary items gives you a lot of bang for your buck when you use them to hang your kid’s art projects.

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My oldest daughter is an interior designer and has found that The Land Of Nod, which features many of the ideas above, is a great resource for fun items to put your children’s creativity on display!   

When priceless art pieces get changed out, I will often keep them in a binder for perusing later!  If your kids are anything like my granddaughters, you’ll find this is one of their most favorite things to do–it’s also a fun way to see how far their creative talents have progressed!

Fun Ways To Display Children's Artwork! www.mytributejournal.com

Regardless of the way we choose to showcase the pictures of our budding artists, perhaps the most important thing we should take into account when we receive a priceless masterpiece–is that they are most certainly made with…

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 …lots and lots of LOVE!!!!!

I’d be interested to know some of the fun ways you display your children’s artwork.

–Mary

My Hometown!

My Hometown!

Centerville, Utah! My Hometown! www.mytributejournal.com

The fun town that I’ve had the privilege of calling home for a number of years is celebrating its 100th birthday this year!  Centerville, Utah and the surrounding areas have provided a great place to raise my family and all the blessings that go hand in hand with a wonderful community!  As exciting as it can be to plan a fun summer vacation away from home, anticipating the arrival of my daughter and her husband from New York City in the next few weeks, allows me the chance to rediscover so many of the great things I love about my hometown!

Centerville, Utah on map www.mytributejournal.com

I love that Centerville has seemingly maintained its small town feel, but has all the amenities of a big city just a short drive down the freeway in Salt Lake City.

Things I Love To Do In And Around My Hometown!     

     Good Eats:

I’m going to start with some great places to eat since food is often the centerpiece of so many memorable activities!  Although Centerville can now boast an “In and Out” burger joint, among other popular restaurant chains, it’s a couple of locally owned food establishments that make eating in my hometown so unique!

♦The Mandarin♦ 

Tucked away on a corner lot of a residential neighborhood is one of our favorite places to eat!  Not only do we enjoy the food and the atmosphere of this quaint, Chinese restaurant, we love the owner Greg Skedros, who you’ll find most nights wandering around the tables visiting with his patrons.  Mr. Skedros is also active in the community and offers a full scholarship to a qualifying student each year when they graduate from high school.

Mandarin Restaurant in Bountiful, Utah www.mytributejournal.com

The Mandarin is also the first place of employment for many local teenagers where one of the most important things they learn is a great work ethic.  My son and youngest daughter were both employed at the Mandarin as they worked to save money for college.       

Mandarin Restaurant's cashew chicken. www.mytributtejournal.com

(via Urban Spoon)

The Mandarin serves a variety of great Chinese dishes including some that are more spicy Szechuan style…their cashew chicken is one of our favorites!

Mandarin Restaurant's Chocolate Fallen Angel Cake www.mytributejournal.com

(via Urban Spoon)

The desserts at the Mandarin are not only delicious, but beautiful works of art too–my granddaughters absolutely love the Chocolate Fallen Angel Cake with orange cream ice cream!

♦Dairy Queen♦

I found out not too long ago that most Dairy Queen hamburger joints are owned and managed locally, and while I won’t even pretend to know the exact formula for success that is recommended to help a small business thrive, I do know that they seem to have found the winning combination at Centerville’s Dairy Queen; so much so that my son-in-law will often joke that the steady stream of cars that are always lined up at the drive-thru window must be due to the fact that money or another coveted item is being handed out to customers!

Dairy Queen's Chocolate Mint Blizzard www.mytributejournal.com

One of the things my daughter, Mandi, seems to crave the most when she comes home to visit from NYC is a Dairy Queen Blizzard.  (She says there’s just nothing quite like it in New York–imagine that!)  One of my favorite flavors is Mint Chocolate Chip, but seriously, anything from their corn dogs to their fries and fry sauce to any of their delectable ice cream concoctions is worth the splurge once in a while!     

     Fun Times:

♦Bountiful Bowl♦

While there is plenty to do in my hometown that is worthy entertainment for most everyone in your family no matter their age, going bowling is definitely one of our family favorites.  I just love the happy, party vibes of a fun bowling alley!

Bountiful Bowling! www.mytributejournal.com

      There are also arcades, pool tables, yummy hamburgers and glow-in-the-dark, neon bowling on weekends at Bountiful Bowl!  (My husband recently told me that this neighborhood staple is up for sale and if new owners aren’t found, Bountiful Bowl may be closing its doors for good.  It makes me so sad to hear this news!)  

♦Lagoon♦

It’s no big secret that my granddaughters and I would gladly take up residency at Disneyland…but since that’s not really a possibility, it’s nice to be able to enjoy a bit of hometown magic of our own at Lagoon Amusement Park just down the road from Centerville!

Lagoon Amusement Park! www.mytributejournal.com

Although Lagoon gets a thrilling new ride every few years, the iconic, white wooden roller coaster is the ride that park attendees flock to the most.  Built in 1921, this roller coaster is the seventh oldest roller coaster in the world and the fourth oldest in the United States!  (My oldest granddaughter, Makena, is just happy that she is finally tall enough that she is eligible to ride on it!)

     Outdoor Recreation:

♦Mueller Park♦

Utah is well-known for its many beautiful outdoor recreation spots, but it’s safe to assume that I’m definitely bias in saying that some of the most amazing ones are nearby where I live!  Mueller Park Picnic Area is one of those special places where along with my family, I look forward to spending some time each summer, hiking and cooking dinner over a camp fire.

Mueller Park in Bountiful, Utah! www.mytributejournal.com

Mueller Park has a total of 18 picnic areas available for day use only, (no overnight camping) where tables, campfire pits, grills, horse shoe ring toss, bike trails and other assorted amenities (including flushing toilets) are available for your use, all surrounded by mother nature’s scenic backdrop, making way for some of the most memorable times you’ll ever spend with family and friends! 

Mueller Park picnic area www.mytributejournal.com

Like many who visit Mueller Park Picnic Area, my granddaughters have come to love this little piece of heaven on earth and look forward to our time spent there each year!  (Check out our fun variation of making smores over a camp fire on this post.) 

♦Pineview Reservoir♦

Pineview Reservoir is a popular boating destination very close to my hometown, about 15 miles up Ogden Canyon.   My parents had a boat when I was growing up and my husband and I bought one when our children were still quite young, so Pineview has been a place where many eventful boating excursions have taken place!

Pineview Reservoir in Ogden, Utah www.mytributejournal.com

For those years where a “staycation” is in order, we load up the boat and head out to Pineview Reservoir for some much needed playtime! 

Boating on Pineview Reservoir www.mytributejournal.com

For me, Pineview will always hold a special place in my heart because it’s where my kids and so many of their friends learned to waterski and where we all just enjoyed being together, out on the water, on a gorgeous summer day!

From all the beautiful parks to the eclectic mix of new and old architecture and everything in between, no doubt it’s family and friends and the strong sense of community spirit that always makes our hometowns so near and dear to us!

Founders Park in Centerville, Utah. www.mytributejournal.com

Happy Birthday, Centerville, Utah!  100 years looks good on you!

I’d love to know what unique things or traditions make your hometown special to you!

–Mary

Healhty, Wealthy and Wise! Don’t Fry Day!

  1. Healthy, Wealthy and Wise!  Don’t Fry Day!

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise! www.mytributejournal.com

In considering this month’s “Healthy Wealthy and Wise” blog post, I couldn’t help but think about the fact that this weekend officially kicks off the fun summer months ahead.  Knowing that most everybody loves spending a good part of this happy season having “fun in the sun” so to speak, the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention has declared that the Friday before Memorial Day, “Don’t Fry Day” to help encourage sun safety and remind us all to take special precautions to protect our skin while enjoying the outdoors.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise! Don't Fry Day! www.mytributejournal.com

Having had to undergo treatment for skin cancer myself, this topic has become a personal passion, and so for that reason, I’ve decided to devote today’s post entirely on this subject matter; besides like my dad always used to say…

“There is good wisdom in seeking after those things that will help you maintain good health, because after all, feeling well is truly one of life’s richest blessings!” 

I grew up in the sun bathing, oil slathering generation; somewhere in between the “baby boomers” and the “millennials” (…a lady never really tells her age…) and prided myself on a developing a good tan over the course of the summer, despite the fact that I had inherited my dad’s fair Norwegian skin tone and developed a smattering of freckles over my nose, cheeks and shoulders as I was growing up.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise! Don't Fry Day! www.mytributejournal.com

My parents also bought a boat when I was younger, so many summer weekends were spent playing on the beach, but even then, pre-sun screen emphasis, my mom often warned me to cover up and avoid too much sun exposure.  It was only as I got older and saw my dad undergo treatment for some pre-cancerous lesions that I started taking skin care more seriously–but as you can imagine, by then most of the sun damage had already taken place.

Safeguarding Your Skin From Harmful Sun Exposure!

Due to my skin cancer history, I now undergo a thorough skin evaluation at least yearly with my dermatologist, but even if you’ve been a sun-wise person, here are some common sense guidelines from the Skin Cancer Foundation that can help protect you against skin cancer!

  • Seek the shade–especially between the hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 pm–that is when the sun’s damaging ultraviolet light is the strongest.
  • Do not burn–even a single sunburn will increase your risk of getting skin cancer.
  • Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths–the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention warns us that tanning is never safe whether you acquire it on the beach or in a salon; research indicates that even occasional sunbed use triples the chances of developing melanoma, the deadliest skin cancer!
  • Cover up–including a sun hat and UV blocking sunglasses.  Despite our ready access to good sun-blocking lotions today, clothing can be one of your most effective forms of sun protection.  (I wear a funky sun hat and long sleeves when I work in my yard now.) 
  • Use products with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or greater every day, all year round–during the winter months and even on cloudy days, 70-80 percent of the UV rays still travel through clouds and overcast skies.  Sun block should also be applied every two hours when skin is exposed to the sun.
  • Keep infants out of direct sunlight–a baby’s skin possesses little melanin, the pigment that gives skin color, therefore babies are more prone to the sun’s damaging effects.
  • Examine your skin from head to toe every month–including your scalp, under arms, hands, soles of your feet, and nail beds.  Skin damage can be quite elusive and present itself in the most unlikely of places, especially as you age.  Changes of any kind, such as a spot that is sore, itches, or forms a small crusty wound that never heals can all be signs and symptoms of skin cancer.

Skin cancer growths www.mytributejournal.com

(via SkinCancer.org)

When unprotected skin is overexposed to the harmful effects of UV sunlight, the DNA of cells is damaged and can lead to change (mutation) of the skin cell. 

(Although hard to look at, above you see: Basil cell and squamous cell carcinoma–crusty, blistering of a damaged skin spot that if treated early is a very curable form of skin cancer.  Any irregular and oozing dark moles or skin lesions are usually a sign of melanoma which need immediate attention and treatment from a skilled dermatologist!) 

The surprising rise in the rate of skin cancers found in young people, 20-30 years of age, has made the Council for Skin Cancer Prevention realize, more than ever before, that even with all the strides we have made in skin cancer research over the last several years, the public needs to be reminded again of the basics of skin care and cancer prevention so they came up with this unique and clever slogan:

Skin Caner Awareness poster www.mytributejournal.com

 Here’s to many sun safe and happy summers to come!

 I’d love to know any habits or products you advocate for better skin protection!

–Mary