Gamer-themed Altered Thrift Store Art

Hello.

With my two growing sons, video games are a regular evil thing in my home. LOL! I'm not a video game person. As an artist, naturally I am extremely right-brained. But my husband and sons, being very tech-y, are extremely left brained.

This makes for an interesting and lop-sided household! But I love them and wouldn't have it any other way :)

Several years ago, I came across an artistic genre that has really turned into a "movement" if you will. Altered thrift store art! It also goes by up-cycled art, recycled art, redirected art and so on.

It marries to great loves in my life - art and recycling. It also pairs awesomely with just about any subject matter! This is the most fun way to create quirky conversational art :)

 All you need is a fantastic old painting or event a vintage print from a garage sale, thrift store or even off the side of the road. This art style gives new life to old art and keeps it out of the landfill.

I've entered my altered art into several local art shows, sold to collectors and was featured in a local newspaper :)

The sky is the limit! I've done several games-themed pieces for my sons' game room.

Enjoy!

xoxo

Ginger

I'll be linking to these awesome parties!

Spelunking in the Living Room!

Have a giant box?

Go cave exploring then!

 Grab your flashlight and explore for "buried treasure"!

This fun idea from my kid's teacher.  Way to go Miss Weeks!

xoxo

Ginger

Dollar Tree Games!

So I planted this garden right?  Check out all the fun I had last night... 

But today I wanted to share some tips for cheap games and activities I've found for Jack.

All are either from the Dollar Tree (holla for the dolla!) or FREE!

I love the Dollar Tree (see this post).

I picked up these foam dice from there and we have a great time learning about numbers and counting with them!  Plus, their foam so Sam can join in the fun!

I also got these wooden shapes/shoelace sets from there!  Perfect for learning shapes, colors and exercising those fine motor skills.

I

But one of our favorite car games (FREE!!!) is I Spy Shapes...when in the car, we spy all the shapes around us.  Octagon from the stop sign, rectangle from a tall building, square from the street signs, etc.

Jack LOVES it!  Try it out the next time your out and about with the kiddo's!

Post a comment with your dollar activities and car games!

Ginger

SSB

Totally Bugg'n

So my mom bought a cute little bug catching kit from the $1 store for Jack this past weekend...so cute!

Jack is so excited about it!

 Cool, huh?  A great learning tool for nature and science...not to mention a great activity for the backyard.

Only problem is...

I am NOT having him bringing a bunch of bugs in the house (eew) to hang around until they die or something.

Solution?

We went up to the $1 store to pick up some bugs that will never die (or reproduce), lest they get out of their cute little container.

And there are dozens more where this came from...all hidden under the couch probably.

So now Jack can "hunt" thru the house findings all sorts of little critters!!  And I don't have to worry about a bunch of uninvited "guests" taking up residence!

Have any cool $1 store games or crafts??  Post a comment here and let me know what you got!! I'll be featuring a few later this week!!!

Ginger

SSB

I'm linking:

Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative
Tot Tuesdays at Delicious Ambiguity
Anything Related Tuesdays at All Thingz Related
Creative Flow Tuesdays at These Creative Juices
We Did It Wednesday at Sew Much Ado
Show and Tell Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design
Hoo's Got Talent at Night Owl Crafting
Motivate Me Monday at Keeping It Simple 
What You're Working With Wednesdays at Me and My Bucket