Pirate Map Art?

Once in awhile Bob and I take a little idea and run with it.  That's exactly what happened at Aidan's 5th Birthday Pirate Party.  It started out as a sports theme then morphed into all things pirate when I stumbled across lots of pirate dress-up, swords etc in the dollar bins at Target.  Aidan loved it so we picked up a treasure chest piñata, borrowed a balance beam for a "walk the plank" game and had plans for a treasure hunt. 

Enter Bob and his last minute creativeness.  The night before he spent around an hour making this...

Great, right?  He used some markers to draw it out on a piece of painter's canvas we had in the garage then burned the edges and a few holes in it with a lighter.  He also used this technique on "costumes" for us.

(I only put my picture up out of fairness to Bob...if he can wear a gold hoop, and rag hat I can suffer along with him. Yes, we are the parents who dress up for the kids' birthday parties and even other people's kids parties)

Throughout the day the map got used for the treasure hunt.

And a backdrop for photos of each kid in their pirate gear.  The photos then got sent to them in a thank you note.

(Isn't she the cutest pirate you've ever seen?!?)

Finally, the map became wall art for Aidan's room.  It was just too good to throw away so after he played with it for a few weeks I framed it for above his dresser. 

(the amount of Legos, army men and Pokemon cards I removed from the top of Aidan's dresser to take this photo is crazy!!)

Cheap, fun and extra special because his dad made it for him.