quote book

i have {always} enjoyed quotes and this stage in my life is no exception. i especially love the ones i find on pinterest because they are cute and colorful. in addition to 'pinning' them, i have printed some and created a quote book. apparently it is volume 1 because i have already filled it up and have printed and trimmed quotes with no home, so volume 2 is on it's way!

i found an amazing journal at barnes and noble with lovely pages. It doesn't hurt that it is also green, my favorite color!

 

Teacher Appreciation Days 1 & 2

i meant to update each day, but i am already a day behind.  shocking!

not that my own students have wished me Happy Teacher Appreciation Week, but that's okay...I will love them just the same :-)

For L's support team (and there are about 20 folks), we sent packets of wildflowers seeds on Monday.

Today, we sent in handmade fingerprint bookmarks.  L tolerated me stamping 20 some bookmarks.  He is my fella!  He didn't sign each one, but I certainly think he left his mark :-)

What will tomorrow bring?!?!

laptop decoration

before:

i'm sure the tech folks will be really thrilled when they see my computer, but it looks darn cute if you ask me!

i simply used some removable wall stickers from the dollar store to create my pink and green polka dotted computer!

maybe having my cute computer will make going back to work easier...or not!


after:

message boards

I went through the effort (if you've shopped with me you know i hum and haw about stuff) to buy a seagrass board and a dry erase board at the end of last week. I put them up in the kitchen and not 24 hours later...BOOM...yes...feel on the floor. One would think that I would just secure them a little better and be done with it, but I think in the back of my mind that wasn't really for that space in the first place.

so....

I created these little numbers this morning out of foam board, fabric and a hot glue gun. they are secured by my favorite putter-uppers...command strips. oh, and the dry erase part is from Michaels...if you haven't seen these they are in the poster board section. I think they are simply called dry erase sheets. they are great!

countertop/tabletop earring holders

i've made larger earring holders in the past, which i like, but i wanted a party favor with a jewelry theme recently and came up with these.

The best part is that they cost less than $2 a piece!

Materials: 4x6 ready to finish frame ($1/piece) from Michaels

Scrapbook Paper

Mod Podge

Stapler

Screen

stair decoration

i've been wanting to take up the carpet on the stairs for a while now and this just made me REALLY want to rip it up...like this afternoon!

http://www.justagirlblog.com/2010/08/sas-in-review_08.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+justagirlblog%2FTjAN+%28Just+a+Girl%29

Granted, these stairs are darling in and of themselves, but the quotes are too precious.

i'm thinking i just found a future project.

i guess i should prioritize and focus on the nursery first though :-)

countdown to cameron

i saw an idea similar to this in a magazine a long time ago and swore that i'd do it if we ever had another child. at the time, little did i know how beneficial it might be for a certain very special big brother. Landon is extremely bright but has always had a difficult time with transitions and new situations. I thought that setting a visual countdown to Cameron's arrival would really help him. not only will it help him understand the concept of time and anticipation, I hope it develops a sense of connectivity between the two. When we took the first link off today he was super excited, looked in her room, gave a big grin and nodded his head when we asked if he was excited to meet her! I hope that this countdown becomes a bonding and preparatory experience for all of us!

i didn't want the paper chain to have to stretch the entire house, so i cut 12x12 pieces of scrapbook paper into 1" by 6" strips.


we are 74 days out from the c-section, so i numbered each strip from 1 to 74.


then connected all of the strips to make the chain.

for now, we draped it on her crib. we've got some work to do in the nursery, so until i have a better place...

cupcakes in a jar

saw this darling idea on one of the blogs i check...now that i have my computer back i'm trying to catch up!

http://www.makeandtakes.com/the-perfect-neighbor-gift-mason-jar-cupcakes

i'm thinking teacher gifts...i know i'd sure love to receive this from my students!

would also be a cute baby shower idea or favor. i'm sure there are a million ways it could be used.

OH MY CUTE...

String of lights decorated with cupcake liners...why can't i think of these things?http://cfabbridesigns.com/blog/?p=3916
can't wait to make them.

i've also seen strings of lights made with flower petals and seashells over the lights.

maybe after vacation i can tackle these cuties!

if you are interested in trying them I recently saw some DARLING cupcake liners at Michaels craft store.

button keychain

{front} {back}

hand-drawn onesies

tonight's projects...

more sharpie tie dye

ruffled onesies

Cameron is definitely going to have to have some of these! Mom--you willing to help me? you know my sewing skills are extremely limited!

http://thisideaattic.blogspot.com/2010/06/sugar-and-spice-and-ruffles-are-nice.html

sharpie tie dye

i mentioned this a while back, i think, but haven't had a chance to try it until now (gotta love summer vacation!)

Thanks to Heather for introducing it to me...8th grade physical science...gotta love it!

materials needed:

something white (I used a towel i had on hand)

and...


Directions:

1. Lay out dixie cups across the counter and place towel or shirt over the dixie cups wherever you want the "tie dye" parts to be.


2. Use Sharpies to draw dots (or whatever design you desire) on the material on the openings of the cups.

3. Drop rubbing alcohol in the center of the image. The alcohol will draw out taking the color with it! Add as much alcohol as desired. The more you add, the more the image will spread out.

4. Allow to dry completely (do not remove the cups until the alcohol has dried).

5. Place item in the dryer for 20 min to let the colors set in. Then wash and dry as normal.

personalized paper lanterns

i could not be more excited about this project. i mentioned it the other day...it was featured on Dollar Store Crafts, HOWEVER...i have put my twist on it.

i think i mentioned that i have the kids decorate a paper lantern at the beginning of each school year to be hung from the ceiling for the year. 1--it decorates the room for the ENTIRE year and i don't have to really worry about anything else! 2--it allows the kids a way to express themselves so that i can get to know them and a way for them to display their uniqueness.

so, i saw the tutorial the other day and wanted to try it to see how it could work for my classroom. This is going to be FABULOUS! it's cheap (i probably already have all of the materials i will need), it'll be a fairly quick project, it's gender-neutral, completely unique to each kid!

Materials: 12 x 12 scrapbook paper (8 x 8 if you want them smaller)--use patterned paper so that when the lantern is done it will be decorated on the outside AND inside!
tape or stapler
scissors
scraps of ribbon
markers or colored pencils
old magazines for students to cut out images
glue sticks

Process: Have students decorate the WHITE side of the scrapbook paper however they want. (I am going to require mine to put their name somewhere on it and then i will suggest that they include things they like, sports they play, etc). When dry, hotdog fold (long ways) the paper. At the fold cut parallel strips toward the open end leaving a 1/2"space at the top. Roll the paper and bring the ends together with the fold in the middle...you should see the shape coming together. Overlap the two ends and tape or staple together. Tape or staple a scrap of ribbon at the top. Voila!

paper lanterns

at the beginning of each school year, i have the kids decorate paper lanterns to express themselves and they hang from the ceiling until the end of the year. typically i order the lanterns from oriental trading, but thanks to Dollar Store Crafts, i think i have a new idea...and cheaper!


http://thesaltypineapple.blogspot.com/2010/06/heather-mann-dollar-store-crafts.html

I think I will give the kids a sheet of white paper to decorate in a way that expresses themselves and then a decorative piece of paper to put in the inside for some extra color.

REALLY excited about this...can't wait to give it a try!

above headboard decoration

since i recently covered our headboard with fabric, i have been contemplating what to do above it. it couldn't be anything with too much pattern. it was a nightmare trying to match the blues. i decided to write a message up there...i didn't want to go painting anything. i tried using my letter cut out thing, but that was acting ridiculous, so i simply took a white cabinet door frame, mounted it on the wall, placed 3 pieces of brown paper in the frame and then wrote, "at the very least i do," which is what we chose to say in our wedding vows rather than just "i do." i could have spent a little more time with the lettering, but this project was so simple and cheap that i could redo it a million times if i want to. for now, it's good!

bisquick box gets a facelift

from

to this

with just some mod podge and scraps of paper :-)

now, what i'll use this for, i have no idea! maybe a snack bag for school or something.

activity period has been cancelled 3 times since this rotation, but my hope is that i will have my first 'trash to treasure' activity period with my kids. i'm planning tie dying and will have supplies for the bags above for when we're done tie dying!

cute magnets for kids

these take about two seconds.

head over to michaels or wally world and grab some wooden painted shapes. stick some magnetic tape on the back and you're done.

i used these as favors for several of Landon's birthday parties...you can customize them by writing on them with a permanent marker.

cold weather dude craft--hand warmers

with weather like this, i wanted to make something warm!

i think i originally saw this idea in a Martha Stewart magazine a long time ago. it's quick and easy. you need:

plus... i used pie weights, but i think rice would work just as well...maybe even better. i put the one pictured in the microwave for 1 minute intervals. i think i was satisfied after about 4 minutes.

i think i made some for my dad (for his metal detecting adventures) and my brother (for his hunting expeditions) during one of the holiday seasons recently.