Organizing Games

Okay, I am the first to admit that I might have slight obsessive compulsive tendencies when it come to organizing. I LOVE it---I just think it is fun to organize things and I like everything to have its place and look nice and neat. It doesn't take my kids at school very long to figure this out either. Last year I had a student tell me that their mom had said I was REALLY organized---yeah, that's a little embarrassing. But, it's true.

So.... I have a couple Tupperware (another obsession) that have games for the students to play when we have indoor recess. Needless to say, they are usually a mess and I have been trying to come up with the best way to make everything fit and get rid of the packaging to games because---they do NOT last. So, I went to Wal-Mart and bought some of those disposable type containers to put card games in, even my Sorry pieces and then a little bit bigger one for all the checkers. Each game now has its own container. So, of course they need a label---and a cute one, so I used some digital paper and made matching labels for each game container---I'm hoping I can figure out how to get them to stay on the lids.

Don't they look so nice and neat and tidy? 
Yeah, I'm a little NUTS!

New Classroom signs

Several weeks ago I saw this cute home rules sign---so I had to think about who I could make one for. Then I thought, I could make one with rules for my classroom. It was really easy. I created it in Photoshop on a black background, then put it my text. Of course I wanted a fun frame, so I spray painted a cheap frame from Wal-Mart turquoise. I wanted to put this on my door, but that would mean I had to take down my magnetic sheet that I clip notes to. So, I created a new chalkboard one. I was hoping they would fit side by side, but there just wasn't enough room. I spray painted that frame yellow. They are very bright and cheery. I hung them on the door today. I would like it better if they were side by side.

Here is a more straight on picture of what it says.

 These are what I am going to use to write on the chalkboard. They are really bright and fun. They're a little spendy, but I used a Michael's 40% off coupon and then they were about $$7-$8.

Playhouse decorations

So, my niece was getting a play house for Christmas. My sister-in-law called me up and wanted to know if I would come up with some ideas to decorate the inside of it.  Now---one thing you probably don't know about me---I HATE decorating--I'm not good at it. If someone gives me a bunch of stuff and tells me to arrange, I'm good. But, to start from scratch--not my thing. So, I looked around for some ideas--then I remembered I had seen where someone had made their own art using a canvas. I thought that would be good. So, this is my "art"---which it totally NOT what it started out like, but I am way excited about it. Originally it was going to be green, I cut out vinyl stems and flowers.  Did NOT like it. Then I spray painted it brown--leaving the vinyl stems on. After it was dry, I lifted the vinyl off and had green stems. Then we made these flowers to put on. I really like how it turned out. I can't wait to try some more because it looks soooo cool. I also learned how to make these rolled flowers--easy, but a little time consuming. Now I can say I am and artist (which my kids at school will immediately tell you I am NOT;)

I hope I can get down there and take pictures of the other wall, which has some empty frames I spray-painted and then vinyl words. Then we made the cutest pink and brown curtains and apron to match. I think it turned out really cute. I hope she likes it!!

Merry Christmas

JOY

I saw this really cute idea a couple months ago. I just thought it was really cute how they used a bell for the O. Well, I bought a couple bells, but they were too small. Finally, last week I found this bell and it was big enough. Then I went to do it and----I have used up all of my Christmas paper. I literally had 3 choices. I don't think I really love this paper, but it will do for now.

Ornament Wreath

I have wanted to make one of these wreaths for a while. I actually went through three sets of Christmas ornaments, returning three of them. The ornaments I used for this I got at Home Depot for $13---for 101 ornaments. I really love how it turned out and it was really easy. I just stretched a wire hanger out and then slid the ornaments on. These ornaments are those shatter-proof kind and the top thingy stays on pretty well, otherwise it would need to be glued on. The ornaments just slide on and then twist opposite ways until it is full. There are about 60 ornaments on this. I figured if I went and bought another small box of ornaments, combined with what I have left and they would cost me $10--not too bad. Now I'm on the hunt for the perfect ribbon to tie a bow at the top of it. I would DEFINITELY make more....and I think it would be a really cool gift to give. So, I just may shopping for balls after Christmas.

Visiting Teaching Gift

I saw this really cute idea on someone's blog and thought it was SOOO cute, who could I make it and give it to? I had a pretty lame gift for the sisters I go visiting teaching to, and this would be perfect for two of them.  It is a snowman kit---a cute hat (with really cute flower), scarf, carrot nose, buttons, eyes, and rocks for a mouth. I think they turned out really cute. I put a snowman book with mine. I thought they were so cute, I convinced Merlynn to do the same thing (not that she needed much convincing). They were really quite cheap too.
Edit: My mom made the hats.

10 minute class treat project

On Friday morning I realized that I should have probably done a little treat for Megan's class. I had about a 1/2 hour until I need to leave to get her to school on time. I found some Halloween candy that I had and then I had these brown paper bags sitting around so this is what I came up with. Thanks to free printable on someone's website. I did this in about 10-15 minutes and we weren't even late.

Hooray!!! School is out!! I have so much I want to be able to do in the next two weeks. (Which, I am sure is all wishful thinking). I thought I would share a few things that I had done at school that were creative.
My wonderful mother made each student in my class a hat (thanks to inspiration from Aunt Lois). I was a little worried they would think that was lame, but some of them put them on immediately. It made me feel so good when we were playing a little game and the boys all had their hats on. (They boys seemed more thrilled with them than the girls, which surprised me)

  

Then, I had used a metal stamp set to stamp each child's name into a washer. I put a keychain ring and then a zipper pull thingy on it. These were a big hit--again, I was alittle worried---you never know what 5th graders will think is stupid. One of my very brightest students came up to me and said "HOW did you do that?"  Yeah---it was a good thing.

These trees are what the kids made for their parents. As a fifth grade, for the last three years we have done these. They turn out really cute and are quite simple (still takes time with 11 year olds). But, I always love them when they are done.

Now...no more stuff for school for a few days.

Christmas light

Okay I have seen this all over the place and have always wondered how they take these picture. The other day I was looking at a Creative Crate and she had a explanation of how it was taken. I tried it and it definitely did not turn out. Here is a picture of one of my first attempts under there direction. Note: I did not have my 50 mm lens so that certainly probably was one of the problems.



I tried a couple of time and then I told Steve what I was doing and after a few minutes he had it figured out. I really like how they turned out, I think that it would make a cool picture (watch out Melanie) at the Rupert square or where ever they have a ton of lights to show off the Christmas spirit. The key to making this work for us was having the camera on manual focus and then having the lights slightly out of focus- adjust as needed



This is what we had our camera set on: Manual mode Shutter speed 1/10 f2.8 ISO 640 Lens was 28 mm

Advent

I saw this Advent on the Crafting Chicks and thought that it was really a cute idea. I cut out library card pockets off the Silhouette machine and then added the paper and numbers. The numbers were a free download off the Crafting Chick website. I then added a paper stating what each day would be. So far my girls have loved doing it. It was pretty easy to do, mine is nothing fancy but I think if I did it next year I would make it a little it fancier. You could add ribbon and garland really easy and make it even cuter.

JOY

These little frames that spell out Joy actually came from the dollar store. I spray painted them a burgundy, glued the glass in and then they will hang by the ribbon.This little project cost me about $4...and boy will they make me laugh.

Wise Men Still Seek Him

This is a gift for a sister-in-law that I have a hard time getting something for.I would love to have this so I hope that she likes it. I bought the metal things at a cool store called The Wood Connection. Mom made the frame for me of course and the rest was just paint and vinyl.

Apron

Mom made this cute apron for me to give to my Secret Santa at school. We had to material left over from the December PTO (because I should never be sent to the fabric store on my own---I always second guess myself and buy WAY too much).

Snowman Stitching

Prepare to be impressed!!! Those of you that know me, know that I LOVE to find projects for my mother to do. We could just say she's been busy doing things for me the past couple of weeks (months?) Just as an aside: I was given Teacher of the Year last month for our building. One of the teachers I teach with told me a couple of weeks later that my mom needed to be given the award too because she does so much for me. It is very true: she does so MUCH for me. Anyway...she's too busy with another project to do something I needed done quickly...so I had to do it myself. I have to say that I'm pretty proud of myself because I did this little stitching completely by myself....even putting it in the frame. I think you could say this is my gift of choice this year...I am putting the stitching with a book called, A Snowman named Just Bob. I'm giving this to a parent who does a lot of copying for us, the sign language interpreter/aid that is in my classroom this year, and a couple of the people I go visiting teaching to. Now, we'll see if I actually stitch them all myself.

PTO-December

Last week I did this project for the December Teacher appreciation gift. I had limited amount of money that I wanted to spend, but I wanted the gift to be useful. We had several ideas during the last month but this is the one that we ended up doing. The flower is a fabric flower that we sewed and the I hot glued it to the note pad. The notepad top is covered in Christmas paper. To finish it off I added a small bag with different Christmas candy in it. I think they turned out pretty cute.

Updated Flower Arrangement for Christmas

Well, I said I would post when we changed our floral arrangment to Christmas, so here it is.  Melanie did the arrangement this time.  I think it turned out really cool.  We'll have to get our thinking caps on for what to do next. 

Sponge Reindeer

In the entry to our school, we have a really big Christmas tree. Each class makes and ornament and then we hand all our ornaments on this tree.  It is really fun to see all the different ornaments hanging on the tree. This is our "crafty" ornament. I think I have been doing this since the first year I taught--but he is cute--and different. It is actually a sponge. We put paint in a Ziploc bag, put the sponge in, close the bag up and squeeze away until the sponge is brown. After they dry, we had the stuff to make him cute. The kids love to squeeze all that gooey paint around.

2x4 Crafts

I saw these cute tress on the Internet several weeks ago, and knew I wanted to try them. They were really easy to do and turned out cute. I think I am going to make some more to give as a small gift.

Next, was the snowman and he was really cute ---then I did mine---I do not like him at all. I will probably let him sit out this year and then he will go back into the wood pile to become something else. I don't know what it is, I just don't really care for him. I KNOW the face is ugly, but it's more than that.