Back to School Gift

This week is the first day of school for many of the students in this area.

This year I'm sending the kids to school with a cute little gift for their teachers.

 

A plastic mug and a package of cookies with a card that reads: "If you give a teacher a cookie, she might want a glass of milk."



 

 

Just a cute way to wish them a good start to a new school year.

Happy first day everyone!!!

End of Year Teacher Gift

 

For my son’s Kindergarten teacher this year I planned a group gift from all the kids in the classroom. They will be giving her an apron and a cookbook.

Not just any apron…

The apron has a handprint from each of the kids in the class. I had a white canvas apron and some fabric paint. As the homeroom Mom, I knew in advance of a conference that our teacher had planned to attend. I talked with the sub and the dean of students to plan a time to come into the classroom.

Along with the apron and fabric paint, I took in some wet wipes, paper towels, several paper plates, a paint pen and a check list of student names.

My helper (aka my son) called back one kid at a time. Each child was able to choose the color they wanted, then I spread a little paint out on a plate, squished their hand into the paint and then onto the apron. While my son checked their name off the list a used the paint pen to write the name under their handprint. Then we were on to the next kid.

I timed it so I could do this project in the back of the classroom while the kids were having their snack time. I went in, set up, got all the handprints and cleaned up in just under 30 minutes.

And not just any cookbook…

I sent an e-mail out to the parents of each kid and asked them to please send me a recipe. I printed out each recipe including the child’s name at the top of the page. I put all the recipes together and found this great tutorial for bookbinding. She had great step by step instructions and a picture with numbers and arrows that made it so simple to follow. And the finished product looks so good.

 

 

I used brown cardstock for the cover and wrapped the front cover with scrapbook paper to make it pretty.

 

I made a template to mark off holes for the pages and then I used waxed linen cord to do the binding.

I also included this recipe for the teacher.

 

Recipe for the Best Kindergarten Teacher

(This will yield one very successful class)

 

You will need:

Handful of curiosity

1 Cup of Honesty

2 Cups of Teamwork

1 Cup of Effort

2 Cups of Kindness

1 lb. of Excitement for Learning

1 lb. of Passion for Teaching

A Pinch of Fun and a Sprinkle of Creativity

 

Combine all ingredients with a gentle hand and a loving heart.

 

Thank you for all the helping hands you have given us.

Enjoy your summer!!!

 

I think she’s love the gift and remember the kids when she’s looking up one of the yummy recipes.

A New Beginning

 

Happy New Year 2014! With a new year comes the chance to start fresh and try again at those “resolutions”. The same goals tend to pop up and we try over to approach them but maybe in a different way, hoping that this time it will work or at the very least, last longer.

For me, the beginning of 2013 came with a hit; much like a one-two punch. I suffered a blow that had a hugely negative impact on my life. It hurt me personally, emotionally, professionally and financially. Through a series of events I came to question every friendship/relationship I have had in the past as well as current ones. I questioned my ability to judge someone’s character and my own ability to trust. I have slowly been pulling myself upward emotionally. In finding my spirit again I have been re-inspired to create.

I always start a new year out with hope and intrigue for what that coming year will bring. This time I thought I might need to take a running start at a new year. Towards the end of November, I was felling optimistic and gave myself a challenge for the month of December. I would create something every day. I make a lot of things for my business but that tends to be in waves. My challenge was to keep me going on the momentum of creating. I set the challenge so that I would make at least one item daily. It could be for business or for me personally. It could be a craft that I made as a gift, something for the kids or better yet with the kids. It could even be a project that was already started and coming to be finished during the challenge.

To keep up with a daily deadline, I had to be organized and diligent. Some of my creations needed time to dry between steps or they took more than a day to finish so I had to be sure I was moving forward all the time. Moving forward felt good and it helped me to find more of a balance in my business, myself and my family.

 

Here is a fun look at several of the projects I worked on during my “Creative Challenge”.

A lion T-shirt for my son made with bleach pen

 

A gift for Grandma

Thumbprint Christmas lights. (My friend suggested making these on a roll of white craft paper to use as wrapping paper...Great idea!)

Paint Chip trees

Teacher Gift for her "mistletoes"

These Mistletoes now hang in my foyer

Nail art for my girlies

 

Some cute snowmen for my kitchen

 

A special order birthstone bracelet for a customer. This Grandma has 8 grandchildren. What a special gift for her.

 
 

 
 


This is a hand chain I made for myself. I'm making a few changes so I can add these to my product line.

 

A simple earring I made for ME!

 

Red leather wrap bracelet

 

Braided breacelet

 

A crocheted necklace but you can also wrap it as a bracelet.

 

This blue circle bracelet and the black and white knot bracelet were new patterns I was trying out. (My Mother-in-law kept these for herself)

 

 

Now my next challenge will be to keep up with more regular blog posts.

I hope you all are getting off to a great 2014!!

Last day of School!!!

Another school year is coming to an end. If you’re looking for a cute gift idea for your kiddo’s teacher, here’s an idea I found. I saw this on someone’s blog several months ago (Sorry I can’t remember where). Anyway, I tried it on my own from memory and it turned out pretty good.

Supplies:
Mat board with 8 x 10 opening
Card stock
New box of crayons
Tape
Sharp scissors or utility knife
Hot glue gun (White glue will work too but take longer to dry)


I had two to make so I used a 64-count box of crayons and had plenty left over. Each “Teacher Award” took me about 30 minutes to make. I used “word” to create the writing at the top and to put the teacher’s name along the side. I also had an outline of the initial that I wanted to fill in with the cut crayons. Start laying out your crayons to fill in the letter on your award. Cut each one to fit within the shape of the letter. You might want to stager the crayons to get a more artistic look. Once you have 4 to 6 cut, start to glue them down using the hot glue gun. If you use white glue you will have more time to work at getting everything in place but the project will take longer to dry and be finished.

Work in groups of 4 to 6 crayons at a time until you have filled in the letter. After all the crayons are glued and the glue has set you can attach it to the mat board. Hold it up to the light to make sure the cardstock is centered behind the mat board. Use some masking tape along each edge on the back side of your project to secure the cardstock to the mat board.

What ideas do you have for teacher gifts????