Back to School Display Case

Display Case. With the beginning of the school year just around the corner it was time to update and decorate the Display Case at my school. I'm so lucky to have the help of my Mom and Sister in decorating the case throughout each year! They're the best. So we brainstormed some ideas to start the year and here's how it turned out:

The inspiration found on Pinterest:

We used the phrase from this bulletin board but because we're decorating a display case instead we had to change it up a bit. My Mom and Sister decided on a picnic theme... filled with ants!

It's a bit hard to see the finished product through the glare but the up-close pictures show more. Don't you just LOVE those ants! 

'Ant'icipate a Great Year!

A little ketchup that squirted out...

...some left over potato chips...

...and a chocolate chip cookie to nibble on...

The ants have taken over the picnic and are cleaning up the crumbs!

All ready for a GREAT year to start!

 

Welcome Back Goodie Bags

Welcome Back Goodie Bag. For a few years now I've put together a little goodie bag for the 1st day of school. I searched around on Pinterest for ideas and found a few poems that incorporated little candies and supplies. I've re-typed mine a bit and added some things. I also changed it a bit because I loop with some of my 3rd graders (will be 4th graders) due to teaching a 3/4 combo and I didn't want it to be exactly as the same as last years'. It's just a little something to surprise them as they find their desk on the 1st day of school and relieve any jitters!

Needed Supplies:

'Welcome Back' poem (search online or create your own)

Stationary (Dollar Tree)

Clear bags (Walmart)

Ribbon

Erasers (District supply catalog)

Smarties candies

Crayons (District supply catalog, 16 ct.)

Pencils (District supply catalog)

Sharpeners (Dollar Tree)

Starburst candies 

 

Once you have all your supplies create a mini assembly line filling each bag. Use a small piece of ribbon to close each baggie and you're set!  I'll set each bag on top of the Welcome Back poem on top their desks. **If you're interested in the poem just message me. I'm trying to learn how to turn it into a file/link or pdf that someone else could use!

While I was out picking up the last bit of supplies I found the cutest stickers!! And they were only 88 cents!  I'm decorating my classroom this year with bright colors and 'school supplies' so these will go great on little notebooks, picture frames... who knows?! I might have to go back and get more?!

SO CUTE! Look at those tiny pencils and scissors! Aww makes my heart melt! I was always that weird one who could walk into the school supply aisle and fall in love... and walk away buying notebooks, markers, crayons, post-its... Even when I wasn't in school anymore. Or teaching?! Ha! Maybe I shouldn't admit that... but I know there's others out there that share this same passion. Totally normal!

 

Interactive Journals

Interactive Journal... Thinking Journal... Reading Journal... whatever you call them, I'm sure teachers everywhere use some sort of journal throughout the year with their kiddos. For the past couple years I've created journals that we called 'Our Thinking Journals'. I divided them into sections. Math, reading, and writing. Last year I even made a section for Book Club.  Each summer I would purchase composition notebooks, scrapbooking paper, and cute ribbon to decorate each of the journals so they were one-of-a-kind for each student and ready on the 1st day of school! After a couple years now I finally got smart! Imagine that! Instead of buying the composition notebooks myself, I put it on the supply list. I provide a lot of the supplies within my classroom so I figured it was a simple addition to an already short list.  Unfortunately, I can't have the journals ready on the 1st day of school, but I do have the paper and ribbon already cut and ready to assemble once I collect all their notebooks. I can't wait to put them together!! I show each student the selection of paper and they get to choose their color. They get excited knowing they will be the only one with that cover. Someone else might have a similar color, but not pattern!

This is an example of a past journal I've created. After students have selected which one they want I put a label on each one with their name

 

Each year I choose a different ribbon. I couldn't find any cute 'school' ones at Hobby Lobby so I went ahead with this one... plus it'll match each of the colored papers.

I cut each piece about 12 inches. I ended up using 2 rolls of ribbon. This will give me some extra journals for any new students throughout the year.

Scrapbooking paper. I used a 40% off coupon but usually these paper packs are 50% off at Hobby Lobby. Since it's a 180-pack I use the paper for my students' End of the Year Memory Books as well as other projects... maybe even the journals I'll make next year!

I select a different design for each student. I used 9 different colors, and 3 designs for each color. I can't wait to see which design they each pick!

Now all I have to do is wait another 18 days (eek! Is that all that's left?!) until the students arrive!  I'll update with pictures of how these new journals turned out.

A Mix of Randoms

Random. That's what this'll be. A mix of various projects I worked on since I last blogged. Which I just noticed. Was December! Besides the one I just posted. Oops! So here goes.

Wedding Fun. One of our good friends was just married this past July. So of course I had to do something crafty. Plus, I got the chance to do some chalkboard designs which I've seen all over Pinterest! Thanks for the opportunity Sarah!

Bachelorette goodies. Saw this frame idea on Pinterest and tried to re-create it. Added some girlie treats and her favorite, Fireball!

We went in with Ty's dad and step-mom for their Wedding gift. They were registered for some fun kitchen goodies so I  went with a kitchen theme. Found this little Recipe for Love phrase on Pinterest and personalized it for them. I also used the same paper and ribbon as their invitations.

Bad picture... can't really see...but once it was all put together I tied the tag onto a HUGE mason jar. Too cute!

They set up a table for Anniversary Wishes. Such a cute idea!

One of the chalkboards I created.

Another chalkboard. I love the idea of sitting on either side!

This last chalkboard I created was a bit of a rush?! The photographer told me there was another large one if I wanted to write something. Only problem... guests would be arriving in 15 minutes! Eek. Also, I wasn't told by the bride to write anything. Double Eek. I quickly threw this together and it turned out perfectly in front of the area where most of the reception took place. Phew!

All in all it turned out. The chalk was a bit hard to write with. Especially when in a hurry. They kept breaking and I was constantly having to blow the dust away. I used a mix of the regular size and fat chalk. Next time I'd love to experiment with chalk pens!  Since these chalkboards belonged to the location of the wedding I didn't want to ruin them, in case the chalk pens didn't erase well.  I need to keep my eyes open for some to use here at the house!

Tutu Skirts. So my sister asked me to join her and her husband in an upcoming color run. Of course that meant we needed to make a fun tutu skirt to run in. Game on! After watching some simple tutorials I created one for myself as well as Mimi. Of course she only wore it for the picture. Oh well.

Can't you tell how happy Mishka is to wear her matching skirt?

I forgot to take pictures while we were making the skirts but it was so simple! Once you cut the tulle into pieces it was a simple process of folding over each piece like a scarf around the elastic and pulling it tight. Then alternating colors. Over. and. over.

Gymnastics. This year I created treats for the Regionals competition again. I decided to decorate water bottles this year thinking maybe they'll actually use them again?

I painted their name as well drawing stars on each one. Green is one of our school colors as well as yellow/gold.

This is just one side of the ribbons I puffy painted as well. They had their name on one side and S.P. Gymnast on the other.

Teaching. This past school year was extremely busy. Filled with not only the day-to-day requirements of teaching and coaching but having my 1st student teacher, piloting a new evaluation system, and pursuing my National Boards. To say I was busy seems an understatement. It's funny looking back. Or not. But we all survived!

Of course I had to make my student teacher her own supply toolbox to take back home and filled it with goodies. The class also took a picture outside holding signs that said We (heart) You Miss K. and each student signed the matting before framing it all. It turned out darling! The class was excited to present all their gifts on her last day.

This year's Memory Books for each student. I used various scrapbooking paper again and ran them through the printer this time so each one had the same schoolhouse design. Not sure I like that. I'll definitely do something different next year.

End of the Year gifts. I like to put something together for each kiddo for the last day of school. I start to give them hints within the last few days and they get so excited to see what they are. It's cute. I ordered some inexpensive tote bags and puffy painted them. I wanted to fill the bag with a mix of things that would keep them thinking as well as staying active throughout the summer.

So there's just a bit more of what kept his past school year busy. As I finally load pictures onto my computer from my phone and iPad I'm sure I'll find other projects that I tinkered with. 

Pouches and Birthday notes

I'm finally settling down after relaxing all summer but now I'm feeling a bit stressed out!  I haven't been working on ANY school projects for the upcoming year!  For once I actually put it all away and tried to just relax. It was nice. But now it's crunch time. 

The first thing I wanted to change from last year were my Daily Communication Folders. I've never had a year where folders came in so crumpled. torn. literally falling apart in the tub each morning. New fix. This year I'm going to use 1'' binders to see if that makes it easier, for all of us. Although I'm hesitating a bit on being able to store them somewhere. Guess I'll worry about that later? 

The second part of the DCF was a zippered pouch to hold lunch money, behavior slips, you know, anything valuable that shouldn't fall out. Shouldn't being the key. Once again though, so many broke, zippers fell off, some even cut off? Yeah, I don't know. New fix for these... Duct taped Ziplock pouches. At least they'll be easier to replace and I made sure not to have a zipper that could fall off. So here's a brief explanation on assembling them. Pretty simple. 

Duct tape Ziplock pouch:

Supplies: Duct tape & Ziplock bags. I chose Gallon size because I wanted them to be about the same length as the binder.

At first I taped the bag onto the table so it wouldn't move but after doing a few I realized it didn't move much once I started with the duct tape, so just do whatever works best!

I trimmed off about a third of the end of the bag to fit within the binder.

I then tried to 'eye' where to lay the duct tape. I covered about half the ziplock and half off. Later the other side of the duct tape will stick to it. I also had a bit stuck to the table to help hold it. Later this will get tucked.

After that turn the ziplock over so the sticky side is up. Again try to 'eye' overlapping the next strip. I started above the strip underneath so it'd stick once it was tucked over.

Once you cut the end leave a bit of extra to tuck over and stick back onto the duct tape.

After both sides are tucked over you can check to see if you need to trim any from the end. Sometimes I didn't line mine up the best and there was duct tape sticking out. I didn't want it to stick to things.

Lastly, I three hole punched the end. At first I tried using a 3-hole punch but it didn't come out and I tore it trying. Maybe mine was dull?  Instead I used a single hole punch and that worked better. I did notice again, sometimes it didn't punch all the way through so I trimmed it off with scissors. Again, maybe my hole punch was dull?

Finished pouch!  I hope the duct tape will hold. If not, I can trim off the end and just re-punch them. That's my plan anyways.

Almost ready to go into the Daily Communication Folders... the last thing I need to do is put a label on the front explaining what goes into the pouch. These will either be a label stuck on the front or something taped on.

I also started working on birthday goodies. In the years past I've created little notebooks, certificates, and just last year I made the curly straws that were floating all around Pinterest. So this year I wanted to do something different. Of course I browsed through Pinterest and various blogs looking for something to make. I started noticing a lot of pencil toppers, cute cupcakes and such. I decided my 'gift' would be a pencil this year. Last year it seemed like my kiddos were always running out of pencils. Lost. Stolen. Used... I don't know. So I ordered some personalized pencils that say Happy Birthday from me. I can't wait until they get here! Any day. To go with the pencils I decided to make a little note card for the pencil to slide through. It was a simple design I created on word and glued onto some scrapbook paper I've had for years. Here's another brief explanation. Again, very simple!  And on a side note, I have NO idea why they're coming up sideways?  I'm not tech savvy enough to figure it out so just turn your head a bit okay!

Birthday Note card with Pencil slot:

I created a Word document and used a 'talk bubble' and added text. I downloaded the cute fonts online. The Happy Birthday is in jack story and the signature is a gentle touch. Again if I was tech savvy I'd try to add a link. Sorry.

Used some old scrapbooking paper I had. The 6 1/2 x 4 1/2 size worked really nicely too so I didn't have to cut it to size.

Once I cut out each of the bubbles I used a glue stick and glued them onto a coordinating piece of colored paper.

Used a utility knife to cut slits for the pencil.

Personalized pencils

Well, I guess I'd better get back to finishing more projects!  Hope to have more soon!