Teachers Appreciation 2012 - Day Five

We saved the biggest gift of all for the Last day of Teachers Appreciation.

A Huge Tower of School Supplies to get the classroom stocked up for the next year.

 

I wasn't sure how well this idea would work - since it's usually done using colorful boxes of crayons, and glue sticks, and scissors and glue bottles and construction paper.  

In 5th Grade - the most needed supplies are not very exciting.  Things like Note Book Paper, Pencils and Composition Books.  We managed to make it look pretty festive with the addition of ribbons and tissue.

The tower rests on a base of composition books.  

Tier #1 is made of packaged Notebook Paper and Graph Paper wrapped around a large popcorn tin.  A large rubber band holds it all together. 

Three layers of ribbon (in his favorite colors of blue and purple) are tied to cover the rubber band.  

It looked a little plain with the all white paper - so I sewed a paper garland made from various colors and sizes of punched circles - and draped it along the bottom tier.

Tier #2 is made from boxes of colored pencils and white board markers (he specifically requested the purple ones).  They are held around a metal cookie tin with another rubber band and more ribbon covering the band.

A bit of tissue paper fills in any gaps.

Tier #3 nests inside the colored pencil tier.  Boxes of Pencils and more white board markers are wrapped around a paper towel roll and secured with rubber bands and ribbon.

The Topper is a tomato paste can covered in scrapbook paper - and wrapped with ribbon.  It holds more pencils (we had one extra box that wouldn't fit around the paper towel roll), and makes the perfect "accidental" crown for the top of the "cake".

We transported it in layers and simply stacked it once we got to the classroom.  Nothing is glued, so it can be easily disassembled. 

I think it turned out pretty cute, considering there were only 6 different school supplies used:

composition books

note book paper

graph paper

colored pencils

white board pens

pencils

It's hard to believe another school year is coming to a close. 

a Big THANK YOU to all the teachers that take special care of our kids.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.        ~Henry Brooks Adams

Ten on Ten - May 2012

I'm so excited I remembered it was Ten on Ten yesterday.  

I haven't participated is quite a while.  Can't wait to catch up with what everyone has been doing. 

It seems that lately I have been taking more pics with my iPad - so this is my instagram edition of Ten on Ten

Making the hummingbirds happy

 

 Teachers Appreciation Gift

 Project Life stuff taking over the kitchen table

 

 

 School Meeting

 Iced Coffee Break

My favorite new find

Ready for a dip

 Happy Mail

On the Road

Waiting at the studio

 

See what everyone else did for their Ten on Ten over here.

Have a Happy Weekend 

and a 

Wonderful Mothers Day!

Teachers Appreciation 2012 - Day 4

A week of Teachers Appreciation is coming to a close - but we are not done yet.

Today, the PTA will be providing a lunch buffet for all the staff, so we thought we would supplement that with some snacks for the rest of the day (and weeks to come).

 

We made a huge jar of "custom blended" Trail Mix.

Added a colorful label to the front

Some bright ribbons (same colors used throughout the week)

and several layered hang tags in different shapes:

"Thanks for leading us down the TRAIL of success"

"we're NUTS about you"

"and a little BANANAS too"

One more day to go. 

 The BEST is yet to come. 
Wait till you see what we have planned for tomorrow. 

Teachers Appreciation 2012 - Day Three

We were looking for a creative way to give Little K's teacher and assortment of Gift Cards, and came across this clever idea for giving a gift of cash.

 (Photo from Lovezilla)

We decided to modify this great idea to fit our needs.

An empty tissue box was decorated with scrapbook paper 

(again in his favorite colors of blue and purple).  

Each side of the tissue box was covered with a "nose" related saying.

Instead of using cash inside the tissue box - we had something different in mind.  

A pull tab indicates where and what to do.  

Just in case he thought it was a plain old box of snot rags.

Inside were notes from the students saying what they liked best about being in his class this year. 

I printed them up on the computer using a variety of fun fonts, taped them together and accordion folded them to fit inside the tissue box. 

 

In between the kids notes were Gift Cards from many of his favorite restaurants.

(Thanks to the generous contributions of our families)

and more sweet notes from the kids.

Something about 5th grade humor made the "snot" reference seem perfect.  

Teachers Appreciation 2012 - Day Two

The Roses and Iris's are in full bloom around here, so many of the Room Parents are asking each of the kids to bring in a single flower from their garden to make a bouquet that the Teachers can enjoy all week during Teachers Appreciation.

Since our teacher is a Man - we decided to do something a little different.

Instead of flowers - we asked each of the kids to bring in a piece of fruit.  

 Little K contributed a crisp red apple - protected from bruising by a sweet crochet Apple Cozy (made by my Mum).

We have a big basket waiting in the classroom to gather all the fruity bounty.  I made a sign using Wordle with all the cheesy fruit sayings I could think of:

ORANGE  you grand

You are a PEACH of a person

You're one in a MELON

You are the top BANANA

You're the BERRY best

You're a GRAPE teacher

Were PLUM crazy about you

and added the teachers name and all the students names.

The basket was spruced up with some ribbons. 

His favorite colors are Blue and Purple - so you will be seeing that color theme repeated all week.  

Teachers Appreciation 2012 - Day One

It's National Teachers Appreciation Week.  

I am so thankful to have had the Most Wonderful Teachers for Little K over the past 8 years (including pre-school and Kindergarden).  Each one of them has helped her become the lovely young girl she is today.

This might be our last year for a Creative Teachers Appreciation, as she is moving on to Middle School next year, and I don't think things are quite as cutise in the upper grades.

Each Day this week we will be paying tribute to Little K's teacher in a different way.

Today - Monday - he was welcomed with a Decorated Door.

 

There are 5 Room Mom's in Little K's class - so I can't take credit for putting this all together myself.  

We had an idea of what we wanted the "letter" to say - but finding some of the candy bars proved more difficult than we imagined.   

Thank goodness for my Partner in Crafting Crime Jadelyn for running around to dozens of stores finding just the right candy.   

Here is how we used them all:

"We think you are worth 100 GRAND on PAYDAY for going the EXTRA mile to turn us WHATCHAMACALLIT kids into SMARTIES.

We used to act like AIR HEADS and NERDS, but because the learning is GOOD n PLENTY in your class, we have really found our STRIDE.  

You taught us how to CRUNCH numbers and SKOR high on our tests. You are a LIFESAVER and have made learning a JOY.  We would have fallen to PIECES without you.

Thanks for putting up with our SNICKERS.  We appreciate the MOUNDS of knowledge you have given us.  Even if we went into ORBIT and searched the MILKY WAY, we would never find a teacher as GOOD as you!

Your Class of GOOBERS"

 

My favorite is the salutaion. 

 "from your Goobers" 

hee hee

I also put together a few additional Door Decorations for other Staff Members that sometimes get overlooked during this week. 

our Librarian

 

our Speach Specialist

our Psychologist

We have lots of Fun Stuff planned.  

I'll be posting more about them each day this week.   

 

Decorated for Easter

I don't think we put out any Easter Decor last year.  Not quite sure why - because I love all the sweet pastel colors that come with Easter and Spring.

I really enjoy putting together a different seasonal display for the shelves in the Kitchen Nook.  

Remember when we made the Paper Banner for Halloween?

The same ideas works great for Easter as well.

Chick - Carrot - Bunny and Easter Eggs - all made from cut and punched paper shapes.

I think the bunny needs fatter ears - it's looking a bit like a Pig - but not bad for the first attempt.

The polka dot bowls are from the dollar bin at Target and I made the word art using Wordle.

I found the ceramic bunnies at Dollar Tree several years ago.  

I've wanted to display pretty cupcake liners in a jar on my Kitchen counter (like my bloggie friend Cindy did here) but the colors don't work with my everyday decor.  But they look great as part of an Easter and Spring decor.  

It's not Easter without marshmallow Peeps (or in this case bunnies)

I fell in love with these paper chicks and lamb.  They look like they are covered in tiny paper flowers.  So Sweet.  

The full view of the shelves in our Kitchen Nook.

Hope you all enjoy a wonderful Easter Weekend. 

Facebook Timeline

I don't consider myself tech savvy At All.  Until just a few years ago, we had a 15 year old Big TV, No Caller ID and my cell phone pretty much only makes calls (no text or pictures).  

But that's not to say that I don't LIKE technology.  I simply choose to spend my money on other Gadgets.  We all have our vices.

I only joined Facebook 3 years ago - AGES after most of my friends were active.  

I've been hearing and seeing a lot of conversation lately about the new Facebook Timeline.  And how everyone is concerned with the changes, how they don't like the new format, and how there is resentment about being forced to change.

I've even read that Today is the Day that everyone automatically Rolls to the new Timeline format (I wouldn't know, as I voluntarily switched some time ago....because I had to find out what all the talk was).

I am LOVING the new Timeline.  

I think the big giant Cover Photo is so much fun.  It just screams to me to be creative and play around with the photos.

I wanted to share some of the Cover Pages I created.

I don't have any special graphics or editing software.  This was created using Picasa (which is free).

I made this one for my Mom....who was not interested in the new timeline at first, but now she has a beautiful cover photo from one of her trips.  

This was an idea I had for my Bunches and Bits Facebook page....I need to incorporate a caption saying something like "what should I create today".  

There are some people doing some really creative things with their covers.  Just search "funny facebook cover photos" and you will see.

There are lots of online sites that now have templates to create great cover photos.

I also love the whole idea of Facebook being a Timeline.  A single place to record your personal details.  

I'm not one of those people who remember dates, so this is perfect for me.

 I have started recording details (and photos) of major life events.  Like each time we have moved, along with a photo of our home.  

It's amazing how quickly you forget the details.

I love this photo of my Dad and I.  I couldn't tell you where the original digital file is, but I was able to download it (from a previous blog post) and it now sits safely on my Facebook Timeline - along with the date that he passed away.  

Wow, it's been 4 years already.  I would never have guessed that (see I'm not good at remembering dates). 

It will take a while to get things in order on my new Facebook Timeline, but I like that it may help me get more organized.

So go ahead - I encourage you to embrace the new look of Facebook...and all it has to offer.

Change is Good

(sometimes)

Rainbow Spa Birthday

Pre-Teen - Tween - Teeny Bopper

Whatever you call it - I've got one.  

Little K turned 11 recently, so I guess there is no denying it.  We are full blown into the Tween Years. 

Her actual birthday was at the beginning of March, but trying to coordinate schedules meant that she wasn't able to have a Party with her school friends until last weekend.

This Years Theme:

Rainbow Spa Sleepover

Here is the invitation that I showed off earlier:

Made from Paint Chips (with very little help from me).

The SPA table was set up in the Kitchen Nook, so I used the buffet to layout snacks and sweets.

Rainbow Fruit Kabobs

There had to be some healthy options as well...after all it is a Spa Party.  Rainbow Veggie Tray.

I wanted to make paper cones to hold the caramel corn, but couldn't find any paper that was cute enough, so instead I folded Rainbow Polka Dot tissue paper into a clear cup.

Gum Balls (that I thought would be just for decoration....but they ate nearly half the jar), and Rainbow Twizzlers in fun fruit flavors.

Cake Pops decorated with Rainbow Colored sugar and drizzle.

 Jars of flowers lined the center of the Spa Table.  Paper Zig Zag Streamers and a Rainbow Balloon Swag that was planned to hang over the front door, but it was wet and windy and I was afraid they would PoP so we moved it inside.

There were 7 girls that attended and each one of them was assigned one of the 7 Colors

(notice how the Tween Girl Rainbow includes Pink)

At the Spa Table there was a basket of beauty supplies, and a Robe for each of the girls in their Color.  The Rainbow Rugs (from the seasonal bins at Target) were too cute to pass up.   

 They applied home made beauty treatments including:

Warm Lemon and Mint infused Towels (to open up the pores)

Oatmeal Scrub (to cleanse)

Strawberry Astringent (to tighten the pores)

And Lastly - an Avocado Mask with Cucumber Slices (to hydrate and moisturize).

Don't they look so Relaxed and Happy?

Everything was going great - until we discovered one of the young ladies was allergic to Avocado!

Yikes! 

It was a bit scary - but after we removed the avocado and let her rest with a clean cool towel over her face - the hives cleared up and the itching stopped. 

Thankfully her mom came right over with some Benadryl and she was able to get back to the Party Fun. 

They made some Jewelery.  Painted their Nails. Played Truth or Dare. Talked - Whispered - Giggled. Watched a Movie and got a few hours sleep.

I premade some Body Scrubs using essential oils and Sea Salt for each of the guests to take home. 

Her Cake was layers of vanilla frosted with plain white buttercream.  

Adorned with a sweet  Rainbow Flag Topper.

I'm kind of obsessed with these little flags.  I though they were so cute - it was the only decoration the cake needed.

Except for the "11" candles.

Did I forget to mention I added a little color to the inside of the cake.

Rainbow - of course!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Little K.