Just Call Me Martha

Why do you ask?  Because with all the craftiness that has been going on in my house lately, I'm considering changing my name to Martha Stewart...minus the criminal record.
Not that I'm counting, but school starts in 20 days!  What?!?!  I'm kinda freaking because there is so much I still want to do before my new batch of firsties walk through the door on the first day.  I have to say though that I have thoroughly enjoyed this summer.  This has been my first summer since I started teaching that I knew I had a job before the previous school year ended.  I cannot tell you the blessing it has been to not have to apply for jobs, drop off resumes and the part I loathe the most, interview this summer.  This will make my third year as a teacher at NMES and I can honestly say, there's no where else I'd rather be.  Knowing in advance I get to keep my same classroom and same grade level, has enabled me to plan, prepare and Pinterest all summer long for the 2012-2013 school year. I'm doing my classroom in a rock n' roll theme with bright colors and animal prints!  I am so excited about it!  With that said, let me show you some things I've been working on...all Pinterest-inspired.

My "Happy Birthday" Pixies! 

I plan to use these in place of the birthday certificates and Dum-Dum suckers that I usually give to students on their birthdays.  I made the balloon cutouts myself but got the "Happy Birthday" cutouts from Third Grade All Stars on Teachers Pay Teachers.  Click on the picture to get your own free copy of the birthday message.  The Pixies are from my parents' grocery store, Tackett's Market, and the best part is my mom donated them!  Don't ya love free stuff?!  I created my zebra vase from a vase recycled from my wedding last year.  I covered it in my newest obsession, zebra Duct tape, and then finished it off with some fabulous ribbon.

The coolest stool ever, if I do say so myself!

I got my stool from Target for around 20 bucks.  The feather boa came from Hobby Lobby, although I don't remember the cost...maybe around $5.  The paint came from Lowe's.  I bought the sample paint jars to avoid having to buy the big cans.  The round bars are covered in patterened Duct tape.  I love the finished product! 

A cutie patootie lollipop tree!

Yes, I have been known to bribe my students into using good behavior for a sweet treat.  When I saw this on Pinterest, I knew I had to make myself one!  Very easy and it will look way cute sitting on my desk!

"Crazy Good" Straws

Another incentive to bribe my sweet babies to do the "right thing".  Get your own copy of the "You were caught being crazy good!" cutouts, courtesy of Tiffany Gannon on Teachers Pay Teachers, by clicking on the above picture.

First day goodies!

These are going to be my gift to my students on the first day of school.  Since I am doing the rock n' roll/rockstar theme, I thought it would be adorbs to do my door with the saying "Our future's so bright, we have to wear shades!" and take pictures of the kids in their glasses for decoration.  I got the sunglasses at Target this summer on clearance for $1 for a pack of 6.  Meant to be?  I think so!  The tag was created by Hope King.  Check it out by clicking on the above pic!

"Welcome" bags for Open House!

I got this poem from Tasha Clapp over at Serenade to Second Grade.  It fits perfectly with my rockstar theme and has some yummy goodies my kiddos will love.  I wanted the kids to have a little treat during Open House so that they would feel welcome in my classroom.  I think they will make a great first impression.  Stay tuned to future posts to see my treat for the parents! Click on the above pic to get your own copy of the poem.

My trusty ole' rocker got a face lift!  Isn't she a beaut?!

I have been wanting to paint my rocker for what seems like forever and finally this summer, I did it!  Well, I did 75% of it and I have to give my mom-in-law credit for the other 25%.  I used the paint left over from my stool so that it would match and of course, the same Duct tape.  I am so tickled with how she turned out! 

Stylin' and profilin' crate seats!

You've probably seen these all over Pinterest and other blogs.  I couldn't resist the attractiveness and practicality of these little seats.  I made six which I plan to use around my reading table.  I plan to assign each student a pattern and make that their permanent seat for reading groups to avoid the race to get to a certain seat.  Click on the pic to go to the blog with the best tutorial I could find when making these jewels.  I have to give props to the Lowe's workers who cut my wood pieces out of the scraps they had for FREE!  That's right.  Free wood and cutting.  If you go there to get your wood cut, make sure to tell them you're a teacher, bring in one of your crates and ask if they have any scrap wood they could use.  The best part about this project?  Getting to use the staple gun!  It's my favorite new tool! 

My classroom door sign!

I got the idea for a classroom door sign from Babbling Abby at her classroom blog The Inspired Apple.  She used a ceiling tile for her creation but I decided to go with a canvas.  I bought letters at Hobby Lobby rather than freehand painting or stenciling them.  I used painter's tape and paint left over from my stool to make the backdrop.  I used a pencil to punch holes in the top and then knotted some ribbon on each side.  Do you love it?!

See how busy I've been?  I do like being crafty and seeing all the pretties I've created sitting together in my house.  Makes me feel productive.  Colby, on the otherhand, wishes they would magically appear into my classroom upon completion rather than in empty spaces all over our house.  He can't complain too much now because in all my DIYing, I managed to make a project to go in his home office.

He's got this thing for antiquey globes and nautical memorbilia.  When I saw this on, you guessed it, Pinterest, I knew it was just the thing to make for the office wall.  To use the tutorial I followed, click on the pic. I added a step after all the Mod-Podging was complete.  Colby wanted it to look a bit more rustic so we brewed some strong coffee and I lightly used a paintbrush to stain the map canvases.  My map was purchased at Barnes and Noble for around 8 bucks.  I got the canvases on sale at Hobby Lobby for around $25 combined.  Altogether, I have about $40 in this project.  Well worth it, I'd say!

So what have you been up to lately?