Classroom library project

What a whirlwind week! It's been a little crazy around here, getting ready for the holiday. And I'm still not feeling the best so I'm much slower at getting things done.

Thought I'd share what we are doing for "teacher gifts" this year. Some of you have heard me talk a little about this-I wish I would have taken pictures when I started.

Back in October my son's teacher put out a desperate plea for help, to organize their classroom library. She's the reading teacher for all of the fifth graders at the school, and this is her first year teaching this grade. She also had a baby just before school started so she didn't have much energy, during the summer, to get the room organized.

I, along with a father, decided to tackle the project. And as usual, I didn't want to just reshelve the books, but make it functional so that the kids could reshelve their own book (in the past a parent had to come in once a week and do it). I researched online to see what other teachers were doing and I found a great blog post on Scholastic about a teacher that had organized her library. Here's the link http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top-teaching/2009/10/classlibrary (though the video she posted doesn't seem to be working anymore).

Tweaking her method to fit our situation, we got to work. Twice a week I'd go into the classroom and start categorizing, labeling and sorting books. Most of them I even brought home on the weekends so I could look them up in the computer and level them and find their genre, so I could put a sticker on the back with this information. The secretaries at school thought I was pretty crazy as I carried boxes out each week. They'd ask, "Are you done yet?" FINALLY, this last weekend I carried out my last load. 

When I saw the condition of the book bins, and the "seating", I knew that something needed to be done. The plastic bins where half broken, many not labeled and nothing matched (pet peeve). The seating was so dirty-pillows without pillow cases, dirty seat cushions-no wonder the kids never sat in the corner to read, but stayed at their desks! And the one bean bag basically didn't have any beans left in it.

So I got to thinking as Christmas approached, wondering what to do for teacher gifts. I was getting a little tired of doing cookies and a gift card, and really wanted to do something with a little more thought and meaning. That's when the idea popped into my mind to redo the classroom library corner, and basically donate an item in honor of each teacher-as their gift.

I did shop a couple Black Friday sales to get seating, rugs and fabric. I learned how to sew an invisible zipper so I could make slipcovers for new floor pillows-it's really easy if you have the right foot for your machine!

Yesterday, I finished it all up, including new labels for the bins, and the boys helped me deliver it all. The teacher said a couple times, "I feel like I'm on one of those shows like Home Makeover"! I managed to snap a couple pictures (although the one of the entire corner was blurry and didn't turn out)-here's a litle glimpse....

Basket with three new floor pillows

New rugs and chairs (yes, I know the rugs are black and will show some dirt-but I was limited on budget and color scheme to matc the neon book bins!)

New book bins and labels. They are organized into "Fiction Chapter books", "Series Fiction Books", "nonfiction" and "Favorite Author". If you look real close in the second pink bin, "Science Fiction A-M", you can see a book that has a label on it. There's a white avery address label that tells the kids the genre and whether it's fiction or nonfiction-so they can match it to the bin label. And there is also a round sticker that has a number on it to designate grade level reading so they make sure to get a book that fits their reading level.

I finished the room off by tying everything in bows and putting gift tags that say "to the fifth grade", and for each "From", I put a teacher's name (My 5th grader has 4 teachers, plus a Special Ed teacher and aide while my 4th grader has 2 teachers, a Special Ed teacher and an aide-it adds up quickly!)

On Monday, the boys will take in small boxes of chocolate turtles (got on sale and coupons!!) for each teacher that will have this poem on it:

Gift cards and chocolates and bath salts galore,

Though thoughtful they are, we just had to do more.

For gifts in this season should be given in love,

A reminder to all of Our Savior above.

So we went to work labeling and a little updating,

A classroom library that needed some saving.

Now in your honor you'll find a donation,

A gift for the students , on this fitting occasion.

May you have peace and joy in this glorious season,

And a gift to Ms._______'s classroom so very pleasin.'      

A friend helped me write it as I'm not a poet by any means! And under the poem I'll have listed what item was donated in their name.

I'm REALLY hoping that come Monday morning, everyone will "get" my vision and understand the method behind my madness. Sometimes what seems so clear in my brain, is pure chaos in other's!

I found the whole project fun and satisfying. It means more to me than just giving out tons of cookies, and is one that I'll not likely forget for years to come. It was a TON of work, but well worth it.

Merry Christmas to the teachers and fifth grade students!!!

Christmas crafting

So glad the fall crafts are done and that I could get started on the Christmas ones!!! I just think Christmas and crafting go together, don't you?!?! Here's what I've been working on (PS-most of these came from Pinterest too-so many craft ideas-I'm going insane!!!)

Monogram Christmas Wreath

Easy, Easy-grab a wreath you have laying around-run to Hobby Lobby and purchase a large unpainted wooden letter ($2.99)-paint, add a ribbon, glue together and you're done-simple, inexpensive, cute!

Gift Topiary

This is part of my "interchangeable" decor. Remember the pumpkin topiaries from Fall? I pulled those off the pot, and replaced it with these boxes. Once I figured out the logistics of these, I got them put together faster than I expected.

They are made from three different sizes of cardboard boxes-6", 8" and 10". I already had the 6" and 8" (Walmart used to carry the 6, and Home Depot had 8" on clearance after the holidays a couple years ago) For the 10", I purchased a 12x12x10 from Walmart and cut to down to make a 10" square.

My crafting partner, Lucinda, made hers so that they could be stored inside each other-brilliant! I have a little more storage room so I didn't bother to do that. She is displaying hers outdoors so she used vinyl tableclothes to cover the boxes. We get such winds on our porch that mine will be indoors so I used fabric. You can use Christmas paper-it's whatever you like.

I first got my holes where I wanted them, for the pvc pipe that runs up through the middle, and then I covered them with fabric and added the ribbon. Once they were stacked, I added the bows.

If anyone is serious about making these, I can do step by step directions if you need them. The hardest part was making the connection in the vase-hardware and pouring cement. If you have a set of the small Christmas trees that sit in pots (on rebar), you could easily do this with rebar and use one of those pots, instead of displaying the Christmass tree in it.

Jingle All the Way Shadow box

This craft is SUPER EASY also!! (If you can find a shadow box!) I found my 8x8 shadow box at Walmart (not in every store-some are clearancing them)-FYI-Michaels does have a package of them-set of 3-use a coupon or wait till they are 40-50% off and they aren't bad.

The paper and ribbon are from Hobby Lobby, along with the bells. The shadow box only holds up to 3/4" deep items-so I had to clip the backs off my largest bells, and hammer them just a tad, to get them to fit. I have three different sizes of bells.

Cut a little vinyl, add to the glass-cut your paper and use double-sided tape to adhere to the back of frame. Add the bells, add a ribbon (adhere to top, sides and bottom with double-sided sticky tape), and you're done! We made these for craft night and everyone loved them!! If you want to make for next year, snag some bells when they go on clearance after the holiday!!!!

Jingle Subway Art and Glitter Trees

I know, who does turqoise for Christmas? Well, it seems like now days, anything goes-I even saw black ornaments this year!! I saw this on Pinterest and fell in love with it.

The graphic I downloaded and printed to fit a 16x20. The frame I've had stashed for years (it was oak), so I gave it a ton of paint. The trees are made from the styrofoam forms. I took some skewers and stuck them in the bottom of the forms so I'd have something to hold on to while I "painted" them with elmer's glue. Once they are coated in glue, I held them over a paper plate and poured the glitter on. (paper plate makes for easy clean up-and so you can reuse it) I stood them up in a vase to dry. Then I took some old glass candlesticks that I had from my wedding, and spray painted them white-let them dry, and then super-glued them to the bottom of the forms. Easy!!! The site on Pinterest gives step-by-step directions on these.

Christmas Countdown

I can hear it now, "Don't you already have on of these-you used to sell them!!" The answer is "kind of". Yes, I have a set, but it's not functional. My paper totally bubbled when I was making them, so I attempted to pull it off and redo it, and it ended up a big mess. So when these appeared on Pinterest again, I decided it was time to attempt them again.

I'll admit it-something that was bothering me about my old set was the rounded edges-I KNOW, I'm picky!! But they bugged me. Luckily, when we renovated our kitchen this year, I had some left over wood from the spindles, and it has 90 degree angles!! So I cut it down to size and decided that I like using the same wood for both the tops and the bottoms (no more 2x4s). I painted the wood with a wash, and added my paper.

Modge podging-this time, I actually read the directions on the bottle-I didn't use "Modge Podge" but a bottle of "Aileen's decoupage" that I had sitting around. It says that you spread a thin coat on the PAPER, adhere it to the wood, and then WHILE STILL WET, add a thin layer over the top-to get the bubbles out, you wet your fingers and smooth it out. So that's what I did. I coated my paper, applied it to the wood, brayered over the paper, added the top coat, and then took my wet fingers and worked out the bubbles. It WORKED!! I don't think I have any bubbles this time.

My decoupage still seems a little tacky-a week later, but I read you can use your Krylon spray to give it a coating to protect the paint and help get rid of the tackiness. I will be doing this as soon as the garage is warm enough to use the spray!!

Those are my Christmas crafts-I have two more than I am working on, and then I'll be done. What are you doing this year?!

Fall Crafts

It's been a little crazy here, trying to finish up these fall crafts. I mentioned to my mother that I was working on them and she said, "It's winter, don't you know. Are you that organized that you're working on them for next year?" I laughed and said, "Of course not, I'm that far behind-these were for this year." Oh well! But I REALLY wanted to get them done, and yes, I think it's still Fall, for a couple more days-even though my house is decorated in Christmas. So these items will make their debut next year, but that's ok!

Most of these ideas came from Pinterest:

Leaf Art

I recycled the frames that I have out for Halloween (with pics of my kids in costume)-I just left the pictures in the frames so I know where they are, and added this in front-a little brown cardstock, some burlap and a leaf from the tree outside.

This one is burlap and then a page out of a used book, and then a leaf.

Who would have thought that I would love Subway art, but it's my new obsession. This one I downloaded from a link on Pinterest, and printed to fit in the frame I got on clearance (for $5) at Michaels. The luminaries are also from Pinterest. The first two tall ones I used cheap glass vases and put rubber bands around them-then spray painted. Another gal said she used twine so I tried that on the shorter on on the right hand side. If you look close, you'll see that it's not "clean". All the hairs from the twine really showed up and ruined it when I painted it. So I'm hoping to soak this in the tub and get the paint off, and do it again with rubber bands. Then I'll spray all three with a clear varnish to help the paint from getting scratched. Check your Goodwill and pick up vases for $1 and white paint from Walmart for $0.97!! Cheap craft!!

Changed out the candy from Halloween-put little pine cones in the bottom (purchased on clearance for $1 at the Christmas Tree Shoppe), and then a couple candles from Hobby Lobby-add some twine and some fake leaves and you're set. I think my candles are a tad too tall, but they work. If I did it again, I'd go with a little shorter ones-or just not do the pine cones.

Scrap "Fall Tree" pillow. Gather up all your scraps and cut leaves out of them. Find some brown fabric and cut a trunk. Sew a basic pillow sleeve-mine buttons in the back so I can remove and wash. I just used a little wonder under to adhere the leaves on and then sewed about 1/4" in, around the shape.  Quick craft also and it uses your scraps-if you have any!!

Aunt Danene sent me a link to this craft. It uses 1 4x4 post, some tree branches, wire, twine and a little sign. I can give you more directions if you want to make this one. They will go by the front door, next year.

Last one: SUPER EASY fall pillows. I know, it looks like I can draw, and cut and sew beautifully. Actually, these are PLACEMATS that I got on clearance at Kmart. Yep, placemats. All I had to do was unpick about 4 inches along a bottom seam, stuff them with polyfil, and then sew them back up. Really, this was one of the easiest crafts I've done in awhile, and I think they are cute! (In the past Walmart has carried ones similar so check next year!)

That's all the fall crafting I'll be doing for the year!! Good thing because winter starts in less than 2 weeks!

Happy crafting!!

Christmas Planner

Am I the only one that hasn't made one of these yet? Well, until now. I don't know how I functioned without one before. I'm sure some of you are saying "Why do I need one?" Well, maybe YOU don't. But I do!! My memory seems to be about non-existent these days and there's no way that I remember things from year to year. Admit it, how many times have you asked your friends for their addresses or thought, "I know ***** said he wanted ***** for a gift, but I can't remember." Ok, maybe it hasn't happened to you, but Miss Scatterbrain here has this occur on a regular basis.

So I did a little looking around and found a site that I have fallen in love with... www.organizedchristmas.com . She has EVERYTHING-even the printable label for the spine of the binder. Anyone that has this, in my book, is organized!!

Of course, not all of her pages apply to me, but many of them are just perfect for our simple holiday to-do list. I love the page called "holiday values worksheet" where you get to talk about what went well last year, what stresses you faced, and what you'd do differently this year.

I also love the "Holiday budget" worksheet so I can see exactly where my Christmas budget is going, and where I might be overspending.

I did most of my shopping online this year, and I've had the receipts scattered about. Now, I have them all organized in a page protector in my binder, behind the "catalog/internet orders" worksheet. Love it!

Ok, I have to confess, I'm using the "Christmas card list" worksheet. It has this year, and the next three years listed, and then has boxes for you to mark for "sent" and for "received". I have to admit, this is a little pet peeve of mine. It's disheartening to send out so many cards and get so few in return. So I'm keeping a list and checking it twice! lol (Oh, and this binder is going to remind me next year NOT to order SQUARE cards. Who knew that it costs $0.20 more to send something square!?!?! Lesson learned!!)

Another issue I have around the holidays is "how much food do I cook" for the crowd we're having over? I also peel a bag of potatoes and say to myself "I'll look and see how many leftovers we have and make a mental note so I know about how many to peel next year". Of course, I NEVER remember so I end up with way too much food! (At least it's too much instead of not enough)

Anyways, just thought I'd share this website with you, incase you haven't made a binder, and desperately need one, like me! Happy Holidays!