Showing posts with label Crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crafts. Show all posts

Class Gifts on a Budget

Hi friends!
I have been making these ornaments for the last 5 years.  I started because I wanted a cute ornament that was inexpensive for my son to give to his grandparents. I also knew I was working with a baby, and I would make mistakes. SO, I need something that I could fix if we messed it up. These are SO.EASY. I still make them each year with Reid. We just try to find a different one to make. They are adorable and affordable. Since they are so affordable, I thought I would try them with my class. I can do an entire class set for less than $5.00 TOTAL.


Yes, you read that correct. This entire project cost me less than $5.00. I did have quite a few things at my house. I am betting you have these things as well, so it will cost you even less than $5.00.

First, you go to Home Depot. You will need to grab these tiles. It is only $2.57 for the entire sheet. You can have 25 kids make their ornament for $2.57 (plus tax)

You can use regular scissors to cut these up. I bend them until I get a few pieces. Then, I just use my scissors to cut away the yellow "caulking" stuff. 

I always have paint pens in my possession, but you can grab these for $2.00 each at Micheals. Grab your coupon for even bigger savings! You will need a few paintbrushes. I use acrylic paint.  It adheres better to the tile. You can buy sealer spray. I have used it on a few of Reid's and a few I didn't. I can't even tell the difference.

 First, have the kids write their name at the top with a paint pen, so it doesn't smear.
If they do the bottom, then you will have to do the ornament backwards, which can be trouble, or you can have them write their name on the bottom at the end. 

I use their fingerprints as much as possible. This one is the reindeer. Start with painting on the paint on their fingers. I put a good amount, but not too much. If you give the right amount, it looks like actual fur like the picture above. 

Then, any details they add, I have them add with their brush, brush up in the air, using the handle to draw it on like a pencil. I even tell them to hold it like a pencil. 

They "draw" on their details. 

The paints I use are just these tiny ones you can pick up for .50 at Michaels. See how I have them use the tip of the brush as a pencil? 

For the eyes, they do the same thing. They "draw" them on. Just dipping the black dots for eyes. 

Then, I paint red paint on their pinky finger to get the smallest circle for the nose. 

Look at those eyes! so cute. Sometimes, I do have to touch up with a brush and paint if it doesn't work the first time. 

Tell them this isn't the cutest?!

I always have them write the year on the tile as well. 

This is too precious! 

To add the back, I just put hot glue in a V shape. 

Then, I press the ribbon down. I got the ribbon in the end, spinny thing by Michaels (such professional wording). It was a buck for a roll! 

This is what it looks like all glued on. 

Here is a gingerbread. So darn cute. 

These are a few of the choices that my friends made this year. I LOVE the wreath! 

One word to the wise - when doing the penguin - don't let your kids do the black tip of the eyes - it will be a hot mess. They only need the smallest (seriously, the tip barely touches the white paint) dip and they can't do it. You should do the black part. It really sucks to have to wipe clean and start over because you let them do the black of the eyes. 

Love how this penguin is looking at the snowman. 

They all have such personality. 


Once it is hanging on the tree - everyone will love it. I promise! 
The best part about it is that this gift will not break the bank! Your parents will love it and so will the kids! 

I'd love for you to share what you come up with! :)
Merry Christmas. 


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Giveaway Winners

Hi Friends!
A quick little line to congratulate my sweet friends on the giveaway!


Please email me with your address Amber, along with the color ribbon you want incorporated into your wreath. I would also love for you to take a picture of it in your room, and send it to me!

Emily, please send me your address!

Tiffany, I will email you back with a zip of all my products (even some in progress!)

Thank you all so much for entering and following me! Know that I am not working on my 700-well now 800 instagram friends giveaway!

It will be huge and is taking so much more time to put together than I thought it would! Phew!

Ok T-7 days until I start school...whaaaaa

Hugs friends,

Mrs. H.
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400 Instagram Followers Huge Giveaway with a Made It Monday thrown in early

I am so happy to have over 400 Instagram friends!!! Whoot!!! I have found so many fun ideas from Instagram, and hope to gain more followers all over blog - land!

This is so exciting! I decided to have a giveaway! A customized one!!!


There will be three winners!
The first will win this beautiful customized classroom wreath! I will ask you for a color from your classroom, and will add a ribbon of that color to this wreath and mail it to you!

The next will be my entire TPT store - for free! :) How fun is that?! 
The third rafflecopter winner will get a $10 Target Gift Card - maybe you can get those final Dollar Spot items for your room! 

I am going to post my Monday Made It today rather than tomorrow so that people can start entering the rafflecopter!


I am guessing that Tara and her Monday Made It is going to end up going to once a month since she is starting school...sniff sniff, wipe the tears.  I still have so much to share!
This is going to be pretty heavy with pictures - some failures, some successes.
Monday Made It Number 1 - Dying of the Pocket Charts
I saw the horror stories of the RIT failures and I thought I would give it a try!
So I got the Rit in the bottle. It just seemed less messy! My pocket chart was the standard Lakeshore Learning 100 chart. 
I used one cup of the only vinegar that I had - apple cider - walmart brand



I put it in this huge bucket. I put 2.5 gallons of hot water inside and stirred every 15 minutes for an hour and a half. It looked promising. Then I covered it and left it until the next afternoon with no peeking - pretty hard to do!
This is what it looked like when it came out!

It may look blue still, but it is PURPLE! I will post pictures of it in my room once it is up.

RIT DYE / Pocket charts 0- ME -1

SUCCESS!!







Made It Number 2
This was my set of toolboxes. The polka dot one was from my room last year. The blue one was from my first classroom in 2009. Yes, I left it blue and I only put on avery labels. I don't know when the original teacher toolbox was created, but I have a feeling I have been using it for quite a while now, but it just wasn't fancy. This needed to change!


 Here is the before picture with my labels that I cut out, not once, not twice but three stinkin times. I was so irritated. It ended up being my own fault because I didn't look at my print options! I was printing with it scaled on the paper. DUMMY.
I started spray painting with the Krylon spray paint and WHAT.A.DISASTER.
It dripped and made a mess. So I ran across the street to Home Depot and got the Rust Oleum
What a difference!!!
Isn't she pretty!? I need to start using a big drop cloth because part of my driveway has yellow on it. OOPS

Here it is looking FABO in my room. 

Here is the other one. The white along the bottom is where I had my father in law add some wood to the bottom and the back to reinforce and make it stronger so that it doesn't have a chance of tipping. 

Teacher Tool Box labels

I have realized that all teacher toolboxes are NOT created equal!!!!  - If you are interested in mine, let me know and I will post them! 


Made It Number 3
The writing folder holders

So this is how my little sweets keep their writing folders from being smashed and ripped in their desks by books and pencil boxes. I have my desks in three groups. See below. This is not even close to being finished and looking the way it should, but so you can see how it is set up. I have these bookshelves that were $15 for 4 shelves. I have the extra one by my reading table to hold things. Anyway, the kids reading book bags go in a bin that sits on top, and underneath holds their writing crate with works in progress and their science and social studies text books. I only want their workbooks in their desks to keep clutter down. I wish we had tables, I wish we had tables.  
Anyway - man that was long winded. 

I used my trusted spray paint 


With gloves on the grass with wrapping paper




Two nice thick coats

Made It Number 4
My old mailbox

I loved my black and white polka dot mailbox, but I just didn't fit my colors! 


May as well spray that too! 


Finished product! 

I will add my sign from below that says
Writing Folders

Finished Product! 
I just need to add my vinyl letters that say Mrs. Hacker's Mail

Monday Failed It Number 10,000
Yes, I said Failed It...for now. I don't give up easily...and will try again.


I LOVE this pocket chart - LOVE, it is thick, holds 27 kids work that is unfinished and it doesn't match a dang on thing in my room. I HATE THAT. Hello classroom companies - we don't ALL love primary colors! 

This time, I used the box rit dye in black...
This was after two days in the mix...
FAIL...TO BE CONTINUED...



OXY clean is my buddy - I took my crayon bins apart and tossed them in the washer with Oxy Clean pods and let them soak (didn't make it cycle though) 
they came out clean as a whistle! 


Made It Number 5
Second Grade Shenanigans made the most beautiful read sign for her room, and I want one. So I am trying to do that now.  We shall see how it goes. 
Dang, that was so hard. I don't know how she rolled those into perfect cones, but I couldn't do it. I guess I don't have the patience! Oh well! At first I decided I would paint these babies silver...



                                          

They looked ok, as you can see I put washi tape over the D, and it didn't do anything for me. It didn't pop out, so I thought I should do something else 

 So I covered it in Mod Podge and traced each letter backwards on thick yellow and gray tones of cardstock.

Then I put mod podge over the top and smoothed out the wrinkles with a gift card. 
I know they still have some wrinkles but once hung, I doubt you can see them. I will lose my mind if you can though. 

See that bubble? UGH



I think the E is huge and the D is too dark. Not sure I like the ombre look of my letters


You can really tell the size difference on that E when they are straight. They all came from the same bin though! HUH!
I may try to add some washi tape now in bolder solids. Maybe I should leave well enough alone.???
Suggestions?




                                                     Made It Number 6
I am also doing the pick me sticks. dang it they take forever!!! 

Now, do I write on them with marker? HMMM

Made It Number 7
I got this silver and wood table from Target for $3 on 80% off clearance and thought I could put the listening center on it. 
I wanted chevron, so I decided to free hand/measure it...

Note the monitor on the table - my son takes three hour naps still at three years old, that is how I get so much crafting done! I get all my materials out when he is eating lunch, and as soon as he is in his room, I get started! 


Its looking promising. Not too bad for free handing it


Looks pretty cute....until 
I decide I need to have purple in it...here is where I think my table becomes a 
Monday Failed It



What do you think? I am thinking I may order the contact paper and just cover it. Maybe its growing on me... I don't know. Hmmmm


I also made a few things for my classroom and TPT. 

For my writing Folders I made a cover


For another inspirational sign for my room 

Let them be little sign
This was updated in my subway art file if you bought and want to redownload. 
Click on the Picture to buy the whole pack - this is written in three other fonts
To just have this picture as is, right click and save picture


Here is the link for the Avery labels I used. It is template 8195
Click on the picture below to get the pdf 
I used 1 inch binder clips and wrapped the rest under the clip to keep it from being pulled off easily. I also put some mod podge over the top to keep it on there and more sturdy. Be careful though because it can smear - wait until the labels are dry. I hope it works for you when you download. Please let me know if it doesn't so I can try to fix it! 
Two final pictures
First my favorites from this week! 

Made it Number 8
So I made two wreaths this week. One for the giveaway, and one for my bathroom door in my classroom

You can click on any of my wreath posts to see even more detailed instructions. It is a craft in terms of getting it right. I still have flops, and it took me over a year to perfect my wreaths, and I still take them apart. The purple one may come apart today. I haven't decided. 

Make a poof and pin it. 

Repeat

Then repeat a second row of poofs

Start wrapping your chevron ribbon

I will add a color of your choice ribbon to this wreath so you can customize it to your class. Or I can add a white letter of your choosing! 

Made It Number 9 The purple wreath

Wrap the wreath so your hay doesn't show


I use pipe cleaner to hold the pieces together. I cut spirals of material of each color scheme and attach with u pins. 

This one had too much black in places and not enough purple. 

Here it is semi fixed. It is bothering me, so I will likely take it apart today and fix it. Be on the lookout for an update 






Please join my rafflecopter giveaway for a custom wreath, gift card and my entire tpt store! 



Oh. and here is my FANTASTIC new mini me from The Library Fox
Click on the above picture to go to her site to have her make one for you!!! 

This was the inspirational picture she used. I just LOVE IT! 

Please leave me a comment! I love hearing from you, and try to respond back to everyone's comments! I would love for you to follow me on my blog, instagram, pinterest or my TPT
Mrs. H.


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