A Teacher's Survival Kit

 It's that time again!

School starts tomorrow for us ...

I've made up a goody for each

of our teachers and I wanted

to share my idea with you.

(If school has already started,

you could still whip these up ...

better late than never!)

Bandages,

Aspirin,

Emergency Chocolate...

Those are the most important

items in this Teacher's Survival Kit!!

In addition to the jar,

you'll need spray paint for the

jar lids and rims, scrap paper in fun colors

or patterns, a hole punch, and

colored raffia or string.

Oh, and double stick tape and a

permanent marker.

Also gather the things you want to put inside

each jar.  I'm a last minute kind of girl,

so this morning I asked myself:

Self? What did you wish you had handy

when you were faced with a room

full of second graders?!

I'm sure there are

more clever items that I didn't think of!

Feel free to add or substitute.

These were my thoughts:

 

Soda (I couldn't fit a soda in the jar,

so I added several quarters for the soda

machine), Pain Reliever (ha!),

Minty Gum, Tums, Chapstick,

Chocolate, Almonds (for energy),

Cookies (for fun), Assorted Binder Clips

and Paper Clips (to help keep it together!),

Post It Notes, Bandages, and Hard Candies.

 I used spray paint to coat the jar rims and lids.

Once the first coat was dry, I sprayed

a coat of clear spray sealer over each piece.

Cut a large circle from patterned scrap paper

and attach to each lid with glue

or double sided sticky tape.

 

I created a tag for each jar:

I cut 2" squares from dark blue paper,

1.5" squares from gold paper,

and I used a permanent marker to

write: Teacher's Survival Kit on each gold square.

You could also print these and

then cut them out.  Whichever!!

I attached the squares to a pre-cut manila

tag, and wrote the teacher's name

across the bottom of the tag.  I used my

laminating machine to laminate each of these

tags, but I have also used clear contact

paper to laminate.  (Just cut two pieces of clear 

contact paper a smidgeon larger than your paper tag.

Seal the tag between the two sheets

of contact paper.  Trim edges as desired).

I tied a tag to each jar

and added a raffia bow to the neck.

Super cute!!!

I can't wait for school tomorrow!

 Peace and Emergency Chocolate ;) 

Also ... here is a quick idea for personalizing

school supplies: you know, I love using a Sharpie marker,

but by the time each of my four children has a list

twenty or more items long ... ... ...

not so much.

 

 I also use tinyprints.com for personalized

Valentine's Day cards; and for my

oldest, I ordered a red sticker with

"From Brady" printed on it

and I will stick them to a zipper lock

baggie full of yummy treats.

So.  Simple. 

:)

 

 

 

 

Westcott DCC Blog Hop

Welcome to October's

Designer Crafts Connection Blog Hop!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and Westcott Brand® is challenging members of the Designer Crafts Connection to come up with something spectacular for their First Monday projects 
using Westcott Brand® Cutting Tools!

These Westcott Brand® Cutting Tools are amazing!! 
They easily cut through the stickiest products!




In the past, I have twisted and contorted
myself into all manner of positions
in order to trim, say ... box tape ... into smaller
strips for wrapping packages.




I always ruined pieces because they would
stick to my scissors and when I tried to remove them,
they would stick to each other, or to my
fingers, or to my hair.
(True story).


So when I tell you that these 
Westcott Brand® Cutting Tools are amazing,
I am talking from experience!

http://westcottbrand.blogspot.com/2011/10/designer-crafts-connection-charitable.html

I was able to cut The Duck Brand®

sticky Duct Tape® into fringes

quickly and easily!

For this challenge,

I made a pennant banner for my

daughter's bedroom.

Here's how:

Cut pennants from patterned papers.
(Each 12" x 12" sheet gives you two pennants).

Use stencils to spell name onto tracing paper.

Use Westcott Brand® scissors to

cut The Duck Brand® Duct Tape
into pieces of various sizes, and apply them
randomly to the tracing paper,
covering each letter completely.

(Note: cover the right side of the paper.

You'll be able to see the lettering - in reverse -

through the tracing paper when you flip it over).

Cut out each letter using the appropriate

Westcott Brand® Cutting Tool.

Scissors are great for cutting around each letter;

the craft tool is excellent for cutting

the insides of the letters.

Trim double-sided sticky tape and

attach to the backs of the letters.

(I have NEVER BEFORE been able to cut double
sided sticky tape without the tiny pieces
of tape sticking to my scissors!)

Adhere these to a sheet of The Duck Brand® Duct Tape.
(I chose to back my letters with the white tape).

Cut around each letter, leaving a 1/8" border.

(sorry - I must have been so

absorbed in my work I didn't get a pic)

Peel backing off The Duck Brand® Duct Tape

(this was SO cool!)

and adhere one letter to each banner. 

Sand (or ink) edges of paper, if desired.

Punch holes in top corners of each pennant.

Attach pennants together with ribbons

or brads -this allows the pennants some range
of motion once your banner is hung.


Trim VELCRO® Brand Hook and Loop Fasteners
into small squares.


Attach one side to back of each "end" pennant,
and one side to the wall, window, or wherever you're
hanging the pennant banner.


Hang and enjoy!!

This was soooo simple!

I canNOT live without these Westcott Brand® 
Cutting Tools!

They. Are. Truly. Amazing.

Please check out the Westcott Brand®
auction link:

http://charitywingsnews.blogspot.com/2011/10/westcott-brand-and-friends-auction-for.html

Peace ... and Westcott Brand®

Sizzix Blog Hop - Treat Bag Toppers

If you're hoping I saw something

a little different this time ... like a chick

or a duck or an owl ...

I didn't.

I do love these treat bag toppers.

Don't limit yourself to topping treat bags -

or don't limit your treats to sweets.

How about a homemade ornament?

Or a gift card?  Or a small toy?

  

Merry Christmas!

You've been good this year!!

Sizzix Blog Hop - Album, Brackets

I think this would make an

adorable album ... but I saw something

different when I had all

the cut pieces in front of me.

I saw an owl.

I attached him to the front of my sketch pad

along with a wide ribbon.

He'll be keeping me company until

it's time for a new sketch pad!

Sizzix Blog Hop - Gift Card Holder

How cute would these be to find Christmas morning

tucked into the tree!

Sizzix Blog Hop - Frame and Frame Back

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

What a great die to have!  Initially I thought I'd

go with a Thanksgiving design,

seeing as how this is posted on Thanksgiving Day ...

but I got so excited when I

laid out all the pieces ...

and I knew just which photo I would be

showcasing!!!

I painted the Frame Back red and brushed on a coat

of Plaid Extreme Glitter.

Then I painted the larger frame front

(smooth edge on the outside)

a baby blue, and sanded the edges.

I painted the smaller frame front

(scalloped edge on the outside)

white and dusted it with white flakes of snow.

I added a little bling to the straps

after painting them blue;

and the glittery heart needed bling, too.

My youngest son says this is the car he wants Santa

to bring him for Christmas!

Ahh ... to be six again!!!

May all your Christmas wishes come true!

Peace!!

Sizzix Blog Hop - Twist Cube

Here's my take on the Twist Cube ... no twisting involved!

I thought, and I do hate to be redundant ...

(I'd so much rather have a clever different way to say this)

... so again, I thought ...

blank canvas!

What a great way to showcase six little Christmas

icons - all at a cute little 3" x 3" size!!!

Here they are:

 The Christmas Puppy 

 The Christmas Kitty

 

 The Christmas Star - all tangled in lights ...

A Snowman with Earmuffs! 

 

 A Snowman in a Floppy Hat - with Jingle Bell ...

and lastly, my personal favorite: 

 A Snowman in a Woolly Tasseled Scarf!!

If you're ready to move on, just click the

Sizzix Blog Hop blinkie at the top right side of this post ...

... if you'd like to see more,

here are a few Work In Progress photos: 

 This is what we all started with ^ 

I painted a sheet of textured acrylic paper black. 

 I cut the painted paper into six 3" x 3" squares; 

 distressed the edges with a sanding block ...

 ... made myself six small patterns ... 

... transferred each pattern onto a paper square

with white transfer paper ... 

... painted, shaded, highlighted, and then outlined

the details with a permanent marker. 

Assembled the cube, and centered a painted paper

square onto each side of the cube.

I used red line tape to adhere the centers

of each paper square ...

... then glued around the edges to keep them from curling.

I can't wait for the hop this morning -

to see what these amazingly creative designers

have done with the Twist Cube!

Toy Soldier Gift Tag

I've decided on the paper and ribbon I'll be using for some

of my gift giving this Christmas ...

the next step was a coordinating gift tag!

I ordered some round heavy weight coasters last 

year.  Since I had some left over,

I thought I'd use those.

Here's where I bought my coasters:

http://www.blockheadstamps.com/catalog/Art-Supplies/Stamp-On/Coasters/COA-04?bulk=1

Here are the paints I used:

DecoArt® Americana® Acrylics:

Hauser Light Green, Hauser Medium Green,

Black, Flesh Tone, Honey Brown

Primary Red, Napa Red

Marigold

Here is the pattern:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEc8Y2S0nTJZUtBj6i5XYTPGqr7NPi-gckCK4N6r7RBcOWjqG3dCHvX6QvKnXTIotDjsX5W9BLlRc-yQwskCjPEs-Zv8tbVQbdLhaLMA8WO1UUB04d4B2zwDeTE_zqKcSqSsRvoSMIEI/s512/img008.jpg

 

First, I base coated the front, back, and sides

of each coaster with light green acrylic paint.

I sponged on an even lighter shade

to give it some texture.

Next, use transfer paper to copy the main pattern

outlines to the dry coaster.

Shade around the main pattern lines with medium green.

Base coat the larger areas and add details as needed.

Shade and highlight where appropriate.

Brush on a coat of acrylic sealer and allow to dry.

Then outline details with

a black permanent marker.

I sprayed the edges lightly with sealer

and added some glitter;

then spray again so the glitter doesn't rub off.

Punch a hole in the top; thread embroidery floss

or ribbon through for hanging.

Handmade for the Holidays!