DIY in the summer!

Loving summertime! I am finally getting to do some of the things I pinned on Pinterest. The first thing I want to share is for my classroom. I started it around Christmas. I came up with it on my own.  I found several old cookies sheets that were being given away. I painted them with black chalkboard paint, cut the vinyl lettering with my Cameo using a Kevin and Amandan font, then added the fabric flowers and rosettes with my hot glue gun. The fabric is leftover from the curtains I made for my classroom. So it will look great in there.

My youngest daughter's birthday is this week. She continued to ask how long until her birthday, so I pulled this out.  She loves it.  We change the number everyday.

I also have had fun with my sewing machine.  I tell people I pretend to sew, because I just play on it.  

I made these pillows for outside. I my friend told me about a pin that she saw-

Outdoor pillows, the idea is to stuff them with plastic bags.  I like how they turned out. I think they may need a few more bags in them after sitting in the chairs and leaning on them.  I found the fabric at Walmart they had it on sale for $2 a yard.  

And, since I have used all my plastic bags, I decided to make a bag to hold all my bags that I will continue to collect from my trips to the store. 

 

There are tons of tutorials on Pinterest.  I did not use one.  I just looked at one my friend had made. Her's is adorable with several coordinating fabrics.  Since I just play on a sewing machine, mine is simple.  I sewed up a rectangle, hemmed the bottom and added elastic to it, hemmed the top, and added ribbon for the handle. I did not put elastic or a drawstring in the top, I may wish I had later. The fabric came from Hobby Lobby. It was leftover from the curtains I made last year for my kitchen. 

I had to take my laptop to the tech guys at school. They are getting me a different one in July sometime. So, the digital items I was planning on posting is going to have to wait. 

Happy summer!

Leah

Wall art with my Cameo

This past May, I was privileged to observe a literacy block at another school district. We learned about several common core resources. But like any teacher, what I wanted to bring to my room was things that she had used to decorate her room with! She had used several framed quotes and framed subway art.  I came home and searched Pinterest and Teachers pay Teachers.  I found some to add to my wish list.  Here are some from my wish list-Teaching-With-A-Touch-Of-Twang, subway classroom rules (free)- Crystal Dean, Bright Motivational Classroom Posters ($2.50)- Kindergarten Kapers, In Our Classroom Sign (free). On Pinterest, I fell in love with J & A and Company- Bathroom Printables and knew they would look adorable in my kids bathroom.  When it gets closer to school, I will print these and hang in my bathroom at school (free also).

I have several older frames that I had used to display my kids artwork in. I just repurposed them. I used my Cameo to create these that match the red shower curtain. 

I made bows and rosettes with burlap chevron ribbon from Hobby Lobby. The top is an old cookie sheet that I had spray painted black and had my kids footprints on.  I created this before I had my cameo, so the font is not as cute as Kevin and Amanda's. I love you all the way up to your toes, is from Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney.

Happy happy summer,
Leah

2012 Classroom

The first thing. I would like to share is my classroom for this past school year.  I had tons of fun redoing it.  I decided on chevron.  My inspiration was Rainbow Days Paper Borders  from  Graphics From the Pond.  You can purchase it by clicking on the link.  When I first started teaching I decorated my classroom in baseball, my husband's favorite sport therefor we had tons of stuff.  When my son was born, we put most of it in his nursery, so I changed it to polka dots. After several years of dots, I was ready for a classroom over haul.  No one else had Chevron.

  

The first thing I did was print off several of the rainbow chevron pages.  I then did a google search for another set of chevron digital papers.  I used Adobe PS to changed the color of the papers I found. I then cut the pennants with a large paper cutter.  My great friend Katie at Decorate my Life gave me this colorful yarn.  (Yarn is much cheaper than ribbon.) I hole punched the pennants and began to place them on in a random order.  I attached the yarn up with a dot of hot glue.  I liked it so much that I then printed off my student's names and my name to hang on the board in the hall.  I used the dye cut at school (I did not get a Silhouette Cameo until Christmas) and cut out the welcome letters.  I love the zig zag border from Trend, I found at our local teacher store.

 

 

They also had this adorable paper to match my new border.

     

At Big Lots I bought two sets of twin sheets to make curtains for window, hide the ugly shelf, and storage under the tables. 

 

 They also had this cute rug that I had to have. I used wrapping paper I found at target to create my vocabulary board. 

    Using the yarn, I hung several different colors of tissue puff balls above my table groups, class library and out in the hall. My boring bar stools also go a stripped make over. 

I fell in love with this quote that my wonderful friend shared with me.  Last year when Katie (who also gave me the yarn) was on my team I had her free hand it on my enormous cabinet with neon Expos. It is a great focal point!

 

My long time friend and former team teacher, Kim painted my favorite character The Pigeon for me.  You should visit her Etsy shop Sassey With Class to order one for you or your favorite teacher. 

Thanks for letting me share my room with you.  I can't wait to decorate this fall because last year I looked everywhere.  Hobby Lobby only had black and white chevron.  Now you should see School Girls Style new collections - Colorfully Classroom Decorand Chevron Chic. 

OMG she just posted Chevron Chic two days ago!!! I need it all!!  Hope you enjoyed visiting my room.  

Happy Summer to you,

Leah