This Year Has Blown By...

get it? because bubbles... and a blow pop... and gum... hehe

Can you even believe that this school year is almost over? The year has definitely blown by quickly... even more quickly for me because my long term substitute position just ended last Friday. I can't say that I am excited about the position ending because I really miss my little first grade friends, especially since I was with them since September, but I can say that this position has made me a better teacher and has confirmed that I am meant to be in the classroom. Luckily I am tutoring in the same school, so I still get to see them!

So, although you are excited for the school year to come to an end, appreciate those little ones that you get to have in your class with you every day for just a bit longer!

I showed my appreciation for my little guys with these:

I wanted them to know how proud they have made me this year, but I couldn't do it without a pun (which the kids totally expect from me now)!

I originally went to Target to get the $1 boxes of chalk, but the store I went to was all out. I was racking my brain while I searched the racks in the dollar spot for another idea. I turned the corner and saw the brightly colored bubbles... 3 for $1... and the rest is history!

I like this idea better than my original idea, and it ended up being cheaper! If you'd like to make these for your students as well, you can purchase the gift bag labels in my teachers pay teachers store (just click the picture below)! I chose to add in the Blow Pop and the Double Bubble, ya know... to really get my pun point across, but it works with any of those items! I also used "gussett style 4" x 2" x 9" cello bags" from Amazon, but any clear gift bag in a similar size will work!

Don't worry, I didn't forget my wonderful co-workers that helped me make it through! Details about their punny gifts, coming soon!

Valentine's Day

In honor of Valentine's Day I am going to talk about a few things that I really love: decorating, crafting, and teaching!

If you follow my Instagram, you know that I decorate for every holiday! I have a buffet... a pseudo-mantle... to display my holiday decor. 

This is my Valentine's Day display... someday I will get around to posting my displays for each holiday! Most of the items I get are from places like Hobby Lobby, Homegoods, and Target.

There are also items that I make myself because I can't find what I want in the store... which leads me to second love... crafting! See those cupcakes on the fabulous cupcake tier? They are... FAKE! Seriously, they are made with foam and dry wall compound.

 If you want to make them yourself you will need:

1. Tins and Liners: Fill cupcake tins with paper liners.
2. Washers: Put one washer on the bottom of each cupcake liner.
3. Expanding Foam: Fill each cupcake liner with expanding foam about half way. The expanding foam is one time use. I was able to make 3 trays of 12 "cupcakes", for a total of 36. The foam will expand, much like cupcakes do in the oven when baked!
4. Dry: The "cupcakes" should be expanded and tack free after about 20 minutes. The instructions on the can says that the foram can be painted after 12-24 hours, I painted mine the next day.
5. Paint: Paint each "cupcake" in a tan or brown color to mimic vanilla and chocolate cake.
6. Frosting: Mix the dry wall compound with food coloring to make "frosting". I suggest using glass bowls because it washes off very easily. I didn't have brown food coloring, so I used paint to color the compound for chocolate, pink food coloring for the strawberry, and left the compound as is for vanilla (I made sure to purchase compound that was white, as opposed to a grey-ish color so it looked like vanilla). You want the consistency of the "frosting" to be like actual frosting, so add flour if it is too watery. 
7. Piping bag: Fill your piping bag with the "frosting" and pipe onto the cupcakes. If you get it to the consistency of actual frosting, it should stay in the shape you pipe.
8. Decorations: Sprinkle and add decorations onto the wet "frosting" so as it dries it will bond. Be careful with real sprinkles, the color may run if the "frosting" is too wet.

I made my cupcakes last year, and they still look great!

Speaking of making things... to let my students know how much I love teaching them, I made a special valentine for them. I found my inspiration in the Target dollar spot... well technically the $3 spot.

The valentines came like this:

I decided to make my own card to go with the donut erasers!

 

        

If you want to make the same valentines, you can find them in my Teachers Pay Teachers store here. 

So, what do you plan on doing for Valentine's Day? Have you made any crafts? Greg and I are going to go out the day after to take advantage of a 50% off bottle of wine deal, and I don't have school Monday or Tuesday! 

File Under "A" for Awesome!

I spy a new addition to the craft room!

It was just my 29th birthday, so that makes me an "almost adult"... right? So, I should probably have a filing cabinet for all of my super important adult documents... What's that, you too are an "almost adult"? Well, lucky for you, I have a really awesome and easy DIY for you today!

I took a trashy filing cabinet, and turned it into a treasure! I loved this project so much, I already have another {FREE} filing cabinet ready to be re-done for my classroom!

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

• sandpaper
• cleaning supplies
• screwdriver
• primer (and roller if using canned primer)
• spray paint
• painter's tape
• plastic bag or other protective covering

1. PLAN: Plan out your design before you start painting. Do you want the cabinet to be one color, or two? Will the fronts of the drawers have a design? I planned out my cabinet in Microsoft Word beforehand (things like this truly make me happy!)... I am a visual person, and seeing the colors together helped me make my decision.

   

2. REMOVE HARDWARE: Remove handles, label holders, and any other hardware your cabinet may have.  My handles were screwed on which made for an easy removal. For the label holders,  I used a flat head screw driver to pry up the metal tabs securing them.  You can use painters tape to cover the lock on the bottom drawer, or stick a piece of paper inside the lock opening to keep paint out if you want the lock primed.  Some filing cabinets are different and may have additional hardware or handles that are not removable.

3. CLEAN/ SAND: In order for the primer to adhere to the best of its ability, it is a good idea to wipe the filing cabinet down to remove any dust or dirt.  The amount of sanding that you'll have to do depends on the condition of your filing cabinet (if you sand, wipe down the cabinet after this step). This cabinet was in fairly good condition (no paint loss) so I did a light sanding all around. The bottom edges had a bit of rust, so I sanded more heavily there to remove that and make it a level surface.  

4. PRIME: You can use a spray primer, or a paint/roll-on primer.  For this cabinet, I actually used both options.  My spray ran out before I was done, so I grabbed a canned primer and a roller and completed the job. I used Zinsser primer and did 2 light coats. The only thing I noticed is that there are some of the stippled roller marks on the front of the cabinet that can only be noticed when inspected closely (almost like the ones on painted walls)... so if this will drive you crazy, use a spray primer. With your hand, feel for any uneven spots after you prime.  Lightly sand these spots in between primer coats. Use a rag to brush off any dust left from sanding. Make sure to let the primer dry according to the directions on the can. 

5. PAINT: Now it's time for color! I used Valspar spray paint in Nautical (satin), Brushed Rose (flat), White (flat), and Brilliant Gold. The body of the filing cabinet needed 3-4 coats.  As you can see in the pictures, it was streaky at first, but after the 3-4 coats it got better (don't get frustrated). Even after those coats, it may look like there are streaks, but it is the contrast between the fresh spray paint and the more dry paint. Eventually it will go away!

The drawer fronts only needed 1-2 coats because they were white and it was going on over the white primer.  I used painter's tape for the stripes, and a garbage bag to cover the rest of the drawer front that I did not want painted.  Make sure it is completely secured so no paint can get under the bag! Let the spray paint dry according to directions before adding additional details. 

I spray painted the hardware gold.  I did not prime the hardware because my spray had run out, but if I had the option, I probable would have! I sprayed 2 coats of gold to the hardware. The lock was painted with a gold acrylic paint (in a not perfect match). I did not want to attempt to spray paint the lock and ruin my other work!

5. PROTECTION: What? I can get pregnant from painting a filing cabinet? Haha no! I mean a protective top coat and felt feet. These steps are optional.  If you think you need a clear protective top coat you can spray one on.  I did not choose to put a protective coat on because I didn't have one when I chose to do this project.  However, my cabinet has held up fine so far.  Just make sure you let the paint dry for a few days before putting anything on top of it. Another option is adding felt feet on the bottom.  My cabinet is on a hardwood floor, and with the felt feet it is now easy to move without damaging the floors or having to lift it.   

I just love this filing cabinet, even though I haven't even put any files in it yet. Eventually I will organize my teaching templates and items I have made... and those aforementioned important adult documents! My next cabinet, for my classroom, will be black and white! What are your plans for your rusty old filing cabinet?

1. PAINTING: When I was painting the pink stripe, I did not secure the plastic bag on well enough.  Some of the pink paint over-spray got onto the white part of the drawer.  I had to then repaint white over that.  Save yourself those extra steps and secure the cover!

2. DRYING TIME: LET THE PAINT DRY! I, of course, was impatient and had to style the top of the filing cabinet the next day!  When I tried to move the things I had stacked on top, the items had left indents in the paint.  After waiting about a week, the paint had a chance to harden and nothing sticks to the top anymore.

3. HARDWARE: If you want to spray paint your lock, that is something to do ahead of time, before priming and painting.  I would have liked to have the lock painted in the same gold as the rest of the hardware, however, I didn't think about that until the end when it was too much of a hassle/ risk to do it.  Cover as much of the cabinet as you can and then spray the lock.  After the lock dries, cover it in painters tape and you can prime and paint the rest of the cabinet... any over-spray from painting the lock will be covered by the primer and paint!

I want to see your painted filing cabinets! Send me your pictures! 

Shine Bright Like a... Wood Floor

I am super excited to share an awesome discovery with you!!!

April break just ended and there are a few projects that I started... and many more projects waiting to be started.  However, it was 2 nights ago... the last night of April break, that I started a project that has me so excited! 

That's right, we shined up our hardwood floors... and I know... you're wondering if I've won the lottery because there is no way this "almost teacher" could afford to get all of her hardwood floors refinished! Well, I haven't won the lottery... just yet, but I did get beautiful looking floors, on a budget! 

A while back, Greg mentioned to me that he had bought a kit to restore the shine to our hardwood floors.  He also explained we'd have to move our furniture when we decided to do it. At that point the floor project it was put on the back burner, because I have been hoarding tastefully collecting furniture to refinish and it's scattered all around the house. 

This past weekend, while I was downstairs cleaning, Greg decided to start the flooring project because I had already swept, vacuumed, and steam mopped the whole upstairs (nothing like a "last day of April break" cleaning frenzy).  When I came upstairs to see the half of the kitchen that Greg had completed, I was IMPRESSED! I immediately forgot about the mess downstairs, and said, "let's do my craft room next!", and so we did!

Greggy- Poo hard at work shining my craft room floor!

 It's really easy! You can do it this weekend! Here are the steps we took.

We used the Bona Hardwood Floor Care System {about $20} to prep the floors,  Minwax Hardwood Floor Reviver {about $20} to get our floors shiny again, and a Bona Reusable Microfiber Mop Pad {about $6} to apply the Minwax... all purchased from Lowe's! We will have to buy another bottle of the Minwax to complete the project, so 2 bottles should complete 3 rooms, a bathroom, living room, kitchen, and hallway. 

A common question I've been asked is if the floors were slippery after we did this.  I have found that the floors actually have more grip now that we have done this treatment, whereas before, we had certain {death} spots that were super slippery and almost caused me to break my neck on multiple occasions. 

This treatment can be repeated every 6 months.  I think this would be great for someone selling their house, someone who just purchased their house, or someone doing some last minute cleaning before going back to school (hehe, thats me!)

So, are you super pumped so "refinish" your hardwood floors?!

 Check out this beaut I snagged for $20 hanging out on the {shiny} kitchen floor (don't tell Greg I put her there).  I will be painting this and adding gems... and finally my kitchen chandelier dreams will come true.