Manicure Monday: Chevron and Turquoise

I am done with classes... I have my Masters and certification... and I have been seriously neglecting this blog!  I think its because I haven't been procrastinating on anything... because, again, I AM ALL DONE!! YAY!

Which leads me to this post's topic!  Since I have had more time on my hands, I decided to work on my hands... ha ha ha!  I have stopped going to the salon (partly to save money... mostly because Tammy, my nail lady, left me) and I have discovered a hidden talent/ fun hobby!  Now, wish me luck on keeping up with Manicure Monday!

For my first Manicure Monday, I have chevron and turquoise... and of course, some sparkle!  I have been wanting to do chevron nails for forever, but I was too nervous to ask Tammy because if the lines weren't perfect I'd have a 3-4 week long panic attack.  When I started doing my own nails, I attempted chevron with scotch tape and the zig zag scissors, but it was HORRIBLE!  Then I found these awesome stickers on Etsy from Make it Stick (I bought some bow stickers from them too).  For the chevron ones, you peel the decals off and they are stuck to a clear sheet so all three rows can all be applied at once.    When I got them positioned in the right spot I used an Exacto knife to peel part of them off the clear backing.  I did this because I did not cut the strips before hand so they hung over onto my finger and could not fully stick to the sides. I think the clear backing would be able to be removed without the help of the Exacto knife if the decals were pre-cut and were fully stuck on the nail.  Then I used the Exacto knife to cut the excess off the sides and the top of my nail.  Any little pieces left hanging over the top were easy to file away.  I used one of my rounded dotting tools to press the decals down without ruining the nail polish.

chevron decals I used, bow decals I mentioned, and the polishes I used

I used OPI's Skull and Glossbones under the white chevron decals, Color Club's Blue-Ming (from the blossoming collection I scored at TJMaxx for $9) for 3 nails, and Color Club's Platinum Record for the sparkly nail (I put a coat of silver under this).  I always top with Seche Vite because it makes it super shiny and while it dries it has a sort of slippery texture that keeps me from messing up my nails.  I usually top my manicures with one or two coats of UV cured clear gel polish the next day, but that's for another post. 

Are there any manicures you've really been wanting to try?

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder...

Hey friends... my absence has made you love me more... right?! Aww... shucks, I love you too! Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about my mini audience ; )  I have so much to tell you about! So here's a list of the things I will be writing about so soon!

1. Fruits of the month
2. DIY Christmas gifts
3. Nail art
4. The end of student teaching
5. Student gifts
6. My new job
7. Teacher gifts
8. Lesson plans/ worksheets
9. New year's eve menu/ food
10. My new camera

Here's a little photo preview!

I have been a busy lady... but don't worry, I am coming back!  What do you want to hear about first!?

' Tis the Season... for Procrastination?

Yes... yes, I have a project and lesson plans to do.... However, it is the holiday season.  

Holiday Season > Lesson Plans + Projects

...and as a result of that equation, I present you with this:

I am obsessed with the new digital scrapbook paper I got from moo&puppy's Etsy shop.  I'd say 99% of the fonts I used are from Kevin & Amanda's free font downloads.  

I guess that means my break is over... back to work!

Having a Ball...

WHOA! this whole student teaching and working right after thing is exhausting... and time consuming (proven by my lack of blog posts!)  Since it's student teaching taking up so much of my time, I figured I'd write about my placements especially because I have a lovely four day weekend! GOBBLE, GOBBLE!

For those of you who don't know the craziness that is student teaching, let me break it down for you.  For one whole semester (end of August to mid-December) I work with a cooperating teacher in an actual public school... unpaid :/ and have an advisor that comes and observes my teaching (don't even get me started on these advisors... let's just say they aren't so great at being on time... or even showing up in some cases).  Half of the semester is at one school, usually urban, and the other half is at another school, usually suburban.  My first placement was with fourth grade.  My second, and current, placement is in fifth grade... (usually one is placed in a grade 1-3 class and then a grade 4-6 class, however, I think it can be based on who has openings so I ended up with 4 & 5).  My background is working with younger kids because I have worked in daycares/preschools since highschool... a total of ten years!  I was a pre-k teacher for two years, and then I was a reading specialist working with 3-6 year olds.

Let me tell you, I was terrified to go to fourth grade...  I imagined fourth graders to be evil, unruly, disrespectful demons... haha, I'm exaggerating... kinda.  Well, what do ya know, I LOVED my fourth grade placement.  I could totally see myself working with fourth graders.  They are still mostly innocent kids, but they also have a level of independence that the younger kids don't always have (although, I did have a few pre-kindergarteners that I could say, "hey, can you get me that thing on the thing over there and they'd know exactly what I was talking about).  I really got along with my cooperating teacher too.  Every other week, I'd go to class with my fellow student teachers and I'd hear horror stories about their placements, but I was loving life.  My cooperating teacher and I have the same strict, but fun discipline mentality and because of that, the classroom ran really well.  I really miss those guys!  If we could have co-taught, it would have been awesome!

Now I am in fifth grade... hmm, what's that saying? "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all"... cricket cricket...

Haha... just kidding... again... kinda.  Fifth grade is a lot different from fourth grade.  The students are very chatty, and not always as respectful as I'd like.  I understand that I have come into their classroom after most of the classroom management rules have been established... and I know it is a different school, but I can't really see myself teaching fifth grade... so, I suppose I am thankful for figuring that out now.  I am not saying that if I am offered the opportunity to teach fifth grade I won't, but if I ever have a chance to choose (ba haha), fifth grade would not be my first choice.   If I do ever end up teaching fifth grade, a big chunk of the beginning of the year will be spent on classroom management!

So, what have I learned from student teaching so far?

• Classroom management is SO IMPORTANT... spend a lot of time on it!
• Be firm, but fun... right from the beginning.
• I secretly want a pair of hot pink & black Jordans... but I totally can't rock them.
• Kids can dance better than me.
• I'm obsessed with making worksheets & EVERYTHING on Microsoft Word! (who am I kidding I have always loved this, but lessons give me a purpose).
• Take advantage of the teachable moments.
• Fist fights happen... (between students, not teachers and students!)
• Some lessons will be longer than you think... and others will be a lot shorter.
• I suck at time management!
• Be prepared & organized.
• Other people are a little OCD about cute organizational things, just like me!
• Laugh at yourself.
• Breathe...
• Not everything is a big deal, you've got to let some things go.  
• I am going to kick ass as a teacher... it's definitely what I want to do (phew, I don't have to rob a bank and start working on another degree).  

Okay enough words, how about some pictures?!

Get it?! Having a BALL...

Chocolate covered Oreo basketballs and baseballs and chocolate covered strawberry footballs. 

What do these things have to do with student teaching?! I made these little gift bags and chocolate goodies for my fourth grade students and cooperating teacher.  The classroom had a sports theme, so I went along with that.  I think the corny sayings give it that extra oomph!

I already have my idea for my fifth graders (who, I must admit, are growing on me a little more each day), but that will be for another post... after I actually make them!

I'm feeling generous... here are the sports gift bag labels fo' free!  Happy Thanksgiving! :)