Monday Made-It-Cat Litter Container Seat with Storage!!!

Thanks to all who stopped by our Facebook page this weekend for the 2nd grade Fan Freebie Blog Hop! It really was neat to check out all the great freebies being offered. Now remember...we told you that we wouldn't forget our firstie friends. So this freebie (for a limited time - now through 7/24/13***) is for you!

And it just might be perfect for the beginning of the year for 2nd graders too...

Click the picture to grab it quick!

 

Updated: You can get this game as part of our Super Sight Words Pack - 1st Grade edition, but it is no longer a freebie.

 Okay, on to Monday Made-It!

 

In my last blog, I told you how I wasn't very crafty and how I was trying to make something.  Well, I completed it and YAY!  it worked out.  It is not perfect by any means, but it worked out ok.  :-)  So today's Monday Made-It:

 

Cat Litter Container Seat with Storage!

 

I was inspired by Vanessa Levvin at Pre-K Pages to make my own type of seats for my reading table.  I love her crate seat that she made.  I have always thought these were really neat.  I started pricing it out and decided that I wanted to try to make it the least expensive I could (remember I just went to the Dollar Tree the other day and spent too much!  LOL!).  So, I started brainstorming of how I could make something like this with things that I already had here at home.

 

This is what I came up with:

1.  Cat litter containers-my mom runs a nonprofit cat rescue and has a lot of cats.  Therefore, she goes through a lot of cat litter containers.  HMMMMM....FREE containers!  :-)

 

2.  Cushion for the seats-I have been cleaning out a lot around my house and had a huge bag of clothes, sheets etc.  that I was going to get rid of and then thought I could use those as the cushion.  Another Free item.

 

3.  Spray paint-$.97 at Wal-Mart for the black gloss spray paint.  Total-About $6 for 6 seats.

 

4.  Cover-Vinyl Tablecloth at Wal-Mart for $5.97

 

5.  I had a staple gun at home

 

That is it!  So it cost me about $12 total to make 6 seats!  Here is what I started out with:

 

Sheets, Spray Paint, Cat litter Container, Vinyl Tablecloth, Staple gun (not shown)

 

Here is what I did to make the seats:

1.  Cut off the handles on the litter container

2.  Spray paint the container-I didn't do the inside or bottom of it.  I just decided to do the outside only.

3.  Cut your sheets/cloths to fit the lid.

4.  Cut the vinyl tablecloth so it is a little bit larger than the lid.

4.  Put the sheets/cloths on top of the lid and wrap the tablecloth around it.

5.  Staple the Tablecloth to the back of the lid.

 

That is it and you are done!

 

Here is the final product:

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Just take the cushioned lid off and there you have some storage. 
 

 



 

 

 

 

 

Dollar Tree Finds!!

I absolutely love the Dollar Tree.  I was excited to make a trip there this week even though I don't like to shop.  I have always dreaded shopping....no malls etc. for me.  But the Dollar Tree is one place that I enjoy going to because you can get so many neat things.  Well, my trip to the Dollar Tree this time did not leave me empty handed by any means.  

  

These are the items I purchased to use in the classroom:

 

1.  baskets-I believe that I will be putting the students in groups/teams at the beginning.  I saw where you can place plastic cups in the baskets and put some supplies in it.  I thought I would do this and keep the group's pencils and erasers in it.  I'm sure I could use it for something else as well, but haven't thought of it yet.  :-)

 

 

 

 

2.  Krazy Straws- last year we did krazy straws for birthdays.  So, I picked up some of these for the kiddos' birthdays.

 

 

 

3.  Mechanical pencils-I bought some mechanical pencils for the kids last year that they could use in their writer's notebooks.  They were so excited about them.  So, I picked some up for this year as well.  This year, I am going to try this idea found by Melanie Pinola on pinterest:

 

http://pinterest.com/pin/244320348507870192/

 

You just tape a straw to the side of their journals and put the pencil in it.  That way they always have their pencil when it is time for them to write. 

 

 

4.  Small magnetic wire baskets-these things are so neat!  I thought I'd put my extra daily 5 choice cards in them.  I should have got more of them because I realized that I could have used them to put my expo markers in as well.....oh well, guess I'll have to go back and get some more and maybe find some more neat things!  :-)

 

 

 

I am in the process of working on a Monday Made-It project.  I am not crafty by any means.  But sometimes I think I am because I will try out a lot of stuff.  I always find things and think....oh I want to do that.  It wouldn't be that hard......then I find out that not only can I not do it, it is hard and it doesn't turn out for me.  So, I am working on something that I have always wanted in the classroom and have seen others do.  I have adapted it a bit and I am crossing my fingers in hopes that it turns out.  Tune in on Monday to see if it worked or flopped.  :-)

 

Oh, and...you might want to check out two new items in our stores. They are on sale for this weekend only!

 

Our short vowel "I Have, Who Has?" games are some of the most wishlisted items in our store. We've combined them into one convenient pack at a great price - $5 this weekend only - that is 50% off if purchasing them separately!!!! Available in our TPT or TN stores.

The possibilities truly are endless with this pack! Check it out in our TPT and TN stores.

 

 

 

P.S. Don't forget about the Fan Freebie Blog Hop!!! Check back tomorrow for the details!