Monday Made It-Plus Freebie and Discount!

Our school has decided to go to an Owl theme this coming year.  I have done a frog theme for the past 13 years (can you tell I have a hard time with change?).  So when I tried to wrap my brain around a different theme, I started to panic a little because this meant that I was going to have to make a change.  LOL!  But, I will say as I started to make things for the new owl theme I started to get excited and glad that I was finally changing my theme.  It is about time that I did it, don't you think?  

I started doing whole brain last year and loved it!  My rules came from whole brain but were tweeked a bit to fit my classroom.  My Monday Made it is that I made these rules with the decoration of chevron owls and it is a freebie for you!  Just go to TPT or TN to download it for free!

I also decided that since I finally finished my Owl pack that we should make it 50% off for today.  I thought it might be a good idea for the following reasons:

1.  It is getting closer to school and what a great thing to do to help those out looking for decorations for their room.

2.  It would save some of you some money and you wouldn't even have to leave your house to go to a store and get it (I know that we all are using our last days to rest up and the last thing we want to do is to be busy right now).

3.  It is nice for our followers.

4.  It is an editable version-so you could adapt it to your needs in the classroom.

5.  Finally, I just think it would be a nice thing to do!

So, if you are interested, head on over to TPT or TN to download it.  

Hope you have a great day!

Monday Made It - Blog Planner, READ letters, and Sight Words!!!

We're teaming up on this post this week, because we both have some Monday Made-Its to share!

 

Blog Planner!

 

I was inspired by The Eager Teacher to make my own blog planner. Now we're going to have to make one for Kristi too. :-)

Check it out:

 

Cover (and dividers - not pictured) from The Eager Teacher.

Weekly Blog Planning Sheet from here. Mine are black and white because I'm cheap - LOL! Sara at The Eager Teacher also had a monthly calendar, but I decided I didn't need that.

 

My planner has the weekly section (26 pages, front to back), followed by an idea section (10 pages, front to back) from here:

 

 

The last section I added was a products section. Sara at The Eager Teacher had a great printable for this, but I just wanted some blank note pages where I could scribble some notes (10 pages).

 

I took my planner to Office Max and had them bind it for about $4.00! Love it!

 

Next up, I finally got my READ letters done. I have the perfect place to hang these in my room. I was boring and used the same scrapbook paper on all the letters!

 

Turn your letter over and trace on the back of your scrapbook paper with a pencil.

Cut it out - I used a craft knife (super sharp).



Put mod podge on the wooden letters, lay your cut-outs on and press down. I didn't want to mod podge over mine...all done!



Inexpensive and cute! Four wooden letters at Wal-Mart ($1.77 each). I already had the scrapbook paper and the mod podge.

Sight Word Connect Four Pack!

Our class played a lot of connect four games last year.  I was worried that the kiddos would get tired of them.  We would play them at least once a week to review our words and sounds that we were working on.  I was very excited when at the end of the year, they were still begging me to play them. 

So, I was thinking of what I could make to play the first weeks of school with the kids.  I decided that we are always working on our sight words and this would be a great fun way for them to learn and practice all sight words.  I made up a sight word connect four pack that includes all 220 dolch sight words.  It includes 16 connect four games that cover the sight words from pre-primer to third grade.  I am very excited to use this game the first couple of weeks with the kiddos to practice up on our sight words. 
Click the picture to check it out!

 

Don't forget to link up with Tara for Monday Made-It!
 

 

 

Monday Made-It!!

My 12 year old daughter says she wants to be a rancher, but I think she secretly wants to be a teacher. She loves helping me with all my teacher projects. Remember the laminating? Anyway, she was just as excited to dive in and help with these dry erase boards.

 

Here's a funny during our work...

 

"Most people are using cute duct tape on theirs," I said. "I guess I'm just too boring..."

 

"You're not boring, Mom. Far from boring," she replied (my kids really think I'm crazy...someday I may share some reasons why...). :-)

 

Maybe cheap or practical is the better word here. I went with a plain color so it would go with any theme I chose...

 

Cheesy Grin - She always says, "Are you going to put that on your blog?"

 

The details...if you haven't seen them on blogland already.

 

I went to Lowe's and quickly found the "white panel board." I asked the nearest employee in the lumber department where I was supposed to go to ask them to cut it. He pointed me to the end of the aisle and kept working. I stood there by the huge saw for a good 15 minutes...long enough to tell my husband my sob story about getting my first speeding ticket. At least three employees walked by me--holding the large white panel board, standing by the saw--obviously waiting for someone to help me. Finally, someone starts asking if they could cut the panel board for me. Everyone that walked by said no. Eventually I had a "back-up" cutter come and help me. I was very patient--knowing most of my irritation had to do with my ticket! After about 45 minutes, I walked out with 30+ boards cut to the 9 x 11 size. I thought 12 x 12 would be too big, but now I think those would have been fine...and easier for my poor "back-up" cutter to cut...

 

White panel board - $14

Duct tape - $6

 

If you try these DIY white boards, I hope your Lowe's experience is a bit better than mine. But I'm happy!

 

Inexpensive and cute. :-)

 

 

Have a blessed day!

Some Firsts for Me - And a FREEBIE!

First of all, I must apologize. I had good intentions of having a "crafty" Monday Made-It today. I even made it to Lowes and got the "white panel board" cut down...but on my way there, I got my FIRST...

 

That's right... I'm 34 and I got my first speeding ticket! I didn't even know I was speeding. I know, I know...excuses, excuses. I was concentrating on merging and getting out of the "exit lane." I had no idea the speed limit was 40 and I was going 54! That being said, there have been times I have intentionally broke the speed limit, so I can't complain too much. Anyway...$135 later, I didn't feel like spending the money on cute duct tape. Maybe next week, I can show you the completed white boards. :-)

 

On to some more firsts...

 

My FIRST editable document! You may remember last week, I posted some freebies for 2nd Grade Reading Street. I didn't realize they had a new edition, and I had someone contact me about making the document editable so she could add the new words, etc. Good thing I had just pinned the tutorial from A Turn to Learn.

 

Available at TPT or TN.

 

My FIRST completely original idea (maybe - I'm a believer that there is nothing new under the sun - Eccl. 1:9 - Ha)! I usually have to see something to get an idea flowing... But I wanted a cute way to display the essential questions for each unit and each week on my Reading Focus Wall, so I came up with these thought bubbles. Aren't they cute? I can't wait to put this focus wall together so I can show you all how it turned out!

 

Available at TPT or TN.

 



Okay, if you've hung in with me this long...here's a FREEBIE for you. Focus Wall headers! I tried to think of all the headers a person could want, but if I missed something, don't hesitate to e-mail and ask me to add to it.

 

Free at TPT or TN.

 

Well, that's it! Go link up with Tara.  I can't wait to see your Monday Made-Its!!

 



 

 

 

P.S. I almost forgot to announce the winner of our Bloglovin' Giveaway! Josie F. you are the lucky one that gets to pick any THREE items from our store. I already e-mailed you with details!

Monday Made-It and Theme Advice Please!

Well, I finally finished my teacher toolbox! 

I decided to go with one like Kristen's from Ladybug's Teacher Files. 

I found the same toolbox, spray painted it red, and used Kristen's free printable labels to finish it off. I like being able to see in the drawers and can't wait to get this to school and put it to use. I think it will be perfect since I got rid of my teacher desk this year!

 

I will *not* tell you how long it took this OCD gal to get the labels all hot-glued on perfectly straight and even. :-)

 

I was also busy making some things to go with the curriculum I will be using at my new school. We use Reading Street and this year I'm going to try doing a Reading Focus Wall.

 

I made posters of the weekly spelling words and amazing words.

 

 

A set for Unit 1 is a FREEBIE in our TPT store and TN store. I'll be working on the rest of the units soon!

 

I also made an "I have, Who has?" game for Unit 1 (TPT and TN). If you've followed us for very long, you know Kristi and I love these. I like having them for each unit (as well as specific sounds and skills). We start playing the first week of the unit so the kids become very fluent with the words by the end of our unit.

 

 

 

And...

I know, I know. I've been busy!

 

I made a Word Wall Pack (TPT and TN) too. This set includes all the high frequency/vocabulary words for the year, a set of headers, the months and days of the week, and one blank page with colorful borders so you can add your own words. I labeled each card with an abbreviation such as U1W1 to help me stay organized (remember OCD???).

 

 

 

Both the "I have, Who has?" game and the Word Wall Pack are on sale until Wednesday, so head on over and snatch them up at a discounted price if you like.

 

 

Okay, on to my theme dilemma. You may have noticed that I have fallen in love with this rainbow border from The 3AM Teacher. It is cute and fun without making me see $$$ when I think of printing! Maybe it is the former secretary in me, but some of the products I'm seeing for sale right now--while they are SUPER cute--make me have a little panic attack when I think of the cost of printing.

 

Anyway...the border inspired me to maybe just go with a "colorful classroom" this year. I have had a sports theme the last three years, but I am kind of tired of it.

So what is the problem, you ask???

 

My notebooks...I had a TEAM Playbook (think FROG Notebook, BEE Notebook, MOOSE Notebook, etc.) that each of my kiddos used to help them stay organized. If I go with a "colorful classroom," what could I call my notebook???

 

Suggestions?

 

Don't forget to head on over and link up with your Monday Made-It!

 

 

Sewing - Monday Made-It!

I did it! I conquered the sewing machine and finished the curtains!!!

To truly understand the sense of accomplishment I am feeling, you have to read this post describing my frustration with sewing and the bobbin thread thingy.

I will admit that post was scheduled (I was in CO all last week), so the real day of frustration happened on Friday, June 7th. The date is important...because later that evening (after blogging and scheduling the post) I tried the bobbin thing again.

I watched as the upper thread began to wrap around the bobbin thingy area. This is normally where I would panic and stop turning the knob because it looked like it was going to get stuck. Instead, I decided to keep turning thinking...It had done this same funny looking, tangly looking thing every time. Maybe it was supposed to wrap around there.

And guess what? It worked!

I tell you, I whipped out those last 2 1/2 curtains in no time. I even had to redo the bobbin thingy again and did it on the first try! I was so thankful to finish these curtains before leaving for CO the next day (you know how I don't like having unfinished projects).

Here is the finished product hung in my classroom:

 

 

That is my Monday Made-It, so I'm linking up with Tara. I made these curtains from flat sheets (Wal-Mart) which made them more affordable and easier to sew. If I can do it, anyone can! Looking forward to checking out your Monday Made-Its so be sure and link up. :-)

 

 

 

My room is all cleaned, and I have the okay to "move in" now. Rememeber my mountain of stuff in the cafeteria...

Okay, now to share some pictures of our time in Colorado. My husband and I help with the youth department at church, and we spent the last week at Silver State Baptist Youth Camp in the mountains. It is a great experience - away from all the distractions of this world. No electronics - I didn't even play Candy Crush!

 

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY!

 

HILLSIDE CLASSES (boy, did I do a lot of climbing)!!!

My nephew (left) and my son, Chaz.

My daughter, Harley (left) and my niece.

 

 

Harley sang her talent show song during one of the Tabernacle services.
 

In the afternoons, the camp has all kinds of activities for the kids to enjoy. The girls talked me into being on their basketball and volleyball team one day. Let's just say, with that altitude (7400 ft.),  I was feeling my age... :-)

 

Crystal

 

P.S. I think I may actually try to sew a skirt next!!!

Sewing Anyone?

After painting the shelves and covering the counters with contact paper, I decided to tackle the window coverings in my classroom. The curtains in there now are faded and yucky looking, so I decided that I would make some new ones.

 

Normally, this is the time when I call my mother and ask her to make them for me.

 

But for some crazy reason I decided to try sewing again.

 

I say "again" because I did learn to sew once...about 9 years ago. I made this:

 

 

 

Yes, my first sewing project was a king-sized quilt for my bed. I don't do anything halfway, you see.

 

As it turned out, tackling such a big first project kind of ruined the whole sewing experience for me. I don't like unfinished projects. I work until I'm done.

 

Kind of like the painting of the shelves in my classroom...I spent 12 hours on them one day, and it nearly drove me crazy that I had to go back again the next day to finish up. By the time I finished, I never wanted to pick up a paint brush again.

 

Okay, back to the quilt... I worked on that thing for days and days. If I couldn't work on it, I thought about it. I dreamed about that stupid quilt. It consumed my life for a couple of weeks at least. It was the never ending project (in my mind) and when it was finally finished, I never wanted to sew again!

 

Until now...well, I mean...last week when I had this crazy idea to make my own curtains.

 

First up, fabric.

 

Too expensive. Flat sheets will do nicely.

 

Next, my mom loaned me her old sewing machine.

Then I stared at it for four days trying to build up the courage and stamina to start...

 

Finally, I decided to try and thread the machine. I don't know if that is even the right term. Threading the needle part was easy. But I tried for a good two hours to get that top thread to grab the bobbin thread (or whatever you are supposed to call it).

 

I called my mom. She admits this is the hardest part with this particular machine and does her best to help me over the phone. You should have heard that conversation as I used terms like...bobbin holder thingy, bobbin ear thingy, slit versus opening in the bobbin holder thingy, etc.

 

She offers to drive to my house (30 minutes).

 

I refuse. I can do this. I will do this.

 

I hang up the phone and try again. Finally, success!

 

I test it on some scraps...perfect. I decide that is enough sewing for one day and just cut the sheets to size instead.

 

The next day, I start sewing the curtains. I get two done (those finished edges on the sheets really help move things along)!

 

I start on the third one (I only need 5 1/2)...

 

Uh-oh!

 

A jam...that ends up making me lose the bobbin thread...

 

I try once...twice...three times.

 

I give up and decide to blog about it instead.

 

Crystal

 

P.S. If you can sew, I admire you.