Classroom Fun

I figured I'd share a little more that is in my classroom. It's still coming together, it will just take a couple of years to accumulate. Here is my start though..

Burlap and bunting,

  

curtain rods made for $5 each using a wooden dowel (3/4 in) 

and two drawer pulls from HobLob, 

(Use a drill bit on the ends and screw the pulls in!)

a big paper mache hot air balloon for fun,

 

and a stool cover I saw here!

Mine was fitted but there was too much extra fabric under the seat. So I used 

upholstery nails and nailed the excess fab to the underside! (Shhh!)

Oh, the Places You'll Go!

As school was approaching, I scrolled and scrolled and scrolled 

through Pinterest. I needed something to make my classroom pop.

Finally, a picture hit me! It was an awesome board of

 Dr. Seuss that would be perfect for my Career Orientation class! 

Original bulletin board found here.  

My super artistic friend, Anna Kate, and I made a plan and went to town. 

It consisted of white butcher paper, a projector, paint, water balloons, 

paper mache, and a hot glue gun. Each step we took we eeked 

with excitement as we got farther and it got cuter! 

Most time consuming project ever - yet so incredibly worth it. :)

The finished product!! I smile every time I walk into my classroom!

Thank you for the pinspriation

Summer fun, happened so fast

I'm back just as the summer is ending and what a crazy summer it has been!

I went to the Virgin Islands for a boyfriend's family wedding (lucky, I know!)

Snorkeled for the first time and LOVED it!
Accepted a new job!!
Went to a wedding for one of my favorite couples!

Sad goodbye to 3 of the most amazing coworkers :(

Moved back to NW Arkansas (YAY!!)
Traveled to Kansas City for a girls weekend with my two best friends!
(Best. Weekend. Ever.)

Celebrated my big 2-4 at my favorite country club

where my best friend, Benjamin, from college joined, 

a wonderful date with my sexy stud,

and ended it with a family dinner at Keller's Kove! (This is a foot of delicious onion rings)

Got to see my entire family over the Fourth (finally!)
and see an amazing firework show by my two favorite pyrotechnics (dad and bro)

Danced the night away in Little Rock.

Traveled to Hot Springs for an beautiful wedding shower.

Realized just how much Mr. Button avoids the camera with sniffs, slurps, and yawns!

Became pen-pals with the sweetest old friend!
Witnessed my momma look everywhere for her golf ball 
which was, after looking everywhere but the hole, a hole-in-one! 
Love crazy laughs with her!!

And went to a wedding at a neat ole barn in BFE, Missouri.

Oh yeah, traveled to Branson lots, took two graduate glasses, decorated my new classroom, AND survived cheer camp! 

Love summers, but now it is time to snap back to reality (ope there goes gravity!)

Dinner in a Pouch

Oh my. I saw something like this online and wanted to test it out. I didn't feel like searching for it - so I just "wung" it. Good choice, I must say. Perfect for a easy dinner.

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash

1 zuccinni

1 turkey sausage

1 potato

4 big mushrooms

1/2 onion

Minced garlic

Butter

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400. Chop everything thinly. Toss in foil. Add desired amount of garlic, 

a hefty amount of butter, S &P, and some Cavendars or Tony Chachere's for a little kick. 

Seal foil. Bake for about 30 minutes or put on the grill! 

Would be good with shrimp and peppers, too!

 Enjoy!

Minnay Minnay

I made the decision to by an iPad, but not the big guy...I bought a mini!

It took me took me a while to decide which iPad - the 2 or the mini. When I had first heard of an iPad Mini, I thought, well that's dumb. All I could think of was an iPhone 5 size. I talked to a friend who had one and she said she loved hers - but I just didn't get it. She has little hands and talked about how she could hold it with one hand so easily. Weird. So, I ventured to Best Buy and thought ohhhhhh - I like it. After another week of in-decisiveness, I brought one home! I will say that I am super happy with my decision! 

I made a sleeve and this time with my tag included. :)

I used my laptop sleeve tutorial on this little guy!

Baked Veggie Goodness

I made dinner for my stud muffin tonight since he has a big test tomorrow. 

Simple, full of veggies, and delish.

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash

1 zucchini

1 potato

1/2 onion

4-5 white mushrooms

Minced garlic

Salt and pepper

Olive oil or butter

Shredded cheese

Directions: Preheat oven to 400. Dice onion and mushrooms - sautee in garlic, olive oil and butter.

In the mean time, thinly slice squash, zucchini, and potato.

In an 8x8 pan, spray non-stick and add onion, mushrooms, and garlic in the bottom. Place remaining veggies vertically in the pan. Season with salt and pepper (add whatever spice you want, Rich likes it a little spicy so I added Toni's Chachere's. Cavendars would be great, too!) Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes. Uncover, add cheese (however much you desire) and bake for 15 more minutes.

Enjoy!

Original recipe found here.

Spring it on, again!

Here is my Spring bulletin board. :)

Easy and fun!

Letter Tutorial:

Tissue Flowers:

All I did here was fold a bunch of pieces back and forth and cut the edges either round or oval or whatever. Then took one piece at a time, gathered it like above, and stapled each piece to my board in a circle - creating one flower.




Make sure you see my Spring desk by clicking the picture below!

 

Parental Units

I just have to take a minute and brag about my parents. I will argue with anyone that they are the most amazing parents in the world. The love and support they have for my brother and I is beyond incredible. Throughout my 23 years of living, they have been the most caring, loving, funny, crazy parents a young woman could ask for. Did they drive me absolutely nuts at times? Yes, of course they did, but what else are parents good for, right? Well, much, much more and I am grateful for that. :) They have taught me how to love, how to live, how to be happy, how to be hopeful and grateful, how to laugh, how to see life as it is, how to treat others, how to have confidence, how to love 80's rock, how to see the good in people, how to be reasonable and respectful, how to look for the bright side, how to be honest, how to be a friend, and so much more. They are two of my absolute best friends and I cannot imagine life without them. I hope that I can be a mother like my mom and have a husband like my dad. Words cannot express the love, respect, and how thankful I am for them. Thank you mom and dad - I love you so very, very much!

"H"appy Home

Happy doors make me happy. So I guess it'll help when I get home every day. 

I bought the wood letter from Hobby Lobby which was $12.99 (I think) but used the 40% off coupon and got it for $8 something. Not too shabby. Now, with this letter, I sat and sat and thought and thought. At first, I wanted to paint a herringbone print, but that would have taken me hours. Then I wanted to something crazy like paint a bunch of different colored flowers, but I'm not really an artist. Then I wanted to do this and this and what-not. Finally, I wanted to do something simple, shocking as that never happens.

The pink is Pearle Holly Berry by Martha Stewart. I loveee her pearle paint line! It's not so shiney and cheap-looking I guess, they're just pretty shades with a slight pearly shine. As for the side of the H I used Daffodil Yellow acrylic paint. I did a couple coats, let it dry, hot glued some fake daisies, and hung it with twine. :)

Total time: 20 minutes

A couple months ago my friend, Allie, wanted to do something crafty with a bunch of sea shells. She's from Charleston and loves anything nautical. So she bought the letter A (same from above) and I helped her cover it with all of her sea shells! Turned out cute and even cuter in her room!

Spring it on!

After a few days of absolutely beautiful weather and Spring break jitters, I changed my desk! I went with all pretty spring colors of course. :)

I used the canvas I had for my Christmas desk, made tissue flowers using this tutorial, bought fun flowers at the Dollar Tree, and made a fabric banner with scraps of fabric. 

I also made another canvas that isn't shown on this part of my desk. I found it on Pinterest and had to make it!

Patch me if you can

Time for patches!

Super easy - super fun :)

Materials:

- Tank (Mine are Hanes from Wal-Mart for $5)

- Piece of paper in the shape wanted

- Scrap of fabric for patch

- Matching thread

- Scrap of iron on fusion

- Scrap of stabilizer

- Sewing machine

Directions:

Step 1: 

Find a tank and choose the shape you want for your patch. 

(The less small curves the better)

Step 2: 

Cut out your shape on a piece of paper. 

I just printed the Arkansas out at the size that I wanted.

Step 3:

Take your patch fabric and iron on fusion. This will make it a tad bit stiffer.

Step 4:

Pin the paper to your fabric and use it as as stencil to cut around.

Step 5:

On a left over piece of fabric play with your stitch length using a zig-zag stitch. This will be for around your shape. You will want it pretty tight but not too tight. On the left you can see beside the 0.3 that the stitches are really really tight. At the bottom you can see the 0.5 where the stitches are looser, which is too loose. On the right you see the 0.4 where it's not too tight and not too loose. You will have to play with your machine to see what length you want. The width I used was 2.5cm and length 0.4cm.

Step 6:

Take your shape and pin onto stabilizer. This will make it really "patchy" because it stiffens it more, but don't worry, it dissolves when you wash it. Using the stitch you found from step 5, stitch the fabric onto the stabilizer keeping the center of the foot on the edge of your fabric. If you have a lot of curves, you will have to pick up your foot and turn in tiny increments at a time. It can be tricky but do-able.

Step 7:

Now that the stabilizer is sewn on, carefully rip off the excess by holding onto the stitches and gently pulling the stabilizer away. Trim with scissors if needed.

Step 8:

Pin your patch to wherever you want it on your shirt. 

I recommend trying it on to make sure you like the placement.

Step 9:

Sew it on to your shirt using a straight stitch and sewing right along the inside of the zig-zag stitch.

Step 10:

Wear! :)

Happy girl

Spring break has finally arrived for this busy girl, and man has it been great so far!

I got to see three of my very best friends in two days which never happens because we all live in different places. Ashton is a married, soon-to-be momma that lives in our home town, Hayley is in chiropractic school in Kansas City, and Dani is a graphic designer in St. Louis. Needless to say, it made me so incredibly happy to see them! Then last night my brother invited to over for a bonfire at another friend's house on the lake. Perfect weekend with friends and family! Unfortunately I didn't get a picture with Hayley :(

Oh and I finally snuck in a mani! :)

[Shurt]

Knit circle shirt - easiest top ever! So simple.

I used a knit that I love from Hobby Lobby (you might recognize 

the fabric as I made an infinity scarf in the lighter blue last month).

Materials:

1 yd knit fabric (or something stretchy)

Sewing machine

Fitted t-shirt (for measurements)

 Directions:

 Fold your fabric in half so it is wider than it is tall. If you are using stripes like me, make sure when you fold it over the lines match up. Next cut, pin, and sew! If you're like me, then a picture is easier to understand. So take a look at picture below:

You're going to cut along the dotted lines. Make sure you do not cut the fold though - except for the neckline. I did a v-cut in the front and barely a dip in the back. I hemmed them for a more finished look (optional). I also hemmed the bottom of my shirt, which includes only between the lines sewn (again, optional). Easiest shirt ever! Have fun!

Be Mine

Burlap and Chevron Heart

 

 

Materials:

1/3 yd Burlap

Scrap of Chevron or other fabric

Wal-mart bags or fiberfill

Black thread

 Wire hanger

Directions:

Fold scrap of fabric in half and cut out a heart (half since it is folded). Place it on top of a larger square piece of burlap. Stitch around the edge of the heart leaving a 3-4 inch hole, so it is now one piece with the burlap. Fill the chevron with fiberfill or Wal-Mart bags (I used about 8-9 bags) using a butter knife to stuff them up in the top. Sew the hole shut once you're happy with the fluffiness. Next take another square piece of burlap and place underneath. Stitch around the heart about an inch away for a border. Cut the burlap in the shape of the heart and fray the edges with your fingers. Take your wire hanger and bend or cut so the hook is gone. Poke each end through your burlap at the top and bend to each other. Bend or cut access off. Tie a ribbon and hang over a door using a command hook on the back!

Inspired by a friend on FB I decided to make my own! It's a little bigger than a boys' basketball.

Guac-a-mole

Guacamole fan? I sure am.

Here is my favorite recipe!

Ingredients:

3 avocados

Great Value's Garlic and Lime Salsa

1/2 of an onion

1 TBLS margarine

Lemon juice

Salt

Garlic Powder

Paprika

Directions:

Dice your onions and throw them in a saucepan of melted margarine - sautee until liking (I like mine extra caramelized so they were pretty brown.) While they are cooking, cut and mash 3 avocados in a bowl. Add two-three spoons of salsa, a dash of salt, a couple shakes of garlic powder and paprika, and a few big squirts of lemon juice. Place in fridge. Once your onions are done, place them in another bowl and into the freezer to cool off before adding them to the guac. After about 5-10 minutes, add onions to guacamole and enjoy! 

Don't forget to keep at least 2 of the avocados pits!! 

Place them in the bowl with the guacamole, this is help it last longer and not brown!