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Archive for April, 2011

Photo Album Keepsake {Teacher Appreciation}

posted by cindylouh on April 18th, 2011 | teacher appreciation gifts, teacher appreciation ideas |

quick and easy teacher gift

Hi, it's Brooke Reynolds from inchmark, happy to be sharing one of my
favorite teacher gifts. Though I'm sure teachers appreciate a nice gift
card, I think the best gifts are ones that remind them of the children
they taught that year. During the school year, I make sure I have my
camera whenever I'm dropping by the school (when I volunteer in class,
or during jog-a-thon, at class parties, etc.) I make 4x6 prints of my
favorites and put together a little album.
Here's how to dress up a cheap plastic album (available at craft stores
and photo stores for about $2). Ridiculously easy.

You will need a plastic album that holds 4x6 photos (I think this one fit 24 prints). Two different pages of thick pretty paper (mine are from the Martha Stewart line). And a sharp x-acto knife and cutting mat.

The covers on these albums are usually pretty ugly, and they are sealed into the plastic so they can't be removed. Open your album and using your x-acto knife, cut carefully along the edge of the plastic that is holding the cover in place. You just want to cut through one of the layers of plastic if you can (it looks a little neater than if you cut through both the front and the back). Start at the top edge of the book (where it is bound) and cut neatly down to the bottom. Then you should be able to slide the ugly cover out of the book and replace it with something pretty.

One you've pulled your cover out, you can use it as a template to cut your paper. Lay it down on your pretty paper and cut two covers for the front and back (if you like you can also cut two more out of a complimentary paper for the inside front and back cover).

Carefully slide your new pretty covers into the album, taking care not to bend the corners. (I used the blue paper with white dots for the cover, and the white paper with blue dots for the inside covers.) Insert your photos into the album.

Dress things up by adding a cute label to the front (these are also from the Martha Stewart collection). And you're done.

I keep a stack of these albums on hand for all sorts of things. They make great gifts for grandparents (filled with pictures of their grandchildren, of course.) Or newlyweds (filled with photos from the wedding, and sent to the bride and groom as a surprise on their first anniversary). The next time you are at a baby shower or birthday party, and the hostess is running around too busy to take photos, grab your camera and get to work! When you hand her your album a few weeks later, she will be thrilled.

Don't miss all these wonderful teacher appreciation ideas.


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No Sew Fabric Flowers {Teacher Appreciation}

posted by cindylouh on April 16th, 2011 | teacher appreciation gifts, teacher appreciation ideas |

Hello Skip to my Lou friends! This is Dana, from MADE.  I'm excited to be part of the Teacher Appreciation series today.

I've got a project that's super easy, super fast, and it's something the kids can help with.
We're making a bouquet of NO-sew Flowers:
They're simple fabric flowers that you don't even sew.
You only need a few supplies:
To make a pretty bunch like this:
So let's get started!

Pick out the fabric color scheme you want. This project is perfect for all those fabric scraps you've been stashing away.
Purchase round wooden dowels at your local craft store (any size works; these are 3/16 in by 12 inches long. They're inexpensive. About $2 for a bag of 16). You can also use pencils, chopsticks, or any other long stick you can think of.
Cut strips of fabric approximately 2x16 inches (no rules here, do whatever size you'd like. This is the size I used)
Then, with your fabric strip, wooden dowel, and glue gun....we'll make a flower.
Bunch up the beginning of the flower a bit (this will be the center of the flower). Btw, I'm right-handed and found that it's easiest to hold the flower in my left hand and work the fabric around with my right. If you're a Leftie, do the opposite.
Stick a dab of hot glue right in the center there and glue the end of the dowel to the center of the flower.
Don't worry, the tip of the dowel won't show when you're done (unless you want it to! You can push it out more and add something to the top of it for a cool center. I just kept mine simple).
Then, run a few inches of glue along the next section of the fabric,
Like this:
And carefully, oh so carefully (so that you don't burn your hands...which I did....a few times), scrunch bits of the fabric up and press it together at the bottom of the flower. It's like you're "ruffling" the fabric. Just keep doing this, bit by bit. Glue, gather, stick, etc. Until you've gone all the way around.
You may try using the back of a pen to help press the glued fabric down to keep from burning your finger.
And there you go! You should have a pretty blossom like this:
But let's finish off that base....
Cut a small FELT circle (any color you'd like). Doesn't need to be a perfect circle, just eyeball it. Cut a slit in the middle, a la Mrs. Pacman, like this:
Then, glue and wrap the little felt circle around the base of the flower to disguise the messy glue and fabric:
And you're done!
For variation, you can spray paint the dowels, scallop the edges of the flower, add a colorful center, or attach a little note! Head over to MADE for more info.

Homemade Note Pads {Teacher Appreciation}

posted by cindylouh on April 15th, 2011 | teacher appreciation gifts, teacher appreciation ideas |

Teacher-Appreciation-2

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

Well it was...almost too easy!

A ream of paper $3Teacher-Appreciatio-1

teacherCut and 'padded' (it's the fancy word for gluing the edges of paper) at the office supply store = $8

9 gifts for $11! That's a deal!!

I wanted the ream cut into 9 squares as shown in the drawing above.

Yes, they are perfect squares...just use a little imagination. The office supply store cut them perfectly. I just wanted to show you how I had them cut the ream of paper and I don't have any skills in photoshop.

Teacher-Appreciation-3All this white paper just screaming to be drawn on!

Teacher-Appreciation-4This is a cool picture!

Teacher-AppreciationI did a little work for you. I told them to make a super tall(1000 papers tall) pad of paper, a short one (500 papers tall that's one ream), and one that is 350 papers tall. I think I like the one ream tall the best. The tower of super tall papers looked...like over-kill, and the 350 looked like I was cheap!

Teacher-Appreciation-2

I had my kids draw on the sides of the pad to create a one of a kind teacher appreciation gift that a teacher could use! Scraps of paper for notes! We also tied new markers...well kind of new. I needed them to draw on the sides, but they'll never know! We put the teacher's name, You Rock, and #1 Teacher on the sides of the pad.

My daughter also made one for her Grandpa for an Easter gift. This would be awesome for a Father's day gift too! Wa....hoo....teacher appreciation gift and father's day gift in one shot! YES!

If you are wondering why I didn't 'pad' or glue the paper myself, I didn't want too. I priced the 'padding' and it was over $14 for one small jar. I figured I could pay someone $11 and not only get the same thing at a better price, but I didn't have to deal with the mess. Another good reason, I can't figure out how to cut 500 sheets of paper straight with a pair of scissors:)For more ideas on teacher appreciation gifts click here!


Don't miss all these wonderful teacher appreciation ideas.


Printable Thanks “a latte” Gift Card Holder {Teacher Appreciation}

posted by cindylouh on April 14th, 2011 | teacher appreciation gifts, teacher appreciation ideas, teacher appreciation sayings |
hi there! we are jamie, jodie and jennifer. also known as the girls from eighteen25.
born + raised (and still here) in vegas. us three sisters grew up in a
little brick house on the east side of town. the number hammered onto our
mailbox was 1825.
we live only miles from each other now and get together as much as possible
to play. with 11 kids between the three of us, the more playtime, the
better.
we are very excited to be over here at Skip to my Lou today!
we are long time fans of Cindy's awesome blog so it means the world to us to be able to guest post today.  :)
i think it's safe to say that most teachers are fans of some type of coffee house.
and i think it's safe to say that most of us appreciate all that those teachers do...
a latte!!
(a lot - get it?)

what you'll need:

  • 5x7 thanks a latte print found here (i had them printed out at Costco)
  • a coffee sleeve
  • white or kraft cardstock
  • twine
  • stapler and double sided tape (or other adhesive)
  • gift card for starbucks (or other coffee house)
how to put it together:
  • attach the print to a 5.5" x 7.5" piece of cardstock
  • trim the coffee sleeve to 4" wide (cutting with the corrugated lines)
  • place a piece of double sided tape to the very bottom of sleeve and attach to print
  • staple sides of the sleeve and insert card
  • tie some fun twine around your gift
**for extra fun, place the card inside of a paper pastry bag and hand out to all of those well-deserving teachers.

Candy Gram Saying Gift {Teacher Appreciation}

posted by cindylouh on April 13th, 2011 | teacher appreciation gifts |

Hi everyone! I am excited to be back here on Cindy's darling site! I'm Stephanie from Somewhat Simple and I am here to show you the easiest teacher appreciation idea you will ever see!

The card attached says:

"Mrs. Rogers, Because of you I'm a SMARTIE, not a DUM DUM! Love, Ethan"


Bucket ($1): I took off the shovel so the handle lays flat against the bucket.

Plastic Grass ($1.50): I used 3 packages so that the grass was packed nice and tight and the pencils and candy could stick up more easily without falling over

Dum Dum Suckers ($2.50): I only used 5-7

Smartie Candies ($2.50): I only used 5-7

Pencils ($1): I used 5

*I got all the supplies listed above @ WalMart

Other supplies not pictured that I had on hand: silk flowers, hot glue, marker, ribbon & white cardstock

1. Using your hot glue, attach the silk flowers to each pencil.

2. Fill the bucket with the plastic grass.

3. Stick candy and flower pencils into the bucket, making sure you have a variety of colors and that each item is snug and wont fall over easily. You can skip the pencils and give more candy, I just liked the dimension of the flower and the height the pencils gave.

4. Tie a ribbon around the bucket.

5. Write and attach a card.

...and you're DONE!!!

What a fun and easy way to say "Thanks" to a teacher!



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