10 Terrific Teacher Gifts

Vase made from colored pencils

Etched Pencil and Pen Holders

Hand Soap Featuring Children’s Artwork

Monogrammed Hand Sanitizer

Reusable Lunch Sack

Homemade lanyard for badges and whistles

Pretty Up Some Pens

A great gift from the whole class, a giving tree.

Jumbo Covered Button Paper Clips

A Handmade Zippered Pouch makes a perfect gift card holder!

Hey Everybody…it’s Kari from Ucreate and I’m thrilled to be a part of Skip to My Lou’s Teacher Appreciation series!

I have to start by telling you how fabulous I think Cindy is! I’ve been following her blog for a few years now (even before I started blogging) and consider her a “blogging pioneer” in the creative industry! She’s just as fabulous in person and I’m thrilled to be here today sharing a budget-friendly teacher idea that your child’s teacher is sure to love!

“Planting the Seeds” Teacher Gift

Supplies

Tin Buckets (bought set of three at IKEA for $1.99)

Twine

2 packages of seeds

garden gloves

paper bag

silk flower

Chalkboard label

Making the teacher gift

1. Grab some twine and tie around the top. Attach flower and leaves with glue gun.

3. Next, cut up a paper bag and print the saying “Teachers plant the seeds of knowledge that will grow forever!” onto it in any font you’d like. Yes, you can insert it right into your printer…crinkle and iron to give it that distressed look!

4. Staple seed packets on the back of paper and place everything into the bucket!

Teachers can use this bucket all year long and label it whatever they’d like with the chalk label! Perfect gift for any teacher!

Thanks for having me Cindy!

Ashley writes…..

Okay, here is the easiest craft ever….just in time for Mother’s Day and Teacher Appreciation Week!  I often like giving gift cards to my children’s teachers, but I want a little fun in the presentation than just the envelope that comes with most gift cards. This is a simple idea for presenting both a bouquet of flowers and a gift card, note or picture from your child.

DIY Hairpin Vase Tutorial

Supplies: Glass jar, cute hair pin (mine is from Stella Bella Boutique), hot glue, Goo Be Gone

I think an old mason jar…the kind with the blue/green tint…would be awesome for this.

Step 1: If you are re-purposing a glass jar you might need to remove any labels. Goo Be Gone works great, but I’ve also heard a hair dryer can do wonders.

Step 2: Hot glue hair pin to the jar…use scissors to hold pin open while glue dries. Hot glue will easily peel off the jar and hair pin at a later date.  (Try to find a jar that is similar in curve to your hair pin)

Ta Da…a cute little vase to customize a billion ways.

I was trying to wrack my brain to think of something different and unique…not sure I achieved it, but I did come up with something that I think is cute and still practical for a teacher…a STAMP set! Teachers grade and go through so much paperwork that I thought it would be fun to give them something they could use. The stamps could be anything from a smiley face, keep up the good work, or you could even order them a customized stamp with their name.

Since I have five kids, I have to be a bit more frugal about my teacher gifts and sometimes I feel like I am limited in what I can get a teacher that will still be nice…ya know? I just happened upon several BRAND NEW stamps the other day while I was browsing the thrift store for 50 cents each. I know…score! But you can buy stamps at the dollar stores or craft stores for fairly inexpensively especially if you go with a coupon.

Then I took a craft box that was made out of Basswood. I forgot to take a picture of it while it was still in the wrapper and before I had covered it with decorative paper…but alas…I forgot. So I dug the wrapper out of the garbage {you’re welcome} and snapped a picture of it so you would know what to look for if you are interested in making one similar to mine…I’m nice like that !

First I painted the inside of the box with an antique white acrylic craft paint. Then I simply covered the box with scrapbook paper when the paint had dried. I cut into the edges {corners} of the box with scissors so that the paper would wrap around the box nicely. I pasted it onto the box with a couple of layers Mod Podge on bottom and the top of the paper and let it dry completely between coats.

Then I purchased a brand new stamping ink pad and placed it inside the box. I was happy to see that the ink pad and stamps fit pretty nicely inside.

Inside the box lid I had typed up a little saying and attached it.

It says…”Thanks for being such a great teacher. You have earned our STAMP of approval!”

Then below it you could add your child’s name and year or leave it blank. I also thought it would be fun to add the teacher’s last name to the top of the box so she could keep in out on her desk to look at it. I also thought it was a fun way to personalize it. I simply printed out her last name letters onto some white cardstock and stuck them onto the box with some glue dots.

That’s all there is too it. A quick and easy project that your kid’s teacher will hopefully enjoy and get some good use out of it!

Thanks Cindy for sharing your blog readers with me today! You are always welcome to come and visit me over at The Idea Room any time!

See more teacher gift ideas in the gallery!

While I generally like to give teachers supplies for their classroom or other useful items, I feel like there is always room for a sweet treat! You’ve probably seen all of the cute ways to make Oreo cookie pops, but I decided to do a smaller scale and use the Mini Oreos to create adorable mini Oreo apple pops to go along with the whole teacher theme! They are bite-sized, delicious, inexpensive and easy too.

Supplies for mini Oreo pops:

* Mini Oreos: I found these canisters in the Target Dollar Spot!!!

* Red candy melts: I used Wilton brand that can be found at many craft stores in the candy making section

* Airheads: Watermelon flavored (for the green color) as the mini leaves

* Pretzel sticks: for the mini stems

* toothpicks

First off I took a toothpick and gently stuck it into the middle (cream) part of the mini Oreo. This is to help with dipping the cookie into the candy melts.

You melt the candy melts according to the directions on the bag. It only takes a little bit of time in the microwave and you’re good to go. Gently dip the cookie into the melted candy until covered completely.

Carefully tap the toothpick on the side of the bowl to let the excess candy drip off of the cookie.

Then I like to stick the dipped cookies into a piece of styrofoam to let them dry completely. Don’t worry about messy toothpicks or extra drips, you’ll be removing the toothpicks later on.

While the candy is still wet, break the pretzel sticks into small pieces (roughly 1/2 inch pieces) and stick into the top of the dipped Oreo.

To create the little leaves I simply used scissors to cut the Airheads into small pieces (example: bottom 2 pieces in above photo) , then I sort of pinched and rounded the sides with my fingers to make them into more of a leaf shape, like the 2 top pieces in the photo. I used a dab of melted candy to stick the leaves on the tops of the “apples” right next to the pretzel stem. Let everything dry completely. It takes less than 30 minutes to dry, or you can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.

Once dry I removed the messy toothpicks. Note: If you can keep the toothpicks clean you could leave them in and display them in a clean piece of styrofoam inside a cute container if you want as well.

These pops don’t have to be perfect—to me when they look “rustic” and handmade it gives them character!!! I think these mini apples are almost too cute to eat!

You can arrange these mini Oreo apple pops in different ways.

Place them in pretty dishes with ribbons. . .

or little tins . . .

I may have snuck in a bite or two, just to make sure they tasted okay.

However you decide to package them up, I’m sure the teachers in your life (and the lives of your children!) will appreciate this darling mini treat, and it is easy on your wallet and pretty easy on your time too.

Thank you, Cindy, for including The Crafting Chicks in this fun collaboration!

How To Make A Drawstring Pouch

Hi Skip to My Lou readers! I am Beckie from Infarrantly Creative and Knock Off Décor. I love reusing materials many people throw away to make fun and unique gifts and décor.

Today I am going to show you a way to upcycle those Crystal Lite containers you’ve been hoarding with a sweet printable for your child’s teacher.

Inside the Crystal Lite containers are Whoopie Cookies…aka Mini Whoopie Pies. So take your Crystal Lite containers and remove the label with an Exacto knife.

Print out the Whoopie Cookie printable in the color of your choice. I have pink, yellow, light purple and blue. Each of the printables is customizable so you can type in the name you want and then print it out. Print out the Whoopie Cookie Circle printable as well.

After you print it out trim it to fit and wrap it around the container securing it with double sided adhesive.

The circles are meant to be cut out with a 2” circle punch. If you don’t have one scissors will work just fine. Secure that to the lid with double sided adhesive.

Whoopie Cookie Recipe

1/2 cup Crisco

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks (save whites for filling)

5 tablespoons cocoa

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup milk

Cream Crisco and sugar together. Add other ingredients. Use a piping bag to squeeze out the batter into about 2” circles.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Filling:

1 cup Crisco

4 cups confectioners sugar

4 egg whites

pinch of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat all ingredients until creamy about 2-3 minutes.

Spoon a dollop of frosting on cooled cookies. Add another cookie to the top.

Refrigerate the cookies. Once the frosting hardens a bit then gently place them into the container. Keep these cookies in the refrigerator until you are ready to give them to your teachers.

Thanks for having me Cindy. If you love craft projects, tutorials, DIY projects and knock offs galore come check me out!

Teacher Appreciation is the perfect chance to say “Thank You!” to our favorite teachers, librarians, and school staff.

I owe my kid’s teachers so much. They spend hours each day with them, care about them, and give them essential tools to help them succeed in life.

Every year when Teacher Appreciation rolls around I look for a gift that shows how much that means to me. I know it’s not the expense of the gift that matters, but the thoughtfulness.

A small cake, cupcake or mini bundt cake is a perfect gift. Cake is the way to my heart after all. For Teacher Appreciation I love mini bundt cakes because the recipe is easy enough for the kids to help… always a bonus. It’s a treat that seems special and fun. Here’s how to make them:

Chocolate Bundt Cake

1 box Devil’s Food Cake (I prefer Betty Crocker)
1 1/3 cup oil
4 eggs
1 small box chocolate pudding
½ cup warm water
1 cup sour cream
1 cup chocolate chips

Mix ingredients together, adding the chocolate chips last. Pour into greased mini bundt pan. Bake at 350 for 18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Recipe will make 12 mini bundt cakes. Cool completely before frosting. Place frosting in a pastry bag using a medium smooth tip (mine was a Wilton tip #12) and pipe back and forth in loops like shown:

Easy Butter Frosting

1/3 cup softened butter
3 cups powdered sugar
1 – 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2-3 Tbsp. milk depending on desired consistency (a little stiffer is better for the bundts)

Mix together til smooth. Add coloring if desired.

I love to give the mini bundts in a small gift box, just to make it feel a little fancy. And speaking of fancy how about flowers on top? Is that too much? Not for me.

And since no gift would be complete with out a tag. I’ve created a sweet little printable just for you.

Click here for the downloadable PDF.

Don’t miss more awesome teacher appreciation ideas

]]> http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/04/24/chocolate-bundt-cake-with-darling-printable-teacher-appreciation/feed/ 13 http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/04/23/whimsical-totebag-teacher-appreciation/ http://www.skiptomylou.org/2011/04/23/whimsical-totebag-teacher-appreciation/#comments Sat, 23 Apr 2011 22:44:06 +0000 cindylouh http://www.skiptomylou.org/?p=17652