A Little More Work Done!

Okay, the post title sounds like I had plastic surgery or something!  Oh, how I would love that.  A little nip and tuck, okay, I would need A LOT of nips and A LOT of tucks!  But this post isn't about that.  It is about a little more work done in my classroom today.  I managed to get some things accomplished but not everything which really saddens me because I will not be able to get into my class until I get back from Alaska.  Which is the 20th.  Good thing we don't start back to school until the 4th of September or I would be in serious trouble.  Some parts of my room still look like a pack of wolves decided to den there!

Well since I am on a tangent of random posting, I might as well add this as well.  I was contacted by the Dean of ECSE at CSUS to see if I would be willing to become a mentor teacher and have a student teacher this fall.  WHAT?  Was she serious?  I am ONLY entering my 3rd year teaching and they want me to be a mentor?  I really thought someone was playing a joke on me.  But no, it is true.  My district highly recommended me and Dr. BR was serious.  She already gave the student teacher my contact information.  I am so honored but scared to death at the same time.  SO - if anyone reads this and you happen to be a mentor teacher, PLEASE, PRETTY PLEASE with cherries on top, send me some advice.  ANY advice would be so appreciated!

OK... with that being said, here are some of my transformations in my room.  This is not completely finished yet, still working on areas but I did make some pretty good progress today.  Oh, I don't know who's blog I read this on, but whoever gave me the idea of using contact paper to change the color of your desk/table tops, you are a Genius!  A very patient GENIUS!  I love the idea and did use it to put on my desk and a couple of the tables BUT... BUBBLES.. BUBBLES... UGH!  Those horrible BUBBLES.  I tried using a credit card, ruler, wet sponge, my thumb and I almost used my hammer but decided I really needed a desk so I probably shouldn't take it out on the desk!  I had to just walk away from it.  I love what it looks like from a distant though!  Check out the before and afters.....

 Yep, I am missing the month of September.  For the life of me I cannot find it. Guess that means I don't have to start school until October!

 Aren't these just the cutest little chairs you have ever seen?  I LOVE them!

  I download this from somewhere, I really am SO bad about not remembering.  Please, if you see this and you were the one who did it, please email me so I can give you credit.  I did however have it blown up to poster size at SamsClub (for $5) and then mod podged it on to a canvas.  I need to add a bow or something.  I am still thinking about that one!

Of course, I am ALL about the BLING!  Notice my crystal rhinestones on the letters?  Hard to see in the picture but they really are CUTE!!

  One of my Pinterest inspirations.  Got the letters at Hobby Lobby on sale for $4 then added scrapbook paper and of course "Mod Podge" 

 I actually had a person comment on this photo before and tell me she didn't like it because she said it was way too busy.  What are your thoughts?  Does it look too busy? 

                                        Before the BUBBLE  contact paper

                                      AFTER the BUBBLE Contact paper

                                          The sign says: Quiet Spot Caddy

  I use a "Quiet Spot" in my room and fill it with sensory manipulative's so my   kiddos can take a break and get some frustration out if needed.

 This is my color of the week/month wall and the big clip indicates what color we are working on.

  Desk with BUBBLE contact paper but no white paper on the cabinet behind my desk yet.  Oh and no computer.  SAD story... my lovely computer that was donated by OO.com through DonorsChoose.org broke.  It just crashed after only 3 months.  It is in the repair shop getting a whole new motherboard.  That doesn't sound good!

 Cabinet with white paper.  Still need to put the borders around it.  BLUE TAPE ladies.. just hang it with Blue Tape.  I love that stuff and it sticks all year!

 OOPS!  Had to show those CUTE little chairs again.  I wish I could just sit in them.  Goldilocks ring a bell? Little Bears chair ringing a bell?  I would be more like GoldiROCKS.... as in HEAVY rocks that smashes cute, little, pink chairs!

 My made over FREE Craigslist find!  Turned it into a dramatic play cabinet!

I am still on the prowl, hunt, gotta find spree for another cute rug for here.  Candyland not cutting the decor!  We will still use the candyland rug to play the game though.  The pieces are huge and the kiddos love to play that game.

Thanks for letting me ramble on and on and on... I really am loving my room this year and just know it is going to be a happy little place (wish it was the Happiest place on earth like Disneyland but I will have to settle for happy little place!).

Good night everyone!  Have a FABULOUS weekend!

Blessings.....

Freebie Tuesday!

Why not? I think FREEBIES should be on any given day! (Even though Freebie doesn't rhyme with Tuesday, I'm ok with that). I saw these floating around on pinterest and have always wanted a simple-to-the-point come to circle song and I found it. So I made one to match my classroom decor. I just printed it on card stock then laminated it with my trusty little ol' home laminator. I can't wait to put it up on my circle time wall! Enjoy!

FREEBIE

Here is a little FREEBIE for your classroom if you need them. I am changing my room around and making new items and needed a color wall so made these to put up on my whiteboard. Hope someone can use them!!!

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3yPPqroXSP5dlVKeEtOQ3hhenM

Dramatic Play Cabinet

BEFORE

AFTER

I finally finished (well almost, still need to find some hooks for the top part)the dramatic play area dress-up cabinet. I L-O-V-E the way it turned out. The best part is it only cost me around $10 to make. I found the dresser on Craig's list for FREE, then tore it apart and used 2 of the drawers nailed together to make the top shelf which will house the hooks for all the hats and tiaras then nailed the bottom piece of one of the drawers to the drawer casing along the inside of the cabinet so the remaining drawer has a top. After that, I primed and painted, glued in wrapping paper to look like wallpaper. Mod podged the paper as well as the knobs. Then I added a white shower curtain rod and some cute little white hangers. I repaired my little table and chairs white too. I can't wait for school to start! Okay, maybe I can.. Sorry about the quality of the pictures. I use my iphone and ipad and for some reason they always turn out dark and grainy. :-(

WALMART FIND!!!!

I went to WalMart today just to return an item and look what I walked out with... I know, some of you will probably say, "Well that isn't anything special" but to me, glue sticks are like GOLD. I got 63 of those bad boys for $6.30! That is .10 a piece. I also scored 4 notebooks for .17 ea, 4 Elmers glue @ .50 each, and 6 boxes of crayons @ .50 each. That is $11.98 for ALL those goodies. I am just tickled pink! I noticed that Walmart was just starting to put out their school supplies and had good prices on most items. They had water color paints for .25 each but they didn't have any out or I would have jumped on those too! I know, it is pretty pathetic that I get so excited for school supplies. It is like black Friday to me... I seriously would stand in line for school supplies! :-)

Happy Shopping everyone!

Another New Adventure!

My life keeps changing all the time. I was informed that I would not be teaching Kinders this coming school year as I was asked to pilot a new program platform for our Pre-K special education kiddos. I am very thrilled and excited about this as my background/credential is in Early Childhood Special Education. I will be providing these little ones with early intervention and will most likely have most of them for 2 years. I will be doing a transitional PreK which means I will have these little munchkins for over 4 hours a day. Kind of a long day for 3-5 year olds but I on the other hand feel blessed that I will be able to teach them and mold their minds. I have some very incredible kiddos this year, and can't wait to start my new adventure. (Okay, I would be lying if I didn't say I am loving my time off, as I had a VERY rough year with a particular parent) but up to the challenge of finding new Blogs (PreK) and writing my own curriculum. Oh yes, you read that right! We do not have a PreK Special Ed Curraiculum so I will be piloting that too! I am trying to find a good solid base curriculum and possible funding for a pilot program. I would LOVE any advice from all my fellow bloggers! On top of that, I have been cleaning out my classroom, rearranging my classroom so It will be more conducive for my new students and making it "pretty" for me since I will be spending a LOT of hours in there this year. I have been sanding, painting and refurbishing old furniture for the classroom as well. I have a LONG way to go still but it is on its way. Here is a sneak peek at a few things I have done already.

LIFE CHANGES AND A NEW ADVENTURE!

I know, it has been a very long time since I have posted anything.  Not out of laziness that is for sure.  We have had 2 immediate family deaths (my mother-in-law and a future son-in-law), 1 very close friend death and 1 past student of mine death all in a matter of 6 weeks.  On top of that, our 3 year old labrador was rushed to the Vet, had to stay 4 days as he was entering renal failure and has been diagnosed with Addison's disease.  All this PLUS still be a teacher and take care of all my kiddos!  Anyone want to start a HAWAII VACATION fund for me?  I NEED to bury my head feet in the beautiful sand on Maui!!! (I go there often in my mind)!

During my spring break I had to take care of some personal items and get affairs in order for the "Celebration of Life" that we will be organizing for my mother-in-law.  During this time, I began designing the decorations, celebration invitation and celebration of life theme decor at the stern jovial request of my sister-in-law.  After showing everyone what I had come up with, and after a lot few oo's and ah's, something in my brain clicked.  I LOVE to design (as I have an interior design background) and I love to change my classroom A LOT!!  I have decided to start a new business with my son (graphic designer) and came up with "Classroom Couture"  Putting a little "BLING" in every classroom.  I am SO EXCITED for the little adventure and cannot wait to get up and running.  We are currently working on a special theme and hope to have it done by this weekend.

Here is my new website:

Please visit me and tell all your friends. I hope you will like what I have to offer! Until then, many blessings.

Dr. Seuss Part 2

Here is our Lorax bulletin board.  I drew the Lorax (don't laugh!) and added tissue paper to him to make him 3 dimensional.  I saw the truffula trees on Pinterest and just had to make them.  I loved how they turned out.  My students made Horton (another pinterest inspiration).  They turned out so darn cute!  The kids love standing in the Truffula tree forest.

I also drew the Cat in the Hat (again, NO LAUGHING) and we play pinned the hat on the cat.  My students are still working on name recognition so I used this opportunity for them to be able to "read" their names and the names of their friends.  They absolutely LOVED this.  We did it over and over and over!  Glad it is time for him to come down!

Valentines, Pinterest, 100th Day and Dr. Seuss

I am so behind on getting my postings done so I am going to condense it all in to one post so that way I can get caught up.  Ok, who am I fooling?  Caught up?  That is just a great way of saying I will soon be behind again but at least I got everything I have done since the last posting done!

I have found so many great ideas on blogs, pinterest and friends so I want to thank everyone for all those fantastic ideas and give credit where credit is due.  My students loved doing all these activities as do I and it is so nice to be able to have fun in class and still incorporate many state standards!  Loving it!

Here is what we have done in class so far!

                                                                       President's Day

                                              Our Valentine bags.  They turned out so adorable!

                                I HAD to make these when I saw them on Pinterest!  LOVED them....

 ANOTHER Pinterest inspiration.  I wanted mine to be white and red and I must admit, they turned out so cute!  So cute that I had to try different colors too!

 Our 100th day celebration.  We counted out snacks, made snack trail mix once we were done then made our own special hats and "cool shades".  FUN, FUN day!

                                   YUM.... Green EGGS and HAM and toast with Green butter...

 I can't believe how my students just gobbled these down.  They LOVED it and asked for 2nd's and 3rd's!  I must admit though, I could not eat the ham.  To me it just didn't look appetizing!

                                                      And finally, our "Cat in the Hat" snack.

Forgot to take a picture of my One Fish, Two Fish and The Lorax bulletin boards.  We are still adding to them so will have to post next week.  I am off tomorrow for a Professional Development Seminar so will have to wait until Monday to finish my Seuss week!  Hope you have having a fun week and can't wait to see what everyone posts!