This is my Christmas centerpiece.  I love to collect enamelware.  This tray is old enamelware.  Next I added deer horns from sheds from our ranch.  I have had the pinecones for YEARS.  I added berries from Michaels.  The candles were made with jars wrapped in jute for the bottoms and a small, clear glass plate that I glued Christmas tissue paper to the back of.  I had all of it at home except the candles that I bought at Dollar Tree and wrapped with jute..

Church song candle holder/vase

Music is from an old song book. I added the fish that I painted black and attached with jute.

Christmas bottles for candle holder or vase

Simple wine or beer bottles made into Christmas gifts.  Glue, jute, yarn, Christmas songs, paint, ornaments, and stencils are all you need.

magnets

Buy clear jewels at Dollar Tree.  Glue small pictures on back (this was scrapbook paper).  Stick on magnets.  Great gift.

Johnny Appleseed

If you have ever visited my room, you know that I am "The Apple Teacher".  September 26th is Johnny Appleseed's birthday, so we had a week of celebration!  So many of our activities fit right in with our units of study in each subject area.  Following is just some of what we did.  I forgot my phone at home one day and didn't get pictures that day.

We had real apples to cut into and explore the parts of the apple.  Great new vocabulary was introduced to the students, like flesh and core.



 We are going to watch decomposition of an apple.  Here is what the apple looked like one day after we explored the parts of the apple.

 In science, we used a balance and cubes to measure how much mass an apple has.

 



 Our writing for this week was about apples.  Before we do writing, we make a circle map (not shown here), a tree map (the picture below), then I demonstrate (picture above) exactly how to use those two resources to write a story.

 Each week, we read a big book together as a group each day to help students learn how to read.   Of course, our story had to be about apples!

 If you notice in my newsletter, a poem is read every day.  You can see the work we did on rhyming words, spelling words, and beginning and ending blends.

 For an added bonus for science, we predicted if an apple would sink or float in water.  Then, we conducted our experiment.  The apple floated!  Remember apple bobbing games?

 

 

We used a string and cubes to see how many cubes around the apple measured.  We stacked cubes to see how tall the apple was.  Lots of science and math mixed together in these activities.  The picture above is a recording of information (data) from their findings.



Live Love Laugh

This was made for a very special friend.  Here's cheers to you.

David Goes to School

My students are wild about David Books.  For the beginning of school, David Goes to School,  is a favorite.   The book is also a good way to reinforce school rules.  The picture shows what our bulletin board looks like.

numbers 1-30

We have really been busy in first grade for the first two weeks of school.  Lots of learning and practicing have been taking place.  In math, we are learning numbers 1-30 and are learning what numbers are greater than>  less than< or equal to=.  Each student cut out his/her own set of numbers and we are practicing putting them in order every day.  Try practicing with your child by picking out 2 random numbers between 1 and 30 and discussing which one is greater and which one is less.  We are also learning the symbols > (greater than)  and < (less than) and  = (equal to).
26 > 14
7 < 19
20 = 20

Social Contract

I hope you can read this chart of what your children came up with for our Social Contract.  They are amazing!  We ask four questions and this is how students respond.
How do you think I want to be treated?
How do you want to be treated by teachers?
How do you want to be treated by friends?
How do we handle problems?
We all agree and sign our contract.

Daily Five

Here is a picture of how we are rotating our Daily Five during guided reading time.  There are five activities that students are responsible for while I am working with small groups of children during guided reading.  The five activities are:  read to self, read with a friend, writing, word work, and listening to a story.

In science, we are studying weather.  Four things that we observe each day are:  (1) cloud cover,     (2) temperature, (3) wind, and (4) precipitation.  We have a science journal that we will keep all year long for most of our science observations.  The pictures show 2 of those pages for weather.

Interactive writing

To practice spelling words, and to get better at composing and writing sentences, the students and I make up and work together on writing sentences using spelling words.  While one student writes the sentence on the chart, the other students are writing the sentence down on white boards using dry erase markers.

Word Families

You will notice in the newsletter and on the spelling test that there are word families we are working on.  For the first part of first grade we work on word families like:   at, an, ap, ack, etc.  Next week we will do word families that begin with "i".  When we work on them in school, I have magnetic letters placed on the white board and we make words first with the magnetic letters.  Then students record them onto a sheet so that we can review them for the upcoming weeks.  The picture shows the sheet of recorded "ap" words.

painted vase

I was walking through Hobby Lobby and saw a vase for sale.  I remembered I had paint about the same color.  My once clear vase is a now a fabulous burnished copper (paint by Jo Sanja).

Mason jar soap dispenser

My latest craft project was to make a soap dispenser from a mason jar.  I dug into my mother-in-laws 1972 stash of jars and found this neat mason jar.  It has Mom's Mason Jar written on it with a neat picture of a grandma on it.  I spray painted the top.  The amazing thing was that my husband was out of town and I scrounged around looking for the drill.  I had never used it before in my entire life, but it drilled the hole for the Dial soap pump to go through.

stapler/tape dispenser

Just a tiny bit of decoration goes a long way.  These ancient things needed a face lift.  One stapler was chipped and rusted.  The tape dispenser had some teacher's name (from 100 years ago) on it with paint marker.  I wish I had a before and after picture!  Just a couple of stenciled apples and some black spray paint was the solution.  By the way, I am taking them back to school where they belong.  They are not mine, but GPISD's!!!!!!!!  Maybe the next teacher won't mind the redo.

Apple vase

I NEEDED an apple vase for my apple classroom.  I brought the milk glass one home, and am taking this one to school.  I used one of my bottles I am hoarding.   I just glued on twine and stenciled.  Simple~!  It is ready for those flowers that sweet first graders bring to me.

Before and after clipboards

I have been teaching for 34 years.....no telling how old these clipboards are?????  They were written on, scratched, dirty, etc. Yuck!  Time for a redo.  First I spray painted the tops and edges of the clipboards.  Then I painted the backs with chalkboard paint. ("When you finish writing around the room, practice your spelling words on the back.")  I have had the apple gift wrap for years and years.  I am sure I bought it from some kid selling it for a fund raiser.  It is very sturdy paper, so I decided to decoupage it onto the clipboards.  I am, after all, the apple teacher.  Then I coated only the front with layers (4) of varnish for protection.  Hopefully, they will inspire great work!

Whose wine glass is this?

I do not have enough of those wine glass jewels.  I saw this on HGTV today.  So, I got out my wine glasses immediately and got started.  I had bought special glass chalkboard paint (Transform Mason) to paint on Mason Jars at Hobby Lobby recently.  All you have to do is write your name with chalk on the bottom of the glass!!!  Love it! 

Toaster napkin holder

This summer I went to a painting seminar and one painter showed pictures of things she had painted with Americana Gloss Enamel paint.  I have been unable to find the paint, but I wanted to paint the toaster idea!  So, I went shopping at Salvation Army and found this old toaster.  It had wood laminate on the end...so 70's.  I first spray painted the toaster with primer, then flat black spray paint from my husband's stash of spray paint.  I first tried stenciling various sizes of circles, then had to wash off because it was bleeding underneath BAD.  I wanted circles for some reason, so I cut various sizes of circles from "Miracle Sponge" compressed sponges (they are flat until water is added to them).  I have hoards of paint, so I used my stash of paints.  Then I varnished with gloss enamel varnish.  The napkins are from Walmart (get the smaller ones to fit).  Cute, huh?

Rootbeer vase

I always stop at Cracker Barrel when I am traveling to get a book on CD and to check out their 70% corner.  So while I was there, I saw this root beer bottle and I love root beer so I bought it!  The reason I am showing you the vase is not for the jar, but for the heart.  It is actually a piece of cardboard (cereal box) that I cut out and painted with Modern Masters Metal Effects Iron Paint, then painted the Rust Activator to make it rust.  I found this idea on Pinterest! http://craftgawker.com/post/2012/07/26/35727/

burlap + wine decantur = fabulous vase

Simple:  Glue the burlap on and stencil.  The stencil is on the same sheet as the lamp shade.  It is made by Americana and the name of the stencil is Traditional Medallion.

Redone lamp shade

Years and years ago, my beloved grandmother, Memaw, gave me this antique blue, bubbled Atlas Mason Jar.  I have no idea how old it is or how valuable.  I made it into a lamp and have had it by my bed for years.   It has potpourri inside.  I bought a new shade for it 6 years ago when we moved here to Mansfield.  I have looked at that ugly shade for 6 years.  I wish I would have taken a before and after picture!  I was shopping for ideas in World Market and saw a burlap shade with a black stenciled fleur-de-leis on it.  Hmmmm!  I knew what to do to mine!  I thought covering the shade with burlap might be tricky because of its shape, so I just wrapped it in twine.  I found the stencil in Home Depot by the paint!   Americana makes the stencil (Traditional Medallion).   I love my lamp now.

Coasters

I made 3 sets of coasters this summer.  I made my two sisters go through an old 1948 church song book and pick out their favorite hymns.  I bought the cheapest white tiles I could find at Home Depot and decoupaged the songs to the white tiles.  I then varnished them 6 times for a alcohol resistant finish.  I can't wait to give them as Christmas presents.  This is my set.  The songs have sentimental values for me.

Guess the container

I was sitting at McDonald's with my six grandchildren one day.  They had Happy Meals with chocolate milk.  I suddenly saw the chocolate milk with new eyes.  You guessed it.  This container is a chocolate milk container from McD's.  I had bought some fall looking yarn with a 50% off coupon from JoAnn (you know you can download the app for free and the coupon is always there--Michaels and Hobby Lobby too).  It is very relaxing to sit and watch TV and wrap a jar with twine or yarn.  I just water down some glue and get going.  The berries stick was from Hobby Lobby.

Coffee?? Tea??

I organized the drink section of my cabinet and threw out all my tea boxes.  They were taking up a lot of space.  I simply glued some twine around the middle of a jar, spray painted the lid black, stenciled "tea", and glued burlap to the lid.  I had some cute wrought iron keys to glue on.  The coffee container is an old plastic Folgers coffee can that I painted with black spray paint.  I used Rust-oleum Ultra Cover that bonds to plastic.  I now can buy the GIANT can of coffee and keep it in the freezer, and fill up the smaller container that will fit nicely in my cabinet.

Upcycled Gift Vases

Okay!  I may be the only person who grocery shops for the shape of the bottle!  I love upcycling bottles.  I am obsessed!  I wrapped these two with cheap twine from Walmart (in the hardware section, not craft section).  Hobby Lobby was having a 40% sale on Fall merchandise.  I found these adorable metal picks.  I had some wooden gift tags and painted them with chalkboard paint and attached with more twine.  Wonderful back-to-school gifts.

Upcycled Clock

I found this clock at a garage sale for $2.  I absolutely loved the shape of the clock, but hated the finish.  It was a lightly stained pine finish....Ugly!  The face was the same color with white numbers.  I took it all apart, sanded, painted (even the face and numbers), distressed, and varnished.  I love my new clock!

Fake depression glass

I love depression glass.  I found out how to make it on Pinterest.   My mother-in-law had these jars in her garage wrapped in newspapers from 1972!!  I think it was time to use them!   Just add food coloring to slightly watered down glue (or Mod Podge) and pour into jars, turning them to cover the jar. Drain upside down for about 10 minutes on wax paper.   Put them into the oven, 170 degrees, for 20+ minutes as they turn clear.  Leave in the oven until cool.  You may not use as a vase for real flowers (water will destroy it).  I put "puffs" of silk hydrangeas in my finished product.

Christmas gift idea

Love to recycle and DIY.  Just glue on yard to your favorite jar.  I added a pom-pom and bead.  JoAnn has the neatest little pom-pom maker.  Takes 5 minutes to make.  I am hooked on pom-poms.  I am headed back for a bigger size.  Christmas in July.