Making Photo Valentine Cards

I've been making photo valentine cards for the past three years so I thought this year I would try something different.  I found a how-to on some super hero lollipops that I planned on making, but when I checked to see if I had the fabric, I didn't have the color felt I wanted and Hobby Lobby was closed so I decided I'd go back to the cards that I made a few years back.

 

I wanted an outside shot because of the lighting.  Of course, the sun was so harsh I told E. to stand in front of the fence which provided about 2 feet of shade.  Here's the original image of E. holding out his hand to which a lollipop will be inserted later.  I made sure to have him off centered so that I could add wording.

For a vintage feel, I added an aged photo filter to the image.

I then changed the exposure of the image and added more contrast so that E.'s face wouldn't be so washed out.

For that extra something, I added a simple vignette to the photo. 

I added a few words, cut out a slit on the top and bottom of his hands and voila I've got a cute photo Valentine's Day card.

 

Cute huh?  I love the way the hand pops out.  I've come a long way from the photo card I made a few years back.

What's better than having totally unique cards?  It took me 15 minutes to make (from the time I shot the picture to the time I had it printed) AND it ended up costing LESS than the store bought cards.  Double win!

I know I reused this idea of mine, but I did check my kids class roster to make sure none of the kids were in his class a few years back.  We're good to go.  :)

Crawling Spider Cakes

I love making things with my kids so to celebrate October, I thought I would make some spider cakes that are completely edible.  I know the majority of spiders have 8 eyes, but to my defense there are certain spiders that only have 2 (at least that is what yahoo said when I looked it up and yes I looked it up).  Also, I think 2 eyes look much cuter than 8, so I stuck with only 2.

 

I bought a few things that I thought I'd try to experiment on.  I've used Moon Pies and Ding Dongs making owls before so I figured it would work here as well.

Pocky sticks were great for spider legs.  I often find them in the Asian grocery store and I dreaded making the drive out there to buy some, but to my delight, I found them at the local Wally Mart (in the Asian aisle).   My trip to buy some milk was a double success.

To make the legs, cut the poky sticks at an angle and dip into melted chocolate.  I just melted some chocolate chips.  I connected the sticks at an angle and let it dry on a piece of parchment paper.

I stuck it into the cake and added edible candy eyes.  It was that simple.

It looks more cute than creepy.  

They do look like little crabs, don't they?  That gives a great idea for summer.

My kids did not have trouble dissecting these spiders as they scarfed them down.

Fabric that's Picture Perfect

 

I've had this photo box for a few years now.  It's been sitting on my dresser just as such with no photo in the front.  I decided after nearly half a decade that adding fabric to the front instead of a picture would be the perfect solution.

I removed the back and instead of inserting a photo, I used a spare piece of fabric that I had left over from my apron sewing project. 

 

Voila!  Simple and perfect.  It pops against the white color and goes perfectly in the space.

I've seen fabric framed on the wall before, but never on a photo box like this.

 

I love it. 

Flowers for the teacher

Each year we bring the teacher flowers for Teacher Appreciation Week.

The last couple years, I started bringing in a plant instead since it would last longer.  I went to a local nursery and picked out some flowers and potted them in terracotta pots.

This year, I wrote the teacher's name on the front of the pot.

In previous years, I have used a variety of different plants.

 

 I found cute printouts saying, "Thank you for helping R. BLOOM!"

One year, I even gave a flower growing kit with a tag saying, "The grass is always greener with teachers like you."

The possibilities are endless.

Apples for the teacher

Apples and teachers go hand and hand.  That's why, I made these cupcakes last year during teacher appreciation week.

These cupcakes got a lot of oohs and ahhs.

 

With lack of time this year, I bought a large candy filled apple instead.  I thought the apple container could be reused for other things like crayons or erasers

 I cut out a green leaf and wrote, "You are the apple of my eye."  I tried to write it like the veins of the leaf. 

Another thing I thought I could write would be something like, "Thanks for 'leaf'ing such a great impression."  Anything to be punny, right?

Fortune Cookies for the Teacher

I've made sprinkled fortune cookies in the past before that turned out well so I thought I would  re-use the idea for Teacher Appreciation Week.  This time, I omitted the sprinkles and dipped the fortune cookie into melted milk and white chocolate.

I decided to keep it simple this time.  I love how they turned out.  I couldn't make them fast enough because the kiddos kept eating them up. 

For the packaging, I found  metal take out boxes at Michael's that I thought were the perfect.

I was able to fit nearly half a dozen fortune cookies inside.

On top, I printed a label that I nabbed from here that said, "I'm so FORTUNATE to have YOU as a teacher."

I think it turned out super cute!  What do you think?

Teacher Appreciation Stamp of Approval Gift

E.'s teacher loves to collect rubber stamps so she can use in her student's daily folder.  She uses a different stamp each day so I thought I would add to her collection by making it one of the gifts I  would give her this week. 

I bought some cute stamps at Michael's and then used a pencil box that I found at Target.

When I saw the pencil boxes, I loved them.  At the time I bought them, I didn't know what I would use them for, but I knew I wasn't going to be putting pencils in them.  When I saw them staring back at me in my craft room, I thought it was the perfect choice for the rubber stamps.

On the front of the box, I typed, "For being such a great teacher, you've earned our STAMP of approval."

If you prefer, you can write the words on the inside instead.  I couldn't have found a box that was a better fit.  I did also find this translucent box that I filled with stamps as well.

It's not as cute, but it holds a lot more.  Now, I just have to decide upon which one to give.

Either way, I hope she likes it!  If not, the week is just beginning.

Framed Crayon Monogram Letter Art

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

When I saw this idea, I knew I wanted to implement it for Teacher Appreciation Week.

First I printed out a large letter of the teacher's initial.  I also printed her name next to it.  The large "J" was printed very lightly so that it wouldn't be seen.

 

  Next, I lined up my crayons in the order that I was going to use them.

 On a scratch sheet of paper, I marked the length of my cut and started chopping away.

I glued the crayons right onto the paper.

Then I framed it.

I really like the way it turned out.

 The glass that is normally in the front of the frame was removed and placed in the back.  Also, in the back, I added a picture and wrote, "Thanks for making 2nd grade so colorful."

 One done, another to go.

The letter A was much more difficult and time consuming, but it turned out pretty good.

I simply love the way they look. I may use the idea in the boys' room, but on a larger scale.

One day down, 4 more to go! Stay tuned for a full week of Teacher Appreciation ideas!