Monday Made It!

Linking up for another Monday Made It with Forth Grade Frolics!

So I admit, I am a sucker for stickers! At the beginning of each school year I would go to School Aids and hit the sticker aisle ... big time! I needed all the new stickers, holiday stickers, and any cute sticker "staples" that I use throughout the school year - like my standard "star stickers" and "smiley stickers."

Why the craziness about stickers you ask? I used them as a reward at the end of each day on the kiddos behavior chart. If they ended the day on "A" - they got a sticker. The parents would even get into the sticker madness a bit, sending me FREE stickers that they would find with little notes like - "Thought you would enjoy these around St. Patrick's Day."

 

So when my the hubby was cleaning out the shed I saw this old box, I assume an old bread box - but who knows. I decided that it would be a perfect place to hold my quite extensive collection of stickers! Now, although I do create graphic art, I am not a very skilled paint artist - but I think it came out cute!

 

What do you have a large collection of? Any sticker-a-holics out there like me?

 

 

 

Finally - just a little hint of what's to come... I am working on a giveaway for my blog! I have reached over 100 followers in my TpT store and want to celebrate!

 

 

Thanks for looking!

 

 

Stay inspired. :)

 



 

CLIPART AND COFFEE TALK FEATURING..... ME!!!



GIVEAWAY WILL LAUNCH ON HER BLOG AT 4:00AM MONDAY!

I am SUPER excited to be linked up with This Little Piggy Reads for a Clipart feature and GIVEAWAY! Deniece is so amazing to be doing a clipart feature on her blog each week to help newbie clipartist - like myself, get a chance to showcase their work.

Here are the details of my FEATURE - GIVEWAY ....Oh and I almost forgot to mention FREEBIE!

Go to This Little Piggy Reads and use the rafflecopter to enter the giveaway. (There are a few options to get more chances to win.)

Here are the details:

This is my giveaway - You will win a choice pack of the three clipart packages, the bunting package, and the best selling teacher planner!

Click to go to the GIVEAWAY!

 

 

 

Now for the FREEBIE! If you might not have guessed, I am a teensy...Uh-hum...ok a lot obsessed with bunting and Chevron. So what did I do, make CHEVRON BUNTING! I have a large pack available in my TpT store (click here to see the large pack). But, for the duration of the giveaway only you can get these two welcome signs FREE! They come in red and blue, but I thought that if you print them in gray-scale they would look cute too! :)

 

CLICK TO GET IT NOW!

 

I would like to give my sincerest THANKS to Deniece at This Little Piggy Reads for showcasing my clipart on her blog. I hope you enjoy the freebie if you download and good luck! Thanks for looking!

Stay inspired. :)

Monday Made IT ... AND MY FIRST GIVEAWAY!

Linking up again for another Monday Made It!

I L.O.V.E teaching writing, especially when I taught First Grade. First Graders make such a HUGE transformation in a short period of time, especially in reading and writing. I would compile all of their writing in Writing Folders and long about April, pick them up and just stare in awe of how far they had come from "just out of Kindergarten" to "almost 2nd graders."

I made this huge writing packet for my store on TpT that compiles all my favorite topics, bulletin board ideas (I loved showcasing their writing on the hall bulletin board), and GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS, anchor charts, and MORE! Every lesson and independent activity in this packet I have done. Some of them are very dear to my heart. (especially "Fishy" and "Trees in Fall") Check it out if you have a sec and let me know what you think. :)

CLICK TO SEE IT AT TpT!

Graphic organizers, in my opinion, are like a 1st grader's best friend when it comes to writing a story. To move my young writers to the next level, we would always:

BRAINSTORM - PLAN (using graphic organizers) - then WRITE! 

 

I am pretty sure a lot of other 1st grade teachers feel my pain when I say - at beginning of the year, getting a first grader to stay on topic in a story is.... well... is sometimes a "challenge." By using graphic organizers to plan a story beforehand, it helps them not stray off topic.







Finally, I am SUPER excited about my very first GIVEAWAY since starting my blog! Deniece at This Little Piggy Reads has featured me in her Clipart and Coffee Talk feature! Go check it out and enter to win!

Here is what you'll get if you win!

 

 

Oh - and there is a freebie, too - to celebrate my obsession with CHEVRON and BUNTING BANNERS!

 





 

If you enter in the giveaway good luck and if you download my freebie I hope you enjoy. One idea I had - (for those of you that don't like red or blue) you could print out the banner in "gray scale" and back it with a color you like! That would be really cute!

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Stay inspired. :)

 



So exctied to be nominated for the Liebster Award!

 

WOW! So EXCITED and honored to be nominated for the Liebster Award from two fellow bloggers! Thank you to Sarah at Kinder Kakes Kakes and Veronica at Teaching with Giggles for the nominations. To accept the nomination I must:

1. Link back to the blog that nominated me
2. Nominate 5-11 blogs with fewer than 200 followers
3. Answer the questions posted for me by my nominator
4. Share 11 random facts about myself
5. Create 11 questions for my nominees
6. Contact my nominees and let them know I nominated them

I am nominating the following blogs I discovered through Linky parties and follow on Bloglovin':

Second Grade Stories

KinderKarla

Moments to Teach

ABC’s and Polka Dots

A Day in the Life of a Kindergartener

 

11 Random Facts About Me:
1. I worked as a cook in a restaurant in High School because I was SOOO bad at waitressing! My boss threw me in the kitchen and I thrived. J
2. I knew in first grade that I wanted to be a teacher.
3. I love every shade of blue there is.
4. I sometimes wish I lived on the beach.
5. I have recently lost 40lbs since starting a new diet! Whoohoo!
6. I am an admitted purse-a-holic.
7. I am married to a guy I NEVER would have thought would be my husband when we were in high school together.
8. I wanted to create clip art so badly that I taught myself how.
9. I have been wrong about EVERY pregnancy prediction I have given (boy/girl) – including my own.
10. I wish I could play a musical instrument, particularly a guitar or drums.
11. I love, love, love to cook. I always say that I would have been a chef if I didn’t go to school to be a teacher.

11 Questions for my Nominees: (From Kinder Kakes)
1. What is your favorite dessert?

This is a tough one – but I must say apple pie with vanilla ice cream.
2. If you could be a Disney Princess, who would you be?

Belle
3. What is your dream car?
I am not really into cars… I know NOTHING about them! Haha! However - I love the car that Desiree drives in the show the Bachelorette, love the color the most I think…so that one!
4. What is your favorite TV show?
Big Brother
5. What is the last song you listened to?
Baby Einstein CD….always the Baby Einstein CD
6. What is your favorite animal?
Tiger
7. Which holiday is your favorite?
CHRISTMAS!
8. What is your favorite fruit?
Apples
9. What was the last thing you ate?
Boiled Egg
10. If you could meet a character from a picture book, who would it be?
Pooh Bear J
11. Where would you vacation if money was no object?
Europe….everywhere in Europe

 

11 Questions for my Nominees: (From Teaching with Giggles)
1. How long have you been teaching?

7 years
2. What is your favorite grade to teach?
I loved my sweet Firsties!
3. What is your favorite college memory?
Watching a large group of people try to find a guy “Timmy.” (One of those –ya had to be there- moments.)
4. What is your favorite grade school memory?
My first dance in 5th grade, so cute!
5. Have you lived in more than one state?
No, Louisianan all my life
6. What is your dream vacation spot?
Europe – probably Italy to be more specific
7. If you were stranded on a deserted island, what would you take?
Wilson! ….haha kidding… a flashlight, or some fire starting contraption because I am terrified of the dark.
8. Do you prefer hot or cold weather? Why?
Hot weather, I HATE cold weather
9. If you won the lottery what would be the first thing you would buy?
My own house on the beach!
10. What is your dream car?
I am not really into cars… I know NOTHING about them! Haha! However - I love the car that Desiree drives in the show the Bachelorette, love the color the most I think…so that one!
11. What is something you never leave home without?
Cell Phone!


Questions for my nominees:

1. What was your best Halloween costume ever?

2. What is your favorite meal?

3. What reminds you of home?

4. What is your favorite article of clothing?

5. If you could meet any character from a book, which would it be?

6. What do you obsess over?

7. What is your favorite word?

8. What makes you laugh the most?

9. What is your favorite classroom office-type item?

10. What grade was your favorite in school?

11. What is the last vaction you went on?

 

Thank you again so much for the nominations! They made my week! :)

 



Monday Made It!

 

 



Excited to be participating in my first Monday Made It linky with 4th Grade Frolics - even though it's a bit late...

When I saw this linky I knew exactly what I wanted write my post about - My Word Garden! In my first grade classroom, I had a Garden Theme (click HERE to see a bunch of pics). My Word Garden was one of my favorite pieces of my classroom decor.

 

I made those letters (large and small), flowers, and leaves with my Cricut, found the paper at a local school supply store, and printed the words on the computer.

 

 

It was so cute, the kiddos loved it! I have posted this picture to Pinterest and it has been repinned quite a few times, I even had a few emails about the letters and other decor. Seeing this inspired me, and that is how this pack was born!

 

 

Click to see it at TpT!

 

After realizing there was interest out there for garden themed classrooms I created this cute Garden and Chevron themed pack! The pack includes:

 



1. “WORD GARDEN” aka Word Wall Bunting Banner

2. Word Garden Alphabet cards PDF
3. “LEARN AND GROW” Bunting Banner
4. 11 Blank - CREATE YOUR OWN BUNTING BANNER
5. Center Group Signs
6. 14 Center Signs
7. 4 EDITABLE Center Signs that match
8. Sizeable Center Rotation Cards
9. 5 Different NAME TAGS
10. CALENDAR – Chevron 12 Months and 31 Numbers with cards for holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Halloween) and birthdays (5).
11. LARGE ALPHABET

12. CLIP ART – I have included the images of the flowers and leaves I made for this pack so you will be able to create and match your own décor for your classroom to this pack.

(see my TpT store for full description)

 

I absolutely love this set. It kind of makes me want to go back to my old classroom and decorate up a storm! One of my favorite parts (besides the Word Garden) is the blank bunting! I am actually thinking about uploading them as a pack on TpT all by themselves - so many possibilities. Here are some images of my favorites:

 



 

 

Anyone else have a garden theme in their classroom? What are some of your favorite decorations?

 

Stay inspired. :)

 



Optimum Organization Linky!

I must admit I am an organizational junky when it comes to my classroom - a there is a place for everything and everything in its place - kinda teacher  = ME! When I saw this linky with Fun in Room 4B,I knew it was for me, HOWEVER- I have limited resources available to share, being on vacation and all. :) For some reason our service here is terrible, so my iPad is running like the old dial up system... worse actually.

One of my favorite organizational tools: A TEACHER BINDER

This planner is available at my TpT store. I have used a version of it every year, adding parts to it as I needed. This year, I have made it CHEVRON - I {heart} Chevron - and added parent-teacher conference supplies, including exit tickets for parents. They are EDITABLE! So you can type up helpful websites, resources, advice- whatever- and hand the ticket it to the parents as they walk out
the door. They print 4 to a page - which makes them small enough to be "refrigerator friendly."

It has other great organizational tools like a To Do list, Common Core Planner, and my favorite - the Small Group Instruction Planner. When I sit down with the kiddos for small group ELA each week this chart helps me remember what I did days, weeks, even months before. I put everything down on it, from what I taught to which student needs extra practice, who got bumped up a group.... The list goes on and on...

Another great thing about this whole planner is the margins are set so that you don't punch holes in the actual charts, and its colorful! I need fun stuff to look at when I'm being organized! ;)

If you would like to own this planner you can find it at my store on TpT for only $4.00. I'm trying really hard to keep things in my store under 5$ for my fellow teachers- we spend so much on classroom stuff already.... Big sighhhh

Anyway, can't wait to participate again!

Stay inspired. :)

CURRENTLY... Linky with Farley

 

 

Yay! My first Currently Linky with Farly! Here is mine...

 

Listening: My sweet baby girl (Aubrey) just made 8 months old! Needless to say I think she is teething (finally) because she has been really fussy all through the night. Fussy baby = Tired Mommy = More Coffee!

 

Loving: In preparation for my second beach trip of the summer I happily bought some new shades! I love them! They are brown with light blue trim and BIG! They might make me look like a big 'ole bug but I think they are stylin'!

 

Thinking: Surely going to the beach on the 4th of July guarantees you will see fireworks, right? I hope so! I also want to see Aubrey's reaction when she sees them for the first time. I wonder if she will love them or be scared of them. I have heard mixed stories from other parents so we shall see which category Miss Aubrey will fall in! :)

 

Wanting: For some crazy, strange reason I have been craving Nachos - with peppers - of course. I have been thinking about eating them on the beach while I watch the fireworks pop in the air. The hubby doesn't know it yet, but he might be on the hunt for some nachos tomorrow night!

 

Needing: With the little one at home with me all the time, I haven't had the time to go and get a pedicure. Pre-baby this was the first thing I would check off my to-do list but now, huh, I am lucky if I get to go to the grocery store by myself. Haha... comes with the territory I guess and I am loving it! The beach won't mind my non-painted toes anyhow!

 

Tips: I have read a couple of posts on the Seller's Forum at TpT that some sellers have been selling for months and didn't even know the Seller's Forum existed! There are some AMAZING people on there that are willing to help with anything so I would highly recommend that new sellers, like myself, check out this resource! It also helps get your name out there, too! :)

 

Well, that's it! Can't wait for the next Currently with Farley!

Happy 4th everyone - be safe and have fun.

 

Stay inspired. :)

 



Win an item from my TpT Store - Enter Polka Dot Palace's 100 follower giveaway!

 

My fellow blogger friend, Stephanie, has reached 100 followers and is having a HUGE giveaway - I'm telling y'all there is some great prizes and 4 categories! One item you can win is a WINNER'S CHOICE item from my TpT store! Go check it out and enter to win! Good luck!

Stay inspired. :)