Classroom Design~ Round 1

It is the first day of room set-up and I am excited that I finally have gotten back in my crazy room!

The first step I always start with is furniture placement.  I go in with a sketch and try and make my vision work.  Well ... this year, I have no real plan!  I just started moving everything. 

See the smiley face in the picture ... that was me!

Then the fun of opening cabinets begins!  Almost like opening Christmas presents! You never know what you might find (if you packed like me!) LOL!

It seemed that almost every cabinet I opened I found books!  Most of these are from teaching kindergarten.  I do not have a terrific chapter book library.  That is my goal this year!

 After a little while I began to see progress.  

#1 & 3 has my helper chart with my Kleenex box holder and germ-x bottles right next to the trash can! Underneath are the mailbox cubbies that need a makeover!

#2 Is a picture of my rules, Give me 5, 7 Habits, and schedule cards.  Below that is the start of my unfinished, reward center.  The red shelf is now home to paint this weekend. My Monday Made It!

#4 is a shot of my kid's binder shelf and basket for papers to go home.

 #1 is a shot of my teacher area.  Just getting started there.

#2 Is my guided reading table.  I have never had a "teacher desk" in all of my years of teaching.  I have always wondered what it would be like but then saw people posting they were getting rid of them.  I guess I never missed anything.

#3 Is the start to my "Hearts Desire" library.  This is where a lot of the "theme" books from kinder go. The kids LOVE them in 2nd, too!

#4 Is my "Favorite Authors" library with the matching characters.  This was one of their favorites last year!

Time to go home ... Still a HOT mess

#1 is a picture across my room to the front door.

#2 Extra storage containers ... do you have a ton of these but end up using most of them?

 Thanks so much for stopping by to see my progress.  More to come next week when we are back in the building everyday!

Happy Decorating You Room!

Karen

Monday Made It

I am linking up with Tara again for another ... 

Monday Made It~

This week's Monday Made It is all about my little girl!!!

I just love creating things!  These projects I made for my little girl's room!!!

My first project is this holder for all of her bows.  Let me tell ya, she has tons of bows!   I bought the plaque from Walmart and decoupaged it with zebra tissue paper from Hobby Lobby.  I painted and glittered the letters, hot glued them on and the attached the ribbons with hot glue.  This would be a SUPER easy project for a transportation clip chart, lunch menu, etc.  There are all kinds of different shaped plaques! She loves it!

My second project, since I liked playing with decoupage, was to make a light switch and her name on wood pieces.  I love working with the tissue paper, it is very easy peasy!!!

My last project I saw in a magazine somewhere, but I can't remember which one...  I love this one because it is a space saver!!!

All it is:  Two boards from Hobby Lobby, silver links, and zebra ribbon.  Just fasted the ribbon to the links, slip them around the board, measure and add a nail.  The animals on the shelf are from when she was a baby ... she was not ready to let them go.

I hope you had fun and got some ideas!!!

Happy Summer!

Karen

Labels Galore!!!

I am linking up with the AMAZING Tara from 4th Grade Frolics!!!  I love this linky party!

Click on the picture above to view others that have joined this fun linky party!

Here is my short but fun post ...

I LOVE labels!!!  I love to label things ... Maybe it makes me feel more organized or maybe it helps.  Whatever the reason ... I love to label my classroom and it has spread to my home!  My friends call me the "Label Queen."  Does anyone else out there hold that title with me?

Here are a few of the labels that I have made and use in my room.  I love that they all match my zebra room.

I have a feeling more pictures coming soon!

This is an up-cycled Lysol wipe container that now holds our classroom rulers for math.  It was a win-win for my classroom and the Earth! I recycle containers often!

Instead of changing the teacher name on these containers for journals, I just put switch.  I just wanted to save some time each year because we are always changing partners!!!

Here are my 12 math tub labels for fast finishers!  I love that they make the tote tray cabinet a little cuter! Each tub holds activities for the kiddos to use when they complete their work/stations.

These were one of my favorite ideas ... magnetic picture frame labels.  We are not allowed to paint or adhere anything to the cabinets.  These detach so easy and I can change my contents of each drawer!

These are the 4x6 size.

I got them at Wal-Mart in the frame section.

This basket is used for my switch teacher to place all of her papers I need to add to the kiddo's Thursday folders.  I am pretty good about sorting them right away.  I love baskets!!!

This container holds all of the folders that go home on Thursday.  I have used it for a long time ... even when I was in kinder (it just had a different label).

I even labeled my lunch tub ... is there a rehab for people like me? LOL

Comment below or email me if you have any amazing labels that I might need to consider.  I love to get new ideas from you!

More to come ... I will keep you posted :o)

Happy Teaching!

Karen

NOISE! Cards

I made these for the zebra & polka dot lovers out there.  You can find them in my store for free.  Both patterns are in the same download.

Just print the set you want.

If you download, please leave feedback.

Just click: here or on the picture.

After you download & print, just add magnets to the back and slap on your dry erase/mag. board.

I added and ! for the kinder level ... at the beginning of the year, they may need another chance.
Happy Teaching!
Karen

More Zebra Fun~

Tonight is a quick share :

I have been thinking about starting a Homework Club in my room, like so many others out there.  Here is what I came up with ... (coming to a TPT store near you)

I will also change it to match your theme.

I wanted it to match my decor, but also say ...

"I am happy  you are in the club!"

Now, for the soft side of me ... do you feel awful when kiddos fall out of the club?  I just don't know if I can do it ... poor little friends ...

Please help me work this out ...

Happy Crafting!

Karen

Yahoo!!!

I am having so much fun setting up my new 2nd grade room!!!!  I must admit, I was scared at first ... Not as much anymore.

I just love the way it is coming together. I thought I did some pretty fun Kinder rooms, but 2nd grade is so different.

Here are some of my newest additions:

These are my helper cards!  I love that they match my zebra theme and I backed them with yellow cardstock to match the yellow in my room.  Love them!!!

You can purchase them here.

I did not use all of the cards provided.  It will depend on how many cuties I have in my class.  I like to have one job per kid.  I usually put the kid's names next to the job, but I am on the fence this year.  This seems like it might be easier.

These are erasers I made just by cutting a large one in quarters with a circular saw ... OK my dad cut them because he is AWESOME!  They work great and last so well.  After they were cut I added tag, stickers, and sealed it.

 Here if my new calendar numbers in zebra.  The complete header, numbers, and days of the week in zebra are offered in different colors:

red

aqua

hot pink

lime green

yellow

I love the way they tie together ... I just need to print my headers, laminate, & change the old ones out.

 These are my table numbers that float from the ceiling.

I had a kinder from last year drop by after I put them up ... he said, "I love those."  SUCCESS!

I am sure they will be added to the store soon.

Email me or comment if you want me to make them in your decor!

Last item ... I made this fun pennant/banner and it turned out cute ... this is the tiny version.  I took brads and spray painted them yellow to connect the banner.  The picture did not take well.  So sorry!

You can see it better ... here. 

I hope you had fun viewing some of my new items.  I thought my classroom would look like a zebra threw up all over the room, but it is turning out nicely.

I can't wait to do my final reveal & show the whole class to you.

Happy Decorating & Shopping!

Karen 

Monday Made It #3

Here is my third week of “Monday Made It!”

Thanks, Tara!

So for my third week I decided to branch out and show you a couple of other things I can do that have no zebra on them.  Then, I did add some zebra print for those zebra lovers out there.  I am so excited about the new projects I worked on and how they came out!  I have 3 more projects in the hopper, but they have not been completed ... I am so ADHD!!!

Project #1:  Labels for the home

I must start by saying I am a huge fan of labels.  I love them!!!  I am hoping it helps those that live in this house to put things up. (Including me)

Project #2:  OK.  Let's get personal ... Here is my personal hygiene toolbox.  We have talked a lot about toolboxes for the paperclips, staples, push-pins, etc. Now, it is time for the unmentionables ... In the past I housed these items in plastic drawers, now ... a tidy toolbox.  This box is also great for travel or to have in your bathroom for daily use.  A great place to house some of those travel sized products from the summer.

See my "happy" comb, mirror, & brush.

If you put medicine in it ... hide it up high!

I love organization!

Project #3:  I  found a box at Sams & I knew it would be great for something.  Since I have am/pm classes, I decided to use this box to house their flip journals.  I will be adding the labels once I can get into school & print. It came out better than I thought with my zebra tape!  I hope this does the trick!

Project #3: See the rainbow shelves on the far left?  My principal was not a big fan of them :o)  I almost lost them one year.  In kinder, the shelf housed my daily take home binders & I loved the organizational side of them.  Now that I am moving up to second, I decided to paint them.  I found an old can of chalkboard paint in the garage from a past project & painted the rainbow colors away!  Then, I bought some scrapbooking paper & I was so delighted that it fit perfect with no cutting!!!  Yahoo!  

What do you think?

Off to bed ... have to work tomorrow.

Boo ... I will miss summer & sleeping in!

Happy Crafting!

Karen

More Zebra Fun ...

So I am addicted to all things zebra.

Here is my latest makeover ...

 I wish I had taken a picture of it before I started spraying ... but I forgot.  They were really awful!  They look white but they were turning an ugly yellow.

I used zebra tape just to accent the fronts.  I really did not want to go over the top with zebra but I might still add some more.  I will see when I get it in the room with all of my other zebra fun!

Here is my smart tip ...

Ya know how if you have a hole in your furniture some kiddo is going to stick something in it ...  I have metal shelves that have lost the hole filler on the top and at the end of last year all kinds of crayons & broken pencils fell out the bottom when I picked them up.

My solution ... I took that option away by hot gluing in some black pom poms in the holes ... he he he he he.

I hope it works.

(OK, I thought it was smart)

I am sure they will try to press them in :o)

What do you think?

Stay tuned in for my next upcycle.

Happy upcycling!

Karen

Monday Made It!

 Here is my second week of “Monday Made It!”
Thanks, Tara!

So for my second week I decided to stick with the zebra print.  I am so excited about the new projects I worked on and how they came out!

Project #1:

1st up are two cute little electrical stools spray painted black with zebra fabric, from my trip to Hobby Lobby, stapled on top!  I used foam from a twin egg crate mattress to cushion the tush.  

Project #2:

My new teacher's chair for my small group table.

I started with this blue chair I picked up on the BBBS for $10.  I just saw it for sale @ Walmart for $53.88.  I did better than I thought!  I was so lucky that the bottom could be stapled to instead of having to take anything apart!

I covered the chair with my fabulous zebra fabric & then covered the fabric with plastic to protect it.  Sprayed the blue back with plastic bonding spray paint and I think it turned out good terrific!

My room is going to look ZEBRARIFIC!!!

What do you think, I would love to hear from you!

Happy Crafting!

Karen

More Zebra Decor~

I was out shopping & look what I found ...

More Zebra!

1st Stop ... Hobby Lobby

Which zebra print to choose for my new project that I will feature as my "Made It Monday"?

 Containers & a bench ... so cute!

Desk supplies!

 Zebra locker wallpaper

(seems to be a lot like contact paper)

 Plates for a b.board header ... plus containers!

scrapbooking supplies for storage of materials

Zebra storage boxes

2nd Stop ... Dollar City

(disclaimer:  items not really a dollar ... they are all more than a dollar but still priced well!)

 Drying mat ... don't have a sink but for something neat!

 Cool curtains with a small swag for the top.

 A bench & a cube to sit on.

Oh how I love zebra!!!

Hope you are finding cool stuff, too!