Craft or Clean?

Today was a BUSY Monday! I began the day by sleeping in. I had planned to go to bed at a decent hour and get up at a decent hour each day this week to prepare for going back to school, but that didn't happen. I just simply couldn't turn my brain off last night, which is SUPER annoying. But hey, at least it lead to some cutesy projects for me to work on today! So needless to say, at 2:20 am, I was STILL AWAKE. UGH! So...I slept in on this hot Monday morning.

When I woke up, I just couldn't get motivated to clean this nasty house. So first things first, I made a trip to Hobby Lobby. Love. That. Place. I made my purchases and returned home to make myself clean. I figured if I used crafting as an incentive to clean it would at least make me clean faster! :) So with the house clean, now let me share with you my projects!

My friend Kristen Gault's blog gave me the idea for this cute wreath for my classroom door. Check her way cute blog out. She is one of the people that inspired me to want to begin into the world of blogging. http://www.blessyourheartsc.blogspot.com/

So for those of you that are interested, this was WAY easy! I used a foam wreath (looking back, I wish I had used a quilting hoop like I did for my second one so that the pieces of material were longer and more frilly looking.) I just tied strips of fabric (it took about a yard and a half) around it the foam wreath and then attached the other pieces. The bow is 3 yards of sheer ribbon, and the other pieces I bought for 99 cents at Hobby Lobby. I had to paint the number one, but it was very simple. I plan to write my name on the apple and first grade on the number one, but my paint pens are at school. I made a Halloween wreath too, because my plan is to change them with the seasons. I'll wait to share that one because my paint is at school and I haven't finished the little details!

My next project idea came from my sweet friend Betsy. She saw this on Pinterest. I can't really get into Pinterest because it overwhelms me.  I just don't even know where to look, but maybe one day I'll be able to look into it! For now, I just count on people like Betsy and Kristen to find the cute ideas for me. But anyway, Betsy shared this idea with me so I made some Smartie Pants. I'll fill it with Smartie candies and let my kiddos get them out. 

I'm really new at this blogging thing so any advice on how to change the direction of the picture would be much appreciated! :)

So the Smartie Pants are very easy too. Just buy some toddler jeans (mind were $1.25 at Goodwill), and sew them up just above the bottom hem. This allows you to stuff them full of Smarties. Then I just bought my ribbon and used a hot glue gun to attach all of the fun add-ons. They were so easy that I ended up making a pair for my friend Brantley, too!  These were a blast to make and I have a feeling I will be making some more for my teacher friends very soon. (That does include you Little Bets!) 

So my house is clean and my crafting is finished (for today at least!) Tomorrow I plan to go to school and laminate some things and do a few last minute things in my classroom before we kick off the year Wednesday morning. I also plan to do a summer reflection blog with pictures of some of my favorite moments...so stay tuned.

Love ya, Mean it!