Progress??

Well, it's taken me a lot longer than expected to get my room somewhat in order.  I decided to re-paint my shelves and cabinets and do some other "unplanned" projects, but I think it's coming together...FINALLY.

Here are a few things I've been working on:
Here are my bulletin boards...my version of a "Proud Wall" where students can display work they are proud of...notice those cute clothespins I dyed earlier with Rit Dye??  And my little owl lantern (that's turned around) I made by spray painting an old one I had, then adding the features using scrapbook paper and hot glue.  I will get a better pic of that one soon!

I will put anchor charts on this one...finally decided I love the scrunchy border.  You can find a "how-to" here.

This bulletin board is right beside the doorway, and I use exit slips as a closing strategy often in my room.  I liked the idea of having several different ways to use this strategy without having to take them down, put back up, etc...so this is my "Wonder Wall."  

This is my door (hallway view).  I was so happy with the way it turned out.  

Some before and after pictures:
My "new" bookcase (the left one)...I primed and painted, then added contact paper to the backing.  You can also see my computer table with the ugly red tablecloth...

Here is this whole area now...still working on this!

My small group chairs...I used Krylon plastic spray paint, then sprayed them with a gloss protectant.  I also sprayed the legs with a metallic spray paint.  Thanks, Tara Vincent, for the inspiration!  ;)

So...not quite finished, but definitely getting there...it's a work in progress...

I will post more this week!  I'm pooped after first day activities!  ;)

'Til then.

Toddler Fun!

So, I do have lots of classroom stuff to share in my next post, but I had to show you some things Dax (my three-year old son) and I have been doing.  I took a break from working in my room the last two days to spend some quality time with my babies...*sighs*  Gonna miss you, sweet summertime.  We went to the splash pad yesterday with some friends, but it's been too hot to do anything else outside...soooo, we have been having fun inside.  Check it out!

SMASHING BAKED COTTON BALLS

This was so easy and Dax loved it!  You will need flour, water, cotton balls, and food coloring.  We did green, yellow, and red...Dax's choices.  We mixed equal parts of flour and water with just a drop of food coloring in each bowl.  Dax loves to mix, so he did this part.  

Then comes the messy part...Dax's favorite.  He dipped the cotton balls in the flour mixture (make sure to coat all sides) and placed them on a baking sheet I lined with wax paper.  

Mia says, "Ooh, what a mess!"

If you notice, he takes after his momma when it comes to sorting and placing everything just so...

After we spread them out a little, I baked them at 300 degrees for about 40 minutes.  They get really hard on the outside, but stay fluffy in the middle.

Now the fun part!  Take them off the tray and smash away!  Dax thought this was great.  (Goggles optional!)

Thanks, Making Boys Men blog, for the idea!

And this was my project...I keep all of Dax's projects and things that he does at school and at home, but I've been wanting to do something with some of Dax's writing and coloring for a while, and I saw this on <where else?> Pinterest, and thought..."perfect!"

Here are the writing samples I already had, and I got him to do a few more scribbles for me as well.  You'll also need a canvas, paint, scissors (or a craft punch), and modge podge.

I painted the canvas lime green (woo hoo) because I want to put this in my classroom.  Then I started punching!  I used a 1 1/2 inch circle craft punch to punch out parts of Dax's work that I wanted to include on the canvas.  I picked colors of my classroom--blues, yellows, greens, purples.  I arranged them on my canvas, then outlined a bit of a pattern with a pencil.  I traced over the outline with paint, modge podged the circles on, then put modge podge over the whole thing.  I'm so excited about this...I know to you it might look like a lot of circles and scribbles, but to me, I see my sweet baby boy's hard work every time I look at it!  :)