Inadequate Thanks

It’s the last day of school.

How does one fully tell a teacher how much they’ve meant and how much one appreciates them?  I don’t think it’s possible.

Anyway, we did a little something for the boys’ teachers, and a little bit for some other folks, too.

For Kalen’s teacher, who is so cute and sweet, and so into those first graders, something incorporating some of her favorite book characters.  She loves those kids, it’s obvious, and she’s given them a great kick-start to their school careers.

The buttons are magnets.  A little E6000 and some inexpensive magnets from Ben Franklin turned spare buttons from my button box into cute memo holders.

We did gift cards for Nicolas’s teacher and some of their specials teachers (PE, Music/Choir).  Nicolas’s resource teacher got a very cute book, inspired by the Haiku work they did together.

I felt we couldn’t end the year without thanking the office staff and our crossing guard, too.  You know the office staff are the ones who keep the school running.  And our crossing guard is out there in ALL weather, dancing along to the music blaring from her iPod and speakers, which she’s rigged to hang off of a light pole by the cross walk.  In the rain, the speaker system has its own plastic covering, so she can keep the music going.

I found these little plants at a local nursery – can’t remember what they’re called.  It starts with a ‘J’.  The faces were easy – a little white acrylic paint and some Sharpie action once the paint dried.  We wrote a quick “thank you” on the backside of the pots.  Cheap, cute, and fun.  And long-lasting.

And last but not least, for the principal.

Fabric + pinking shears for the base.  The sign is mounted on a leftover stick from the bamboo place mats I used for this project.  And Jason wonders why I keep so many leftovers from my crafting projects.  Every bit eventually comes in handy!

Well, I think we’re nearly the last school system to get out this year.  Summer is upon us!  The weather hasn’t quite figured that out yet, but I’m sure it will catch up.  Happy Summer, everyone!

As a Bee

Busy, that is.

Monday, we finally managed to get the tree up.  Yes!  Christmas spirit has come at last, despite highs of 72 degrees a couple of times this week.  Umm…it’s December, and this is not Florida, California, or Australia.  I don’t expect snow, but usually one at least has to wear a coat in December in Atlanta.  Solstice is on Sunday, and I’m happy to report an expected high of 59 for Solstice Tree Trimming.  Much better!

The house is getting closer and closer to being ready to list.  The carpet steamers came today, and Mom and Dad came over to help with more organizing and staging. I cannot thank them enough.

School is out, and the winter parties are over.  My only job for Kalen’s yesterday was to show up with a bag of Doritos, but as room parent for Nicky’s class, there was more organization involved in today’s party.  The kids, parents, and teacher were all thrilled, though, so I’m happy.  I think everyone’s favorite part was the Holiday Mad Libs.  I created mad libs out of Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph, the Red-Nosed-Reindeer, and they were a hit.  My greatest act of courage came after we’d filled in all the blanks.  Yes, I sang the songs, and while I can hold my own in a choral situation, let’s just say I’m not a soloist.  Keeping to one key is not my strong suit.  It was a blast, though, and the kids enjoyed making reindeer cookies (maraschino cherry noses, pretzel antlers), snowflakes (a la maya*made – just the snowflakes, no sewing machines involved), and cards for their families.

I had asked parents to send in gift cards for the teacher, if they wished, with the intent of doing some sort of creative presentation.  Yeah.  I’d forgotten the whole get-the-house-ready-for-market-while-making-all-your-Christmas-gifts-and-oh-yeah-your-back-is-going-to-go-out-in-the-most-painful-way-possible shebang.  At 3:30 this morning (thank you, steroid injection), I had a brainstorm, and thanks to Mom’s help (four hands are faster than two) at the more reasonable hour of 11:30 am, I was able to give this to Nicky’s fabulous teacher at the party:

Many thanks to Laughing Purple Goldfish for the inspiration.  The fabric came from a crazy quilt kit I’d bought some time in the 90’s for a Christmas stocking that never came to be.  It was perfect for this project, and the teacher can display it in her classroom or home once she uses the cards (and she assured me she would – she either adores it, or she’s a great actor!).  I am going to have to make one for myself next Christmas.

I’m still plugging away at the Christmas gifties.  FIL’s was finished just a few minutes ago.  The embroidered hankies just need to be ironed, and I can wrap them up.  I have so much left to make, however, that I’m going to be working on them pretty much nonstop up through Christmas Eve.  The satisfaction the handiwork gives me is worth the pressuring deadlines, and I have a few socialities scheduled for the weekend for breaks.  Tonight: Cards and pizza.  Bring it on!