Treat your teacher...

With the start of school rapidly approaching I have been racking my brain for something to give to Bryson's new KINDERGARTEN teacher. Did guys catch that?? KINDERGARTEN! WOW..where did time go? I cannot believe I am old enough to have a kindergartner in my house! This is not possible...

Anyway...back to talking about gifts for teachers.

For Bryson's pre-K teachers I made these adorable flower pots. SUPER SIMPLE. Here is what you need.

• Construction Paper
• Number 2 Pencils (sharpened)
• Single Hole Punch
• Paper Punches (optional, you can use scissors to cut the shapes out)
• Flower Pot (or large coffee cup)
• Styrofoam

I borrowed my co-workers paper punches (she has a TON of fun shapes) and I punched out different shape flowers and butterflies. You could use scissors to cut each shape out, but punches are easier and faster. I used all solid primary colors, I felt like that was fitting to Bryson's class/age.

I hole punched the center of each flower and stuck a number two pencil through them. I purchased the already sharpened pencils...because that was easier than sharpening each one. (You need them sharpened so you can stick them in the styrofoam.) Fill the flower pot with styrofoam, the stick the pencils in the foam. I am no florist, but basically you just fill up the empty spots with a flower on a pencil.

I added some tissue paper at the bottom to hide the styrofoam...you can leave it exposed or use whatever you want to cover it.

His teachers loved these so much they refuse to take them apart. I had plans of them using the pencils...LOL. 

Another favorite teacher gift were these precious mug/candles. My husband purchased me a candle making kit from Amazon for Christmas last year and of course I was dying to use it! I was cruising through Family Dollar and found these adorable mugs for ONE DOLLAR! I came home and filled them with pretty red candle wax (I don't remember the scent I chose) and let them set. Once the wax was dried I put the mugs in a treat bag and added a few pieces of candy and a fun pen. These were so precious!

The best part, once they use the candle up all they have to do is boil water and pour it in the mug. The hot water will melt the remaining wax and it will float to the top. Then they will have a CLEAN nice coffee mug!

All you need for this:

• Coffee Cup
• Treat Bag
• Ribbon
• Candle Wax & Wick
• Goodies for treat bag

Another option for teacher appreciation is the paper rose. I know most moms are on a tight budget. If you are like me and have two kids in daycare you are on a BROKE budget! To make tissue roses all you need is a roll of streamer paper and a little time on your hands. I could write a three page long blog on how to do this...or just show you this tutorial and let you try your hand at it. WARNING...the first four or five you make will be super wonky looking. Then you will get the hang of it and they will look awesome! You can make flower balls for weddings, centerpieces, or little girl's bedrooms! Read the post in the above link to see how many options there are! I LOVE tissue roses and find reasons to use them!

All you need for this:

• Tissue paper streamers
• Coffee mug or flower pot
• Tape
• Skewers
• Styrofoam

These are a few I used at my mom's 50th birthday party. The vases were super easy...modge podge and glitter. I learned that it was easy to mix glitter in the modge podge and then put it inside the vase, adding more glitter once the modge podge was spread evenly. Either way...it's super easy and makes awesome vases!

The two vases on the bottom (left and center) are actually old ceiling fan globes. The fan was getting trashed when we replaced it...so I up cycled them!

One last idea for you is burlap door hangers. Personally, I HATE burlap. After making hundreds of these I have come to loath the sight of burlap. It sheds everywhere and is itchy...but it is tolerable if you are making one or two things.

These are easy to make...paint your picture on the burlap. Cut around them, allowing enough space to sew or glue them shut, make sure to cut the front and back pieces out at the same time. Glue (or sew) most of the way around and stuff them with plastic grocery bags. The hardest part about this is cleaning up the fuzz and strings (no washing it before using it doesn't help...that tutorial lied lol).

All you will need for this is:

• A yard of burlap (any color)
• Acrylic paints
• Plastic grocery bags (or tissue paper)
• Hot glue (or sewing machine)

So now I am back to racking my brain for a fun gift to surprise Bryson's new teacher with. Sure I could do a gift card or a fruit basket...but that's not complicated enough for me LOL!