Top 10 (As Voted on by Teachers) Teacher Gifts

In a recent poll, 500 elementary school teachers were asked to name their favorite end-of-the-year gifts from students.  Here are their answers:

#10  Summer related gift (i.e. beach towel, hat, etc.)  
Coincidentally, in my last post I pictured an example of this.  Put together a bright beach towel, a magazine and a fun pair of sunglasses (like these from Hippi Fashionista) and tie it up with a ribbon!
#9  Personalized stationary
This is easy to find in any office supply store of gift store. You can also think ahead and get it printed before hand by any number of online printers.
#8  Magazine Subscription
You'll need to find out your teacher's interests for this one--but stay away from education magazines, even a travel magazine is preferable to a monthly reminder of work.
#7  Plant/flowers
A daily reminder that he/she is appreciated.
#6  Gift basket
Try to find a theme your teacher likes—for example, gardening or cooking.  You could make this yourself using a nice basket. 
#5  Gift Card to teacher supply store/office supply store/etc.
#4  Food
Food is always appreciated, but some teachers mentioned receiving frozen casseroles or hand delivered submarine sandwiches during the last week of school.
#3  Sincere thank you note
A handwritten letter from the parents expressing sincere appreciation.  Give a copy to the principal and the teacher (if you let him/her know) will be doubly thankful!
#2  Gift card for coffee
A standard, but always appreciated.
#1  Gift Card for restaurant
Many teachers mentioned this was appreciated because it allowed them to go out and celebrate the end of the school year.

Whatever you decide, it is bound to be appreciated--and the older your child is, the more the teacher will appreciate it.  Gifts for teachers in the 7th - 12th drop by 90 percent(!), so sending even a small token of appreciation to these teachers will be even more appreciated!

Until next time

Go Get Crafty!

~Sister #1

Linking Up Here:

6 Great End-of-Year Teacher Gifts

It's that time of year again--time to put together a *few* gifts for the awesome teachers and aids who have been a part of my son's education this year.  So naturally, the first thing I did was head over to Pinterest to take a look at the board we sisters have put together dedicated to gifts!

Here are a few of my favorites:

  ↑ Summer teacher gift: a beach towel, magazine, sunscreen & sunglasses tied together; 

featured by Junk in Their Trunk.

OMG Coffee Table Book, or is it a Book Coffee Table?

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While this doesn't exactly fall under recycle, upcycle or anything else we're about, I couldn't resist sharing this awesome coffee table.  I've seen some great Coffee Table Books, but this coffee table takes that phrase to a whole new level.  Wonder if one of my sisters could create a knock-off?  I know it's way beyond my skills!

Designed by Micth Steinmetz this table (he called it Remembrance) is a combination of a coffee table and a large photo album. The cover actually opens to large "pages" that are filled with photos.  And at the bottom is a secret space.

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Have a great day, and go Get Crafty!
~Sister #3

Pinterest Party - Recycled Magazine Crosses

Pin It Our first Pinterest party was a big hit!  Between the spirits and the food and the laughter, we managed to finish most of our crosses--albeit at varying levels of expertise, lol.  {To see the tutorial for this craft, click here.} Take a look at the fun:

Different sizes of folded and wrapped coils. 

Adding to the design.

It seemed as if we were never going to stop folding paper!

The jokes were flying at this end of the table.  :)

Nearing the end--concentrated gluing.

Did I say varying levels?

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All in all it was a great evening--we had lots of fun and learned something new to boot.

Here's a preview of what our next party will bring:

Modge-podge crosses

Can't wait until then!  In the meantime,

Go Get Crafty, Sister!

Pinterest Party -Our 1st One Ever!

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Hosting the first ever Pinterest Party (at least for us) should be great fun! Lots of laughs, good company, and spirits are expected...oh yes and time spent creating RECYCLED MAGAZINE CROSSES. Each guest is asked to bring pre-rolled cores and rolls made of 1/2 magazine page rolled into a tight circle + folded pages to use for outside border/frame.

MATERIALS:

1 or 2 old magazines (8 x 10 or 11 x 14)

box cutter

scissors

*14 - 18 small cores

*5 large rolls of varying sizes

*1 large roll to form center of cross

*18-20 folded 1/2 pages to use for outside border/frame

clothes pins

rubber bands

Modge Podge

paint brush

STEP 1: Find 1 or 2 outdated, non-essential magazines (preferably taking up space in the restroom magazine basket). The magazines should have slick pages (avoid those with thicker, smaller pages like National Geographic). Once the magazines have been chosen, try to stick to this same size or magazines for the entire cross.

STEP 2: Remove one page from the magazine. (Actually, I took a box cutter and removed the entire binding from the magazines on my original one.)

STEP 3: Cut this page in half. You will work with half pages to create each of the cores.

STEP 4: Using the half page, fold it in half (lengthwise).

STEP 5: Fold each side to the center.

STEP 6: Repeat by folding each side into the center again.

STEP 7: Be sure edges are flattened by running a ruler along them. Then use Elmer's or stick glue to seal the inner fold together.

STEP 8: Fold the center together. Run a line of glue along one side of the folded paper.

STEP 9: Begin at one end and roll the page along the folded side that has been glued; roll tightly.

Until you reach the end of the page.

STEP 10: Set aside and fold another half page. Follow the same procedure, using glue to seal the center folds together and another line of glue along one side of the folded page. Beginning at the end of the initial roll, begin rolling the new folded page around the core.

STEP 11: This is a building process when producing the larger rolls for the cross and requires wrapping the newly folded pages around the core to make it grow larger and larger. As the core grows, wrap a rubber band around the resultant core to hold it together until the new page is folded and ready to glue on.

We used a 13oz. can of chicken breast to determine the size of the center roll for the cross. Once the roll grew to a size that it just fit into the top of the can, we began to work on the other 6 large rolls. These other 6 were of varying sizes. We also used an additional 14-18 small, "core" rolls to create the final cross shape.

(This cross can be found at TipJunky.) We will post Pinterest Party Pics and our crosses next week!

Peace be with you!

~Sister #1

Other RECYCLED MAGAZINE PROJECTS you might like:

RECYCLED MAGAZINE BOXES with tutorial at "Abstract Octopus"

OR this RECYCLED MAGAZINE BOWL made by gluing rolls around a balloon.