Middle/High School Teacher Gifts

As I said before, I used to teach high school and never got many thank-you gifts.  Those teachers might not actually have the huge stashes of coffee mugs, candles and lotions like their elementary counter-parts.  I'd love to get everyone of them a gift card, but since there are 10 of them, I settled on a candy bar.  I cut out an apple, a school, bus, and a backpack with my Cricut Doodle Charms cartridge.  Then I printed out a note (I'll have my daughter sign the back) and tied them altogether with a candy bar. 
Click here for PDF files:
Color
Black and White

If your kids are too shy to pass them out, you can always just leave in their mailboxes in the office.

Now that I think about it, I should have done something for my boy's music, PE, computer teachers.  Maybe I'll make some of these for them as well.
Here's what I did for the Elementary teachers.
Linking up here.

Comment and Log-in Solution

We all love comments and it has been frustrating lately having only the sporadic ability to leave them.


Check here for some possible solutions:


http://www.google.com/support/forum/p/blogger/thread?tid=4bd36d5355dbcf8c&hl=en


I cleared cache and cookies, but still had issues.  However, strangely when I use Firefox as my browser everything works fine.  I may have watched too many sci-fi movies, but I'm starting to wonder if this is some conspiracy to get us all to switch to Firefox?


Here's what fianlly worked for me:  Strangely, if you don't click "stay logged in" it will actually keep you logged on.  If I do click the box, it just keeps bumping me back to the log-in page. (that's just buckets of fun) I wonder if somehow it got mixed up.


Anyone else having same problem-find something else that works?

I'm linking up here. 

I'm going to leave random comments all day all over the blogosphere just because I can!

Help my sister Adopt

When I was 9 and living in South Korea, a newborn was left literally on a doorstep. In the process of adopting her, my parents fell in love with a toddler and I now have 2 sisters from South Korea. Adoption Rocks!

My sister is holding an online-auction (Through June 3)  to raise money to adopt a baby from Korea. .  Check it out: http://www.plunderhere.com/shop.php?user_id=113407

Here's my contributions:

I made 7 camera straps, but this is my fav.  It's currently only listed for $5

Teacher Thank-you's

In my former life, I taught high school and would have taken any token of appreciation that I could get.  My dad's an elementary principal and my mom  is a teacher.  Let me let you in on some appreciation giving secrets.  My dad says his very favorite thing are handwritten notes and hand drawn pictures with sincere thanks.  While he appreciates the gesture, the man could start his own coffee mug company-and he doesn't drink coffee.  My mother has baskets and baskets of lotions and bubble baths. Again she appreciates the gesture, but her current stockpile will last her for decades. Especially since she's actually allergic to most of them.  She also has a pretty huge stash of candles as well. 

Our PTA did something genius.  They had each teacher fill out a  survey about some of their favorite things (restaurants, hobbies, etc).  They are kept in a large binder in the office for parents to check out.  Today after school, I'm going to have my kids write a thank-you note to their teachers.  I'm including a Sonic gift card, because nothing tastes like summer to me more than Sonic. (and honestly, b/c they sell them at the check-out of the grocery store)

I bought invitation envelopes (4 3/4 x 6 1/2 inch).  I took a 12 inch piece of card stock and cut in so it was 6  inches wide.  Then I folded it at 4 1/2 inches and 9 inches.  This gave me a 3 inch flap.

 Inside I attached a strip of paper to make a little pocket for the gift card.

 I glued some fun "summer" paper on the front. Then I punched a hole in the center of the flap.

 I cut a slit in the bottom flap and thread a piece of ribbon through.

 I tied it shut.  TADAA!

Linking up HERE.

DIY Camera Straps

My sister is doing an online fundraiser to raise $ to help cover the costs of their adoption.  (http://www.plunderhere.com/shop.php?user_id=113407).  So I spent Friday and Saturday sewing.  Mostly I made camera straps.  Here's how I did it.

Step 1:

Measure your camera strap (Mine was 20 inches, so all my measurements are based on that.)

Step 2:

Cut out 2 pieces of felt 2x20 (fusible fleece would be great-but I didn't want to drive to the store)

Step 3

Cut 2 strip of fabric 3x22.  Optional: If you want a pocket for your lens cap, cut a strip 3x7 inches.

Step 4: Finish top and side edges of pocket and pin on fabric.

Optional:  If you'd like to add any ruffles or trim, sew it to one of the strips now.

 Step 5: Iron down side edges and fold down top edges (like you wrap a present).

Step 6: Place strips wrong sides together and sew close to the edge along the sides.  Leave top opens.

TADAA!

Plain

 Ruffles

 Pleated satin ribbon-this one's my favorite

Linking up Here

Call me Frankenstein

So pretty much right after I blogged about being skin cancer free, my doctor called.  Apparently I had "bad margins" and had to go back in for Moh's Surgery.  I scheduled it for yesterday morning and had my husband take off work to come with me.  I'm not gonna lie, I was scared on the inside.  I'm not overly vain, but super villains aside-who wants a huge scar down your face?  I was also slightly worried that maybe it would be a little bigger deal than originally thought and want no part of anything to do with Cancer.

My hubby is in the Air Force which means we get free medical care.  It also means you don't chose your doctor.  I was relieved when mine came in and the nurse addressed him, "Good Morning, Chief".  Woohoo! The Chief of Dermatology would be cutting on me and not some brand new resident.   I got really queasy during the procedure (if you won't think less of me, I'll confess I was close to passing out).  I was numb, but it was still a creepy experience and the more I tried not to think about it, the more of course I thought about it. I think I was holding my breathe-which wasn't good. It also took way longer than the first time (5-6 minutes, instead of 2-3 minutes). I also would have handled it better if it would have been on my arm or back, but eyes freak me out.

 After the procedure, I went back to the waiting room to wait for my results.  Luckily, they got it all and I now have "clean margins".  So I went back so they could stitch me up.  I have 6 stitches and wasn't prepared for how big it would be.  Hopefully it will clear up nice.  They said if it doesn't, they can use a laser to treat the scar later.

Interestingly enough, he said that there is no medical evidence that products like Mederma do anything. I should have saved my $18.  He recommends petroleum jelly.

If you have weird reddish patches that won't heal-go see a doctor. Consider this my Public Service Announcement.

Pettiskirt tutorial

I found my daughter a yellow swiss-dot dress that was absolutely adorable-except for the fact that it was see-through.  I thought a white cotton pettiskirt would make it cuter and a little more appropriate for Easter Sunday.  I've made elastic waist ones in the past, but I didn't want her to have a "bunchy" waist.

I thought an A-line skirt would work better. I cut two of these on the fold.

Then I sewed up the sides, leaving one side open.  I serged the part I didn't sew.  Then I used double fold bias tape to finish off the waist.

 I sewed on a hook and eye so she could close it.

She wanted a fairly large ruffle.  With my new ruffle foot (that I'm still trying to figure out), I sewed a 5 inch ruffle at the bottom.

 Tadaaa!

It's no longer see-through and has a cute vintage look w/ out a bunchy waist.

 She needed some hair bling.  I made 3 roses and glued them on a headband.

 Linking up here.

Check out some other clothes I've made here.