Budget-Friendly {DIY} End of the Year Teacher's Gift

I can't believe that there is less than one week left until the last day of school!  This school year has been a bear, to say the least.  My poor kids had to deal with a HUGE move, new schools, new teachers, living at and commuting from their grandmother's house for 6 months, and another big move just before the end of the school year. For the first time ever, we battled tears during morning drop-off, nervous tummies, anxiety over finals, and like my son put it this morning "way too much pressure for an elective" (referring to the final exam for his band class).

Thankfully, there are only a few more days until my kids can turn in their schoolbooks, empty their backpacks and R-E-L-A-X.  (I did have to convince my son that he was NOT going to sell his trumpet on Craigslist over the summer.)

The end of the school year is a time when we show our children's teachers how much we appreciate them. But it's also a time filled with expenses...donations for class parties, yearbooks, summer camp registration... In our case we just moved and had to pay all of the deposits required to set up services and utilities on top of the bills that are already beginning to trickle in.

As much as I would like to be that mom that brings everyone from the PE coach to the lunch room monitor a fabulous gift on the last day of school, it's simply not in our budget. My middle-schooler, alone, has 6 different instructors he sees daily.

Last year I came up with a cute and inexpensive End of the Year Teacher's Gift.  I featured this project here and pinned it to my Pinterest account.  Just in the last couple of weeks it's been repinned over 200 times! I was going to recreate it this year, but then I saw these adorable mid-size Ball mason jars and decided to try something new.

I filled the jars with Herhey's Kisses and designed labels that I tied on with twine.  Now their teachers can enjoy some yummy treats and have a cute container with endless uses---and I didn't have to break the bank.

I love mason jars! I use them for everything from holding hubby's sugar and creamer to storing tacks, paperclips, nails and more.  I have several friends who use mason jars as drinking glasses (Google: "redneck wine glass")

The jars come in a set of 4, and together with the chocolate, each individual gift comes out to about $4. Not too bad, especially when your kids are older and have several teachers!


Happy end-of-the-school-year! xo

End of the Year Teacher's Gift

I can almost hear the choirs of angels singing...only a day and a half left of the 2011-2012 school year! Since we're from Florida, we are used to being out for the summer by now, so this extra week of school is cutting into our pool time! 

The end of the school year comes with many expenses.  Teachers request donations for the seemingly endless class parties,  in our case, we have to renew our car registrations, pass inspections, etc.  We are planning a road trip to Florida to visit family, and this year the last day of school is just two days before Father's Day!  Funds are spread quite thin--like breath strip thin.  One extra drop and our budget will disintegrate.

Even so, my daughter's teacher has worked so hard for her this year, from the classroom, to being her home bound instructor when my daughter was in a wheelchair with a broken leg, that she deserved a token of our appreciation.

I let my daughter choose a charm necklace and a keyring from my shop, but I wanted to make a fun little gift that incorporated on of Ms. R's favorite things...CHOCOLATE!

I was inspired by Lisa Storms's blog.  So many great ideas!

Here's my easy-peasy end-of-the-year teacher's gift:

I bought this fun lidded cup with a straw at Walmart and filled it with Hershey's Kisses.  I designed and printed a little flag to attach to the straw and VOILA!  All for about $7.

I love to use practical and useful containers.  I can already see Ms. R sipping a frapuccino or some lemonade while reading a good book by the pool this summer. 

These are definitely going to be my go-to teacher appreciation gifts for years to come!


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Funky Wristlets

You may have noticed the door prize that I gave away at Friday's vendor night.  Here is the story as to how it was born:

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Mel asked me to come up with a wristlet design to give as 8th grade graduation gifts.  After scouring the fabric store, I found some adorable fabric that is young and fun, but not too juvenile for soon-to-be high schoolers.  Here is what I made:

 
I added some turquoise piping between the fabrics, which I think gave it a nice touch!

I added a small pocket on the inside, big enough to hold a lip gloss or an ID card.  I was so excited when Mel emailed me to tell me that she loved them! 

I intended to make a few of them for the vendor night, but I was only able to complete one by the time Friday rolled
around.

This became my door prize, and I was so excited to see the response it received! 

If you are interested in a funky wristlet, visit my Facebook page for pricing and other details, or email me at the link on my sidebar.  These can be made in any fabric combination. 

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Teacher Appreciation Week {Fabric Lanyard}

I made this fabric lanyard months ago and it traveled all the way with me to Rome where I gave it to my cousin who met us for a "business vacation".


I hadn't gotten around to making any more until another one of my cousins asked for a couple to give to her daughter's teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.  OF COURSE!  What a great idea!  Being a former teacher herself, she knew that these would make fun AND useful gifts!

She chose the same fabric from my previous lanyard, and wanted them both identical.

The lanyards feature a swivel clasp.

They can be made in any length and any fabric.

I still haven't made one for myself, but now that I've been inspired....  :)

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