Yes, Teacher!: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Interchangeable Flower Belt

When I was in New Jersey over the summer, my sister and I created an interchangeable flower belt.

Here are the materials we used:

* one piece of felt

* scissors

* glue gun

* fake flowers

* one ribbon belt (super easy tutorial here)

Step 1: Cut the flowers off of the stems.

If you run into a flower like this where the tip of the stem is very 3D, then follow these simple steps:

Step 2: Use your glue gun to glue one piece of felt to the back of the flower, then another piece of felt over top for the belt to slide through:

Step 3: Once you've finished creating all the interchangeable flower parts, slip one onto your belt:

Step 4: Model for the camera!!

PS: Isn't my sister beautiful?

PPS: Winners!

The winner of the Seek First giveaway is Mallorie Owens

The winner of the Tell Your Girlfriends giveaway is Beth

The winner of the La Luce giveaway is the Washburn Family

Monday, August 29, 2011

Tickle Me Tuesday, 33rd edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Tickle Me Tuesdays, where we all share what's been tickling our fancy!

If you'd like to participate (and you know you do!!), here are the rules:

1. Write a short post with anywhere from one to five items that have been tickling your fancy recently. Please include pictures and links :)

2. Make sure to link back to the party in your blog post (you can grab the button or include a text link)

3. Come back here and link up your blog post!

4. Visit some other links and HAVE FUN!

Clutch from Alissa Jacobs

Plush Owl Pillow from Gingiber

Key Hook Holder from Bacon Square Farm

Now it's your turn! What's been tickling your fancy?

Doing it all without collapsing

This transition from summer vacation (with 0 responsibilities) to teaching full time (with too many responsibilities) has been difficult for me.

I'm finding I need to re-learn how to manage my time. Where before I could spend five straight hours on the computer, I now feel like I only have five minutes! And I have important things to do online, you know, like blogging, commenting, and surfing pinterest.

Last Thursday between 6:40 and 7:00 AM, I was trying to: package an order, comment on blogs, and drink my tea.... all at the same time! Not surprisingly, I was five minutes late to a morning meeting at school.

{via}

The next morning, I was so tired I almost used my foundation as deodorant!!

Until I get used to my new routine, I may have to set a timer for myself when I sit down at the computer. Like so many minutes to read blogs and comment, so many minutes on pinterest, etc.

And I really wish I could develop some type of short term amnesia and forget about all of that summer fun. It might make this back-to-school transition easier!

What about you? How do you juggle it all? Especially you crafters with kiddos?!?

PS: Don't forget! I have three giveaways ending tomorrow: here, here, and here!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Give your handmade business a boost

Packages start as low as $8.00 month! For all rates see here.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Promise you won't laugh at me before reading this

I have a confession to make. Kind of an embarrassing one.

via

You see, way back in the day when I first started drinking coffee I was living with a Dutch family at my boarding school. I was fourteen and trying to be polite. So when they passed me a mug of strong, black coffee, I didn't refuse it. I choked it down. As was their family tradition, they drank a half mug of coffee every Sunday after church with cold sandwiches. After a few months of discreetly wincing, I actually came to love it!

And then I turned into a complete coffee snob, looking down on anyone who "doctored" up their coffee with any cream or sugar. It was black or nothing!

And then in Maine this summer, I took a cautious plunge. I had ordered a mug of house coffee. When I took a sip, I found it to be quite strong, actually..... I thought: "Am I getting weak in my old age or is this maybe a little TOO strong?"

So even though I had just finished teasing my sister for doctoring her coffee, I poured in some cream and sugar into my own mug.

And..... ohmygosh I am such an idiot for just drinking it black these last 15 years!! HELLO YUMMY COFFEE, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!?

Me and the hubby on that fateful day!

What about you? Any duh moments for you lately? How do you take your coffee?

PPS: Don't forget to enter the giveaways here, here, and here!

Hardest question to answer

What's your favorite color? That's Gussy's prompt for this week and it's caused me no small amount of anxiety trying to narrow it down!

When I was little, that was easy: pink. But now? Now that I know how many shades of just one color there are.... the answer isn't so simple. (I could spend hours on Colour Lovers browsing their palettes!)

Truthfully, I'm all about color combinations these days.

via

Whew! All of this eye candy makes me want to go stare at some paint chips! What about you? What's your color inspiration?

PS: Don't forget to enter the giveaways here, here, and here!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Just Beachy

When we went camping in Maine with my brother, we also hit up the shore! I have to say, I love the beach up there! It's definitely cooler in terms of temperature, and with lots of fun things to explore.

We found a crab hiding in some rocks:

There it is!

My husband Max found an oddly shaped rock. Psychologist that he is, he had to ask everyone what we saw in it:

We took lots of pictures:

And we ended the day with some yummy blueberry soda:

I wish I was back in Maine right now! What about you? Do you have any favorite summer memories or are you still making them?

PS: I'm guest posting today over at Life in the Bat Cave about teachers going back to school!

PPS: Don't forget to enter the giveaways here, here, and here!

Monday, August 22, 2011

Tickle Me Tuesday, 32nd edition

Welcome to the latest edition of Tickle Me Tuesdays, where we all share what's been tickling our fancy!

If you'd like to participate (and you know you do!!), here are the rules:

1. Write a short post with anywhere from one to five items that have been tickling your fancy recently. Please include pictures and links :)

2. Make sure to link back to the party in your blog post (you can grab the button or include a text link)

3. Come back here and link up your blog post!

4. Visit some other links and HAVE FUN!

New Spring Romance Dress from Lucia Verona

Hydrangea Bobby Pins from Woodland Belle

Framed Ceramic Tile from KaroArt

Now it's your turn! What's been tickling your fancy?

Star Sponsor and Giveaway: Seek First

Hello! My name is Lauren Battershell from Seek First, and I am a lover and follower of Jesus. I am also crafty DIY thrift-a-holic, wife, blogger, and cancer researcher. I love crafting and sharing my adventures along the way on my blog...where you can see my perspective on life, faith, love, marriage, and crafts. I married my best friend last December, and am so honored to call him my husband!

Lauren has some seriously cute stuff in her shop! Here are a few pieces I'm drooling over:

**COUPON CODE**

These lovelies can be yours at a discount! Enter code TEACHER for 30% off of your purchase!

**GIVEAWAY**

Lauren is generously giving away YOUR CHOICE of necklace from her store!

Mandatory entry: Visit Seek First and tell me your favorite item from her store. Be sure to leave your email address or a way to reach you if you win!

Extra entries:

+1 Follow Lauren's blog

+1 Heart Lauren's shop on Etsy

+1 Follow my blog via GFC

+1 Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook

(Sample tweet: PRETTY! You can win your choice of rosette necklaces from Seek First designs! http://tiny.cc/1y78e via @yes_teacher )

Giveaway ends Tuesday 8/30. Winner will be notified via email and announced on the following day. Good luck!

Star Sponsor and Giveaway: Tell Your Girlfriends

Tell Your Girlfriends is a collection of jewelry inspired by antiques and modern design. The designs are made with rare vintage finds or gem stones or one of a kind handmade Art Beads.

(Art beads are made by individual artisans in independently owned studios. They work either alone or in very small studios, making one of a kind beads by hand or in small batches. Art beads are not made in factories or sweatshops in mass quantities. When you buy art beads, you support the people who make them directly.)

I search the world via the internet and travel to find the most beautiful and unique findings. My jewelry is wearable and made to last. The jewelry you will find at Tell Your Girlfriends is most importantly handmade one at a time, no two pieces will ever be identical given the nature of the beads and findings. The jewelry can be described as versatile wearing it from work, to dinner, to play group. Timeless and affordable. These designs appeal to women who like uniqueness, quality and design. When you find something great...Tell Your Girlfriends.

Cilla has some fabulous pieces in her shop. Here's a peek at some of my favorites:

**GIVEAWAY**

Cilla is generously giving away a $25 gift certificate to her store!

Mandatory entry: Visit Tell Your Girlfriends and tell me your favorite item from her store. Be sure to leave your email address or a way to reach you if you win!

Extra entries:

+1 Heart Cilla's shop

+1 Follow my blog via GFC

+1 Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook

(Sample tweet: Win $25 worth of beautiful jewelry from "Tell Your Girlfriends" designs http://tiny.cc/p24fc via @yes_teacher )

Giveaway ends Tuesday 8/30. Winner will be notified via email and announced on the following day. Good luck!

Star Sponsor Feature: Laura from Along for the Ride

{Blog} {Shop} {Facebook} {Twitter}

Hi there! I'm Laura and I'm along for the ride! No, literally, I am. Along For the Ride isn't just the name of my blog and handmade shop, but it's how I see my walk with the Lord. I am along for the ride He has planned for me, and what a glorious ride it is! During the day (and lots of times at night) I spend my time running a residence hall on a college campus. My husband and I live in the hall and our neighbors are 400 loud, silly, messy, wonderful college students. We have a kitty baby named Jupiter that shares our little apartment. When I'm not working in the hall, I spend my time with a glue gun in hand, making lovely things for my shop. My motto is "keep is simple" and I try to make simple, beautiful accessories that aren't too dramatic or fussy, but add just a pretty touch of whimsy. "Keep it simple" is my motto for my life as well and I blog a lot about the simple, little, imperfect things that make life sweet.

Star Sponsor and Giveaway: La Luce

Hello beautiful people! My name Ashley Marie Wilson and I am lover of God, my husband, my friends that are family, and creativity. I am also the owner of La Luce. La Luce originally began as my own photography business.Being a photographer put me around a lot of photoshoots, celebrations, and weddings. I believe that ignited the designer spark tucked away in me.

It really started when I was shopping for my good friends baby shower, and I didn’t like any of the baby hair accessories that were offered. I knew I wouldn’t buy it, and I knew my good friend ( a fashion stylist that has extreme expertise in that area ) wouldn’t either. I started thinking, why don’t they make baby stuff look like what we would wear, but just smaller?

Shortly after a flood of accessory designs began poured into me. Some were high fashion, some were everyday fashion accessory styles that I would wear, some were bridal designs, and some were designs that I know Moms would love to put on their baby girl. So I started practicing and playing around with different techniques and with the leading of the Lord, La Luce expanded into photography AND design.

Ashley makes SUCH beautiful accessories. Check out some of my favorites:

**COUPON CODE**

These beauties can be yours at a discount! Enter code 10PERCENT for 10% off of your purchase (valid until 8/29)

**GIVEAWAY**

Ashley is generously giving away a 20$ gift certificate to her store!

Mandatory entry: Visit La Luce and tell me your favorite item from her store. Be sure to leave your email address or a way to reach you if you win!

Extra entries:

+1 Follow Ashley's blog

+1 Follow Ashley on Twitter

+1 Follow my blog via GFC

+1 Share this giveaway on Twitter or Facebook

(Sample tweet: Add some prettiness to your life and win $20 to La Luce http://tiny.cc/olnrd via @yes_teacher )

Giveaway ends Tuesday 8/30. Winner will be notified via email and announced on the following day. Good luck!