School Supplies

Thanks to MPM School Supplies, I was able to get a jump start on my classroom shopping!  

Take a look at what I got:

The thing about it was that MPM was super easy to shop with...and then add to that I ordered my items on Monday and got them on Wednesday!  That's pretty good, right?  Plus, the selection was fantastic.
I saw items there that I haven't seen anywhere else!

I saw this and fell in love...it is from Creative Teaching Press ...AWESOME!
It is called Floral Fun!!

And here are a few more things still on my wish list:
super cute ladybug rug

This is the one I have...I have had it since about 2000.  It has seen its better days.  

The funny part is that my students sweep the room throughout the day (with hand brooms and dustpans) and they will "sweep" the rug and comment on how "dirty" different states are.  

I also am loving this

they have border and other items to match!

I will be shopping with MPM again....and again, and again.  The ease of use with their site, combined with the quick delivery...let's just say, "awesome!" Oh, and did I mention you can get a 15% discount on their site if you are one of my first 25 readers to click over and order??

15% off your readers' first 25 orders:

http://www.mpmschoolsupplies.com/redeem/S1206DS8G7HLA

So what are you waiting for, go shopping now at MPM!!!

Winners!

We have winners for my Blogiversary Giveaway!!

Here is another shot of the names in case you're not sure if it is you =)

I have emailed all four of you, but have only heard back from Casey!!  

I am waiting to hear from you guys!!

Label It! Classroom Jobs

Wow, I have been busy...another request from an awesome teacher!  Label It! Classroom Jobs Pack.  Great for beginning of school!

TPT

TN

(not pictured are the color version of the thinking maps above =)  

I forgot to do a picture that showed them and I am just too pooped to do it now...lol

Label It! Beginning of School & Freebie

Here is a fun request from a great teacher...

Label It! pages for the beginning of school!

TPT 

TN

And for your freebie:

CLock on the picture or here to get from google docs (also is a download preview at TPT)

Class Brochure

Last summer I shared the class brochure that I give to parents at the beginning of the year (and also to new students when they arrive).  You can see that post here!

I have had many teachers email me asking about how I created the brochure.  I create brochures in Pages (Mac) and then save it as a PDF.  You can check your own versions of Word or Pages and use the brochure option in their templates menu.  The clipart and alphabets in the Ocean version of the brochure from last year are from Lettering Delights.  This year I have created a more neutral version of the brochure, here is one cover...(the other is at the top). 

I have had many teachers also ask if I could create a brochure for them.  I decided to offer a listing on TPT  for a customizable brochure.  You can choose theme, content, everything.  The brochure can be used for more than one year, unless you choose to have the year placed on the front. If interested, you can check the listing out here on TPT!  A lot of work goes into these brochures, 

I hope you love it! 

*check back Tuesday night for the winners of my 

Blogiversary Giveaway!  

You still have time to enter!!

AL Bloggy Meet Up??

Ok, so I have had some folks email me asking about whether we would be having another Alabama Blogger Meet Up.  I would love to get together again now that school is out!  

What I need:
  Leave a comment below if you are interested in coming (with email address) and let us know your opinion on whether weekday or weekend works best.  Also share if there is a date that wouldn't work for you.  Right now I was thinking maybe next week (at the earliest) or the week of July 9th..  We had a great lunch last time at Chuy's, but I am open to any ideas of other locations that would work =)

And in other exciting news....

apparently during my giveaway I have reached 2,000 followers!  YAY!!

Thank you Heather from Heather's Heart for bringing it to my attention!!

A Day at School with THE SINK

So as I was saying yesterday, I covered THE WALL (see post here) and had an entire roll of shelf liner left.  I couldn't just let it sit there all lonely, could I?  As I looked around the room, I remembered the area I painted before school got out- it isn't finished, but I painted a section of the wall black and added the white. It has always been a tradition for me to hang up the class picture from each year I teach.  It dates all the way back to my student teaching class...all my past classes are always on the wall.  You should see former kids come in my room (we are k-12) and how excited they are to see their picture on the wall =)  PLUS, there is the added bonus of seeing the many different looks of Jennifer (me) over the years.  There is the good....the bad...and the UGLY paisley capri pants.  
(not sure what I was thinking?)

Anyway, I attached the class pics to each other with ribbon and used 3m Hooks to attach them to the wall at the top.  And as much as I thought the new set-up was better than the cork board they used to be on, I couldn't enjoy it because of THE SINK.  It is the oldest, ugliest, nastiest sink ever.  Now it isn't all my fault.  I teach with people who attended first grade in this classroom  (not young people, either).  THE SINK leaks and can't really be used (although I have been known to rinse paint brushes in it in a pinch)  The countertop around the sink is ugly, too....dirty, and yucky, stained beyond belief (the photo doesn't do it justice).  

So that is where the shelf liner comes in.  I used the second roll to line the countertop.  I think it helps.  
It sure made me smile =)

Don't forget to enter my Blogiversary  Giveaway 
and
that I am having a 20% off 
Blogiversary Sale at TPT and TN!

A Day at School with THE WALL

I spent yesterday at school....working.  I arrived with shelf liner in hand, but soon realized I needed to move all my furniture back where it goes, otherwise there is no way I would be able to concentrate on the task at hand. Once the classroom was sort of put back together, I started with  THE WALL.  See, I have this wall that divides up my windows...it is also where the vents and heat/air are (I think at one time it was just windows).  THE WALL is made out of this weird material...painted 'Historic Tan' (insert frowny face) like everything else in the school and is a major source of grief for me.  It looks dirty and old.  I have tried decorating it.  I have tried cleaning it.  I have tried putting polka dots on it.  Nothing helped me feel better about THE WALL.  So I decided to try Shelf Liner (like I used on my yellow table...
see the post about that here)

I took pictures to show you how I apply the paper, and then I realized the directions are on the back of the paper (I just thought I was super smart and skilled! lol)
Before            After

I went to TJ MAXX and found some brown patterned adhesive shelf liner and got to work.  And work.  And work.  I kid, it really didn't take too long.  Luckily the air was working and I found the school ladder.  I plan on adding large polka dots or something to break up the brown pattern.  Surprisingly,  I only used one roll of the paper.  So then I decided to do something with the other roll. Check back tomorrow to find out what else I covered!! =)

Don't forget to enter my Blogiversary Giveaway!!

Blogiversary Giveaway!! Wahoo!

I am sort of freaking out, because yesterday 

I realized that today is my...

One Year

Blogiversary!

I wanted to celebrate with a HUGE Giveaway, so I contacted some of my favorite folks and asked if they would donate some things...and then I threw in some stuff of my own and here we are with a 

One Year Blogiversary Giveaway!  

Take a look at what you can win:

A big thank you to Creative Teaching Press and MelonHeadz for their donations....
I truly love everything they do!
We will have four winners...the more winners, the better in my book!  Giveaway ends next Tuesday (the 26th) around 9pm.  I have never used the Rafflecopter thing before, so we will see how that goes...lol

Oh, and just so we can be sure that everyone is a winner, 

my TPT and TN Shops will be on sale, too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

O-Fish-Ally A New Freebie

Happy Monday Everyone!

Cute fish, right? Click on him to visit Love Two Teach and get your own fishies!

Last summer I had a post where I took inspiration from Pinterest and changed it up a bit and made something for the beginning of the year to welcome my firsties. 

(you can see that post here) Recently I had a sweet follower email and ask if I could change it up to work for the end of the year, too.  

I worked on it and here is what I came up with...I did grades K up to third =)  I also included a version for the beginning and end of the year.  All you have to do is add them to a baggy of goldfish!

There are 5 pages' worth of variety...click on the picture or here to get your copy from google docs =)

(Check out the original inspiration I got from Pinterest here)

Winner!

Congrats Ms. C!!  I will be emailing you shortly =)

Scentos Marker Giveaway Reminder!!

Don't forget to enter my Smelly Marker Giveaway!

You can win my Smelly Spelling Pack AND 5 Scentos Smelly Markers and a 6pack of 

Sweethearts Candy Smelly Markers.

Click Here to enter!!
 Giveaway ends tomorrow night 

June 17th at around 9pm!

Hope you love the pack!  

For complete contents, check out the listing on TPT or TN!

Also, for those of you who have been looking for Scentos:
I have heard from Mike a rep from WeVeel Inc. that...

Currently, Scentos Markers and Bubbles are available for purchase at Walmart for $1 (on clip strips near both the toy/coloring book section and near notebooks in the stationery aisle) year round. (They are having trouble keeping them in stock due to the high demand, but more should be arriving 
in stores this week.)

Staples has Scentos Markers (Near the aisle bins) in all stores. These are easiest to find, 
but are $2 in stores.

Soon ToysRus, Walmart and Staples will have big feature deals for Back to School. Michaels will be featuring Scentos again in for Back to School this year too. Walmart will have Banana & Chocolate. 

Target will have Christmas Scentos starting in November. Party City will have Moshi Monsters 
in the Fall too. 

They even started a Scentos Markers page on Facebook for product updates. 

They will be launching a collector page in the summer for Back to School. 

www.facebook.com/people/Scentos-Markers/100003482741883

Great info, right??

So head out and get your own...or enter my giveaway!!!

Smelly Spelling Giveaway and Freebie!

I know you have seen Smelly Markers on other blogs for classroom use..and I finally found my own set  at Michael's during the school year.  My kids LOVED them! 

 Getting that smiley face on their paper took on a whole new fun, smelly meaning.  

It started me thinking about how I could use the markers to infuse excitement into some of my literacy stations.  I decided spelling is one of those things in my writing station that can always use a fun twist to the routine.  And that led to Smelly Spelling!

And a fun giveaway.  

You can win my Smelly Spelling Pack AND 5 Scentos Smelly Markers and a 6pack of 

Sweethearts Candy Smelly Markers.

All you have to do is leave a comment 

below telling me what else you 

would use the markers for in your classroom. 

I will use random number generator 

to choose a winner. Giveaway ends Sunday 

June 17th at around 9pm!
Giveaway is now closed! =)

I have more recently been able to find the markers at Walmart in the craft department.

Don't forget to get your freebie page for smelly spelling by visiting the TPT listing and clicking 

"download preview"

*I tried to offer a variety of pages with different amounts of spelling words,as I realize not everyone has just 10 words...Those of you who have 10 may not need or use all the pages...and those of you with more than 10 words may want to duplicate a page and put it on the back.  Although I tried to accommodate different amounts, the basic pack is made ideally for 10-15 spelling words.* 

Hope you love it!  

For complete contents, check out the listing on TPT or TN!

Add Your Blog to My Roll and Giveaways Galore

I have been trying to clean up the look of my blog...playing around with the template, etc.  While doing that, I decided I would copy Farley (whose blog I ADORE!) and add some pages for blog friends instead of having it down the side of my blog.  So if you would like to join my blog roll, simply click below "Pages" (on the left below my email)and choose the page that fits your blog, either k-2 or 3 and Up and create a link to your blog =)

Moving On....

I wanted to share two great giveaways that are going on right now where you can win something from me and MORE!!

The Learning Tree is having a giveaway to celebrate 200 followers. 

You can win my Chicken Little Pack and a ton of other goodies!

And Teaching with Love and Laughter is celebrating 500 followers with a giant-sized giveaway...you can win a pack of your choice from my shop and so much more!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Lakeshore Contest and Discount

First of all, I want to say thank you for all the well wishes!  I am doing pretty well after the sinus surgery (deviated septum is fixed, too!! =) ...but I cannot tell a lie, it has been rough (and is still pretty bad, but I am hoping tomorrow when the packing is removed it will be much better =)

Enough of that.... now

onto the good stuff!!

I just wanted to take a quick moment and share with you an amazing opportunity from Lakeshore.  We all know how much I love their products and currently they are running an amazing promotion.  All you have to do is "like" Lakeshore Learning Materials Facebook Page and...

* Click on the Entry form and submit a picture of your child participating in their 

favorite summer learning activity!

*   Spread the word by encouraging family and friends to ‘Like’ the submitted photo

-          The top photos with the most ‘Likes’ --WIN!

* Winners: 5 lucky fans will be awarded with a $1,000 e-gift card! 

PLUS everyone who enters will receive a special discount coupon as a thank you for their participation.

*  Time Frame: Begins June 4^th-June 30^th and Winners will be announced on July 2^nd

Bloggy Hugs to all of you!!!

Hi Everybody!!

So what have I been up to?  Well, quite a lot.  The end of school sorta kicked my rear.... not sure why, but before I packed up my room for summer...I decided to paint my bookcases.  Wow!  

It took way longer than I thought it would.  

But it was worth it:

I painted them black.  Before that they were "historic tan" like our walls.  

Now I think they stand out more (in a good way!)

Here are a couple of "before" pictures:

I like it.  After all that painting, I still had to pack up my room!! 

 I was the last one out of the parking lot!

Once I recovered from the end of school... it has been things like my daughter's swim team practice EVERY morning M-F at 7:30,  going to the lake and having some birthday fun for Jack who is turning 5 next week... running errands and doctor's appointments keeping me busy! Oh...and  

check out what I found at the Dollar Tree when I was out and about for one of those appointments:

In other news....

Tomorrow I am having sinus surgery, but my hope is that the recovery only take a few days and that I will be able to keep up with my google reader and post soon.  

I hope you all have a great week!!