2 AM (a.k.a.- Sewing Velcro on Pocket Charts Project)

What were YOU doing at 2 AM?  Were you sleeping like every non-night owl?  I was cutting things for my classroom and working on my pocket charts.  I must be feeling the crunch of the impending school year...I broke out the sewing machine. 

Every year, there's something that changes in my classroom.  Be it the layout, distribution of classroom supplies, etc., something inevitably changes.  Last year, it was curtains.  This year, I've decided to use some of my pocket charts in different places, which requires me to get creative.  I have a giant file drawer system that I salvaged from "surplus" a few years ago.  The back of it this year is facing my reading group table, so I wanted to hang pocket charts on it for each of my leveled reading groups. 

I bought some industrial 2" wide Velcro, and adhered it to the top of each chart.  Then, for extra durability, I found coordinating threads, and zig-zag stitched each on.  Now, I really DON'T recommend this, UNLESS you get the Velcro that isn't AS SUPER STICKY as the stuff I got (but there really wasn't a good selection...beggars can't be choosy, right?).  I FINALLY made it through all three pocket charts, but that was after numerous stops and de-gunking sessions.  The adhesive in the Velcro I used really gummed up the needles.  Ugh. Live and learn. 

Well, I'm headed off to school to test out the sturdiness of these newly improved pocket charts!  ~Hoppy Crafting!

Classroom Vinyl (& 100th Post!!!)

Well, another school year is upon us (& I know some of you have already started!).  My school is shaped so that some of us have windows facing out to the alley, so I decided to make some vinyl to decorate my window!  Using my Gypsy, I welded together letters from Learning Curve to make my name and grade level.  I then used Paper Doll Dress Up to cut the frogs.  I used one 12x24 piece of green vinyl for this project (thanks to the space-saving Gypsy!).  I am very happy with how it turned out, and I also have orders from at least two other teachers for their own vinyl!  Gotta love being crafty!  :o) 
Also, on a completely different note....this is my 100th post!  Yay!!!  Thank you to all of my followers!  I hope that I am helping to inspire you and you're enjoying the crafts, scrapping, organization, and cards that I have posted!  There's much more to come!  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

Wolfpack Football

Jo, a friend of mine, commissioned me (he he he, sounds SO official, doesn't it?) to create a football poster for her son, Bryce.  A few days ago, Jo sent me some info on wording and color scheme, which allowed me to start designing some ideas on my Gypsy.  Today, we were able to get together and she chose what to cut.  It took us about two hours to punch the MS Drippy Goo border, cut all the letters, cut and assemble the shapes, then glue everything in a good position.  I LOVE how this poster turned out!  The words "Wolfpack & Football" were cut, using the "spooky font" from Happy Hauntings (for that menacing feel).  The rest of the lettering was cut from the Cricut Lite Varsity Letter Cart.  The football and football player were cut from Paper Doll Dress Up and chalked using Pebbles, Inc. chalks.  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

Drippy Goo & Martha Stewart

I made a quick trip to my local JoAnn's tonight, and, to my surprise, they had the Martha Stewart Drippy Goo border punch!  Now, as much as I loathe Martha, and believe she is pure evil, some of her stuff isn't half bad.  I have found that her border punches are some of THE BEST working punches I have ever used! 

Well, onto "Drippy Goo"...I feared that I would never find this punch again, since it was released LAST season, but THANK GOODNESS they brought it back!!!  I'll admit that I texted half my friends, updated my Facebook status, and all around, acted like a big dork when I found this punch.  I felt like I had won the lotto (and may have secretly done a fist pump, in pure "sah-weeet, I scored this punch" glee!)!!! 

The only drawback to "Drippy Goo," was the fact that when I tried to use my 40% off coupon on it (because it wasn't on sale), dear MS was EXCLUDED!!! GRRR!!!! @#&%!  Did I not mention that Martha is pure evil???  Well, since I wanted this punch soooo badly, I guess I'll keep it....or wait until it goes on sale...hmmm....decisions, decisions....In the meantime, here's the 'goo'.  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

New Goodies!

Yay!  My Stampin' Up order came and I can't wait to play!  I'm already lovin' the phrases, and I haven't even mounted them yet!  Thanks again, Terri for hosting a party, and Deb, for the awesome cards!  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting!

Bluebirds

Late this afternoon, I ran into my classroom and took my Sizzix Big Shot, along with some dies.  My friend, and next door teaching partner, Mrs. C, and I cut some critters for our rooms.  Mrs. C has a thing for turtles, and I have a thing for frogs.  We're like the reptile/amphibian duo.  Well, not only did Mrs. C cut her turtles (for backpack hook names), but she was working on her cute bulletin board in the hall.  She wanted apple baskets, so I hurriedly cut one from Doodlecharms at  around 18 inches before heading to school, but she had her own ideas. :o) 
One of the dies I had stuck in, just happened to be a cute birdie (Sizzix Hello Kitty).  I offered to help Mrs. C spruce up the board even more by cutting some birds, and she was happy to let me cut a few.  The birds are cut, using  a blue cardstock, then the flower is layered in pink.  The beak is also cut separately and layered in yellow.  Finally, each birdie received a hot-glue-gunned googly eye!  Now Mrs. C has a whole flock of birdies, just ready to fly onto her welcome back bulletin board!  ~Hoppy Crafting! 

Key Lime

One more step into craft world domination is almost complete!  JUST KIDDING!!! Hahaha!  Really though, today I spray painted my old brown shelf that I use for my punches (one that my mom had for years and passed down to me).  Of course, I chose the Key Lime color because green is my favorite color AND because it coordinates SO well with the new Surfer Blue.  I still need to give it another coat, but I can't wait for it to be dry and hanging in the new craft space!  ~Hoppy Crafting!

Sneak Peek

Ignore the white and the pinkish/lilac paints.....focus on the beautiful Surfer blue.  This is the NEW COLOR of my NEW CRAFT CAVE!!!  While my awesome mom was visiting, we totally took over a different bedroom in the house, and converted it to my new scrap room.  This was one of the last rooms that my husband and I had never painted since purchasing our home a few years ago.  This room was a young teen's room, and, just like about every other room in our house, had a wonderfully hideous paper border across the middle of the walls.  First went the creepy cherubs from the bathroom, then the Victorian inspired mess in the living/dining rooms, etc.  I had removed the "lovely" purple/pink/green floral border from this bedroom soon after we moved in, but never got to painting it.  It has been our "junk" room.  (Those of you without kids or an extra space in your homes know what I'm talking about.)  Well, this junk room is now a gorgeous dream-esque scrap space.  The only thing that could make it better is by making it larger (say 3x the current size?)! LOL! 

***Also, please ignore our BEAUTIFUL attire while painting/moving things.  I raided my husband's old ratty shirts he uses for "dirty" work.  He he he!   ~Hoppy Crafting! 

Stampin' Up Party & Cards!

After the whirlwind week I've just had, I FINALLY had time tonight to photograph and write about the fun Stampin' Up party that I attended last weekend, hosted by my friend, Terri!  I hope you enjoy the cards as much as I enjoyed making them!  Stampin' Up consultant, Deb, was very organized and had everything prepped for us.  It was super easy and I came away with some adorable cards!  I can't wait to host my own party/class next month!  :o)

I think my favorite card has to be the the green one with the flowers on the Sizzix cutout.  (Though the motorcycle and the purple flower card tie for a close 2nd!)  ~Hoppy Crafting!

Relaxing?

I'm going to keep my post as short as possible.  No, I haven't been sitting around, taking in the sun, and popping bon bons like this frog appears to be,  I have been working like crazy (with the help of my visiting mom), to do a complete transformation of my scrap room (a.k.a. the Craft Cave).  It has take three days of blood (literally), sweat, and tears, plus alot of muscle, to not only empty out a completely different room in my house & paint it, but to also reset it as my new scrap space.  I LOVE the new color (you'll see it soon...hehehe)!  I will miss my old space, BUT the new room was just a little bigger....and if you're like me, space is a huge bonus! 
I want to share a link to my friend, Brenda's blog ( http://happyhall4.blogspot.com/2010/08/cindys-craft-cave.html ).   Brenda came over right as the transformation was beginning, and had a quick project she wanted some help with.  This was the first time she had ever seen my space....and you just HAVE to read  what she wrote!  I think it's SO nice, and yes, I'm also embarrassed (people don't usually gush over me!)!  I know I'm fortunate to have a craft room, but am always willing to share some time and space with a friend. 
Hang in there fellow bloggers, as soon as I can unbury my Cricut, I will be back to posting daily.  This has been a HUGE undertaking (not to mention the 90+ degree heatwave), and I will say that my mom and I have both been exhausted every night (haha!  I wish!   Usually around 2 or 3 AM), when we head to bed.  In the meantime, I will also post some really cool cards I got to make Saturday at a Stampin' Up class/party, that my friend Terri hosted!  :o)  ~Hoppy Crafting!