that's a wrap

I have gotten a lot of action on my blog from people searching for teacher gifts. As a former teacher, I always thought it was nice to get a group gift from a class and so I often find myself organizing them for my children's teachers. This is the present that we are giving my daughter's teacher on Friday. One of her hobbies is cooking and she always does cooking activities with the children at school.  I ordered the book "Christmas Cookies, Bite Size Holiday Lessons" and found an adorable cookie jar to go with it. The class donated money towards a gift certificate to Sur La Table where she can find all sorts of fun cooking utensils or even sign up to take a cooking class! Another parent offered to make a personalized apron for the teacher and red and green fortune cookies with personalized fortunes from the students! The apron, gift certificate and cookies are inside the cookie jar.  This would also be cute if each family wrote down their favorite cookie recipe to stick inside the cookie jar.  I wrapped the book in paper and the whole thing in cellophane and will present it to the my daughters teacher on Friday to let her know how sweet we all think she is.

that's a wrap

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? Are you trying to check something off your list? I thought I would share the class gift that I have organized for my son's Kindergarten teacher.  My first plan was to purchase an advent calendar and then fill the boxes with Christmas wishes and some gift certificates from all of the students in her class, but the advent calendar arrived damaged and the boxes were tiny and would not hold much of anything. So, plan b was that I decided to make an advent calendar wreath instead! I purchased a fresh green wreath from Lowes for less than $10.  Then I bought some gift certificate boxes that look like tiny presents and attached them to some clothespins with my glue gun. I numbered them and attached them to the wreath. I also sent home tiny white cards and envelopes that the children are writing their Christmas wishes on. I will number them and attach them to the wreath in between all of the boxes. We are going to put some gift cards/other small gifts in the boxes and then give it to her when they start back at school after Thanksgiving vacation.  I even bought a command hook so that she can hang it on her classroom door or on a wall/chalkboard. I think the students will enjoy having her open the envelopes every day and hear the wishes that they have written for her. I tried to make the gift boxes on weekend days or vacation days so that the envelopes and wishes could be read out loud during the day. The parents in my son's class were appreciative that I organized a class gift AND that we can check it off our list before December has even rolled around. Win, win.  I will try to take a photo of the finished product when its done.

that's a wrap

This is a fun gift for anyone on your list.  My daughter LOVES ice cream and is always drawing pictures of ice cream cones. I loved the one that she drew above so I took it to Staples and they were able to turn it into postcards!  They were having a deal where I was able to get 100 for $20. At then end of the school year we wrapped up some to give to her teacher and for her first grade buddy.  We also used one with a gift certificate to cold stone creamery attached for the bus driver!  I still have plenty on hand to use attached to gifts or for her to use as thank you gifts. I love this gift because it is personal and useful.

that's a wrap

 Two major themes that my daughter's class studied this year were trees and family.  Her teacher also loves to garden, so I tried to think of a nice class gift that would incorporate all of these things.  I asked each of the students to decorate a puzzle piece to look like themselves and attached clothespins to the back which I used to hang on the branches of a hibiscus tree.  I also collected a monetary donation which went towards the purchase of the tree, pot, supplies and a generous gift certificate to the local garden center, which is hanging on the back of the tree in a red envelope.  A friend made the "rm 17 family tree" banner and I think it was the perfect final touch!  This would also be a fun project to do this summer for a family reunion.

c is for chocolate

I was looking for a relatively inexpensive gift for the special teachers and secretaries at my daughter's school when I remembered that Munson's chocolate shop makes all of the letters of the alphabet in chocolate.  At $2.25 a piece the price was right.  So, I bought each of the teachers a chocolate initial using the first letter of their last name.  I wrapped them in some adorable paper bags that I found on etsy which resemble notebook paper.  I tied some twine around each one and my daughter wrote her name on them in pencil.  I think they were sweet and definitely cost effective and a sweet token of our appreciation for a great school year.  These would also make adorable back to school or teacher appreciation gifts too.  On Wednesday,  I will post a picture of the class gift that we are giving the teacher on my "that's a wrap" series.

that's a wrap

Today was the last day of school for my son.  I can't believe he is going to be in Kindergarten next year!  Sniff, sniff.  After two children and four straight years at this school it is hard to leave.  Luckily my youngest will be back in another year.  We decided to give the teachers a gift certificate for pizza.  I thought it would be nice to add some plate and napkins so that they wouldn't have to do any dishes, a gift unto itself.  I packaged it all inside of a pizza box.  The heart tag read "We love you to pizzas!"  I love how it turned out and it would really make a great gift for any occasion.  I have lots more to share this week, so please come back and visit soon!

that's a wrap

Today was my daughter's last day of kindergarten.  Sniff, sniff.  All year the children in her class have been working on "filling up their classroom bucket" with kind deeds and good citizenship.  The idea was inspired from this children's book. I thought it would be nice to get her teacher a personalized bucket and have all of the children from her class write down one word about how she fills up their bucket.  They wrote the word on a white circle and I attached them to a potted hydrangea.  We also included a gift certificate to a local garden center since her teacher is an avid gardener. We spent the afternoon at swimming lessons and are having ice cream for dinner so I would say we are definitely ready for summer!

a "whale-y" good summer

Today was my son's last day of pre school.  I went in on the class gift, but wanted to give them each a little something else just from us too.  The school mascot is a whale so when I saw these adorable whale ice cream scoops I knew that they would be perfect.  I also included a small gift certificate to our local ice cream shop and a note that said "hope you have a whale-y great summer"!  I am still working on my daughter's teacher presents.  Her last day is next week!

keep calm and kiss on

Another little "Kiss me, I'm Irish" gift for my daughter's kindergarten teacher.  I found the acrylic basket with shamrocks on it at Michael's.  I filled it with kisses and attached some ribbon and a tag.  It was that simple!

cachepots & kisses

This year we gave the pre-school teachers mercury glass cachepots and snowflake ornaments, both from Pottery Barn.  I was going to make some snowball cookies to put inside the pots with a cute snowball poem, but I have been dealing with a nasty stomach bug, a husband who herniated a disc and a son with pink eye!  Crazy.  Anyway at the last minute I decided to put some Hershey kisses in them instead.  The note wished the teachers a Merry Christmas and a Happy and HEALTHY New Year and was signed kisses, and my son's name.  I wrapped the pots in cellophane and tied them with a beautiful turquoise satin ribbon.

that's a wrap

A gift card to our local mall wrapped and tied with a beautiful purse shaped ornament.  Great for a mother, sister in law or teacher. 

that's a wrap

On Monday it was my daughter's teacher's birthday.  Since I am the room parent I organized the gift and made a special treat to bring in for her and her class.  The first picture is of the gift,  a wreath with paper leaves tucked all around that told the teacher why each of her students are thankful for her.  The second picture is the wreath wrapped and ready to give her.  The last picture is of the treats I made.  The teacher's favorite candy bar is a kit kat so I made her some kit kat cupcakes.  I used a box mix and added some chopped up candy to the batter.  I also topped them with the candy and some leaf sprinkles.  My daughter's teacher was surprised and really touched by this gesture.

that's a wrap

(photot courtesy of Pottery Barn)

  A few weeks ago I gave my daughter's teacher a little survey.  It just asked some simple questions about her favorite places to shop, hobbies, foods and the date of birthday.  I found out that her birthday is on the Monday before Thanksgiving.  Since I am the room parent I decided it would be a nice idea to celebrate her special day and let her know that we are thankful for everything that she does for our children.  I ordered this small leaf wreath from Pottery Barn.  It was on sale and they offered free shipping!   I traced a leaf shape onto some card stock kraft paper and tucked one inside an envelope for each child in my daughter's class.   I asked them to write why they are thankful for their teacher on the leaf and return it to me, along with $2 to cover the cost of supplies and the wreath.  I am going to tuck the paper leaves that the children made into the the wreath and present it to her on her birthday, along with a special snack.  I will take pictures of the final project and post them some time next week.
 I was thinking that this idea could also work as a thoughtful Christmas gift for a teacher or care giver.  You could purchase an evergreen wreath and have each child either purchase or make an ornament to attach to the wreath! 

that's a wrap

 It has been a busy week in our house.  My daughter started Kindergarten on Tuesday and my son goes to pre-school tomorrow!   I saw this idea and thought it was the perfect thing to send in with my son on his first day.  I filled a lunch box with a hearty fern (I asked at the garden center for a suggestion of a good classroom plant).  I used a pencil as the garden marker with a sticker that says "bloom where you're planted".  I hope all of our readers have had an exciting and fun first few days/weeks of school too.