Welcome Activity Mats for the First Day of School

I made these last year and loved using them on the first day of school.  I had one at each student's seat when they walked in the door that morning.  It was a GREAT activity to do together on the front and then let them finish the back independently while I tended to unpacking school supplies, etc.

These are to be printed on LEGAL-SIZED paper, which is 8.5 x 14.  If you don't have a ream of legal paper for school, go get one!  I use it a lot for students to draw on and for making booklets to fold in half - there's just more paper there to work with!  But I digress......

I put both grades in the one download (so you will get both First Grade and Second Grade in this download).  The pages are meant to be printed back to back (the "Welcome to _____ Grade" on one side of the paper and the drawing page on the other side.

Click here to go to TpT.  You can download the Free Preview to see exactly what you are getting (except the red "Preview" word will not be on the paid download).  Best of all, this is ONLY $1.00!!!

Back To School Freebie

I've got a little back to school freebie for you, a school-themed "Read, Trace, Write and Draw" activity:

Click on the photo above (or click here) to download it.  You can use this as an easy center activity- a no-brainer to keep it simple the first few weeks of school.  Great for vocabulary, handwriting, spelling, reading, etc..... skills.  Hope you can use it!

Vistaprint Goodies

I just placed a big order with Vistaprint and I can't wait to get it!  I also have a special promotion to share where YOU can get up to 80% off plus an extra $5.00 off your order if you click here:  http://vistaprint.tellapal.com/a/clk/BbrCn

Let me show you what I got:



 These were invitations/flat notecards but I changed the wording.  I will send these home with the kiddos that learn all of their sight words.  By the way, these were free.


 Stickers


 Stickers - I put these inside their BEE Books that go home everyday so parents will always know where to find the website address.


 Notepad - We are the Gators (that's our school mascot) so I flipped when I saw this design!


 Sticky notes




 A pen (the bottom shows what the message on the pen looks like)


 These are Return Address Labels - these are very cheap and you get like 140 of them!


 Flat Notecards (more Gators!!!)




Notepad - Just thought this was so cute!

Stickers - Just to label stuff with :)

More flat notecards - love this design!

Check out this cute totebag!!!

The following items were free:

 Rubber Stamp

 8.5x11 Magnet

 

 Business Cards - I distorted some private info :) 

The fine print :)

Watch out for shipping!  After you add items, go to your cart and click on checkout to see what the shipping charges are - they can get high.  After you click on check-out you can go back to what you were doing, you don't have to check-out then....that's just a good way of checking the shipping charges.   You may also get free shipping if you order a certain amount, so look out for that.  I got all of my items (plus more stuff for my daughter that I didn't show here) for $45 (including shipping).  I feel like it was a steal for all of the personalized goodies (and I got multiples of several items, like 3 sets of the sticky notes, 2 sets of the notepads, 2 sets of stickers, etc.....). 

Here's the code to the discount again:  http://vistaprint.tellapal.com/a/clk/BbrCn 

If you have any great Vistaprint ideas for school stuff, let me know!

  

Office Redo - Finally Finished!!!

I have been working hard the past week and I am finally finished!!!!  I painted and spruced up my office/craftroom.  I've been wanting to paint it for a long time and finally did it.  Did I tell you how much I love summer break???!!!  It's so nice to have the time to take things like this on!

I took a lot of photos:

I love the color!  When I started painting I was worried the color was too dark, but I starting really liking it after I got more on the walls.

I use this room for my office and my craftroom.  I have an L-shaped desk (counter). The computer side is where I do more of my "office" things and the other side is where I do more crafting.  I just wheel my chair over to whichever side I want to use.

This is my "cutting area".  I have my Cricut machine and laminators in the cabinets.  I just pull them out and use this counter when I use them.  I also have my paper cutter on this counter.  When I laminiate stuff for school, I do it on this counter and have my paper cutter right there to cut things up after they are laminated (center activities...and all the stuff I buy on TPT :).  I am tall and I LOVE having my tall table (it's a pub table) right next to this area when I am standing here laminating and cutting. I stand at this table to put everything together and it is the perfect height for me.  I used to have two bar stools with backs on them at the table but the chairs always got in the way so I got a stool that I can keep under the table and out of the way when I don't want to sit.

I got the cart/shelving in the back at Sams Club a few years ago.  I keep craft stuff here.  I also have a very large walk-in closet (where that door leads) with shelving for more craft stuff and school supplies.  I used to be on several scrapbook design teams and probably have enough craft supplies to open a store.  

A few more photos....

Another photo of the cart from Sams.

I picked up this bookcase from Target along with a lot of these chevron storage boxes.   I used to have a big cabinet here but like this open storage better.  (More craft stuff in the boxes on top of the bookcase). 

Now, on to my next project......decluttering my bedroom (I'm a little scared of my closet....it is amazing how much stuff you can put in a closet!).

Do you have any fun home projects going on this summer?