Jazzing up your Caddies!

I jazzed up my caddies last year after seeing a post from Erica Bohrer, but when I went to school this summer and started getting my room, I discovered my caddies were disgustingly dirty and a few of my book bins were cracked.  I order these gems from Oriental Trading and fortunately scored a free shipping coupon, so they weren't too much more expensive from Michaels or the teacher store where I couldn't find all the colors I needed.  

For this project you need:  The Caddies, The Book Bins, Ribbon, Scissors, A Hot Glue Gun, and Glue Sticks. (The Cordless Hot Glue Gun is not required, but let me tell you that it is well worth the extra $5-10 and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE mine.)

I know absolutely nothing about measuring and ribbon, so I took a picture of the kind I used in case you needed to know that.

For the caddies, start on the long side, but in the middle.  Put your hot glue on half and lay the ribbon on top.

Keep doing the same thing all the way around until you get back to the front and then you will meet the two pieces together. Don't worry about the two pieces because you are gonna cover them.

These book bins had a line on them that I followed, and you do the same thing...start in the middle and go around.

 Ok, about the spot where the two pieces meet up.  To cover that you need a cute little sign.  I printed mine on card stock and laminated them.  I decided to vary the pattern and go with some chevron. I have both patterns in my room.

Glue them right on the front and voila:

These caddies look super adorable on my table and the ribbons just give them a little something! What do you do you jazz up your room?

Grab the Table Labels for Free here! :) 

Classroom Reveal!

Okay I'm a little behind on revealing my classroom, I admit! I'm telling you, I'm just now getting things off my to do list that have been up there for 3 weeks.  The beginning of the school year has been OVERWHELMING.  More overwhelming that I can ever remember.  I think I bought too much new stuff over the Summer...remind me to tap the breaks on spending next summer and save my self some redecorating stress!  Anyhow, you've waited long enough...here's my home away from home :) 

Here's my favorite bulletin board! We changed it up a little this year and used yellow and white polka dot scrapbook paper for the letters and some stars I bought at Michaels instead of die cutting those this year.  This is on the wall outside my classroom and I tell my kids to look for it to find me! 

Our class list and wish list.

Our names, also cut out of scrapbook paper!  

Looking in my room from the door way:

Bulletin board at the back of the room: 

 Looking at the art center and back of the room...check out my beautiful curtains! 

Looking at the front of the room from the back of the room:

Looking at the back of the room from the front of the room:

Our schedule on the board.  This really helps prevent them from asking.."When is recess?!" "When do we go home?!"

Our behavior chart.  I backed it on black this year and used wider ribbon and I'm basically in love! My friend across the hall backed hers on black last year and I don't know why she didn't peer pressure me into it then but we went on a Michaels trip together when she bought the black cardstock and I felt the need to jump on the bandwagon and SO glad I did! :) 

Here's a side view of the room: (With new curtains!)

Here's what's in my caddies on my tables: Think you are crazy? You should have seen me trying to score a class set of those clear pencil boxes at Office Depot for 25 cents each.  You would have thought I was black Friday shopping...I'm a little OCD.

Here's what was out for open house:

And finally, the sign in table for open house.  Check out my new dry erase dots...a fun color! Thank you Bed, Bath and Beyond for ordering them for me! :)

So sorry for the delay, but at least I came with lots of pictures :) All of the work is well worth it because we are there all day and I want it to be a welcoming place for all my kids!  How does your classroom look? Leave us a link in the comments to check it out!

Back to School Linky - Classroom Decor

It's that time again - Back 2 School Linky with Mrs. D's Corner and Miss V's Busy Bees! This week's topic is one of my favorites - CLASSROOM DECOR!

But seriously - who doesn't love a cute classroom? I always feel like if I get into the classroom and get it all straight, organized and cute my year will get off to a good start.  You feel the same, right? 

I'm not gonna show my whole classroom in this post, because it's not anywhere near ready.  I don't start school back for almost a month and I've been pushing it to go in this early.  I have been in 3 times and I have been busy as can be! 

This post is gonna be all about teasers! 

Like this:

Cute fabric anyone? Yes please! It was $5.99 a yard at Jo-Ann's, but on sale for $3.99 a yard.  I also used a 15% off coupon.  I ended up getting probably 15-20 yards.  What for you ask? To cover my windows, hideous junk in my cubbies, and all my paper.  My good friend's mom is making some curtains for me.  I seriously can't wait to see them! 

How about these cuties? Also from Jo-Ann's! They were 40% off! The polka dotted ones will house my homework folders and communication folders and I'm not sure about that chevron one yet.

Here's a (maybe) little known fact about me.  I got started on TpT because I wanted to redesign my classroom.  I had a mismatch of decor from my local teacher store and I couldn't take it anymore.  I wanted to redo my room in polka dots and got busy creating.  After I finished, I wondered if anyone else felt the same way and opened up my TpT shop.  2 years later, I am so thankful I had that thought. 

These are the things I use to decorate my room:

I also did this to my caddies and book bins last year:

They are dirty this year, so I got a new set and I will be doing the exact same thing again.  I mixed a little polka dot and chevron.  I'm slightly obsessed with both! 

Here are a few FREEBIES to help you get your room decorated:

     

I can't wait to show you how cute my room looks when I'm finished! Stop back back for a huge classroom reveal on August 30th! 

Don't forget to stop by and see everyone else's classroom decor!