Swimming bear cupcakes

Tomorrow is the last day of fourth grade and we made the cutest cupcakes for the class party.

Mini golden vanilla cupcakes, with tinted buttercream frosting, topped with gummy rings and teddy grahams.  Look like little bears floating in the pool - just in time for summer break!

Sock Cupcake's

Our final teacher appreciation week craft are these sweet sock cupcakes!

Suggested supplies -

Fuzzy socks

Rubber bands

12 x 12 card stock (pattern or color of your choice)

Craft glue

Plain and decorative edge scissors

Cellophane bags

Ribbon

Gift tags

Step 1 -

Place one sock on top of the other and roll from the toe end to the open end.  Secure near the bottom with a rubber band.  Pull the layers from the top to achieve the icing/frosting look.

 

Step 2 -

Make a pattern from scrap paper for your cupcake wrapper.  I started with a regular food cupcake liner and enlarged until it fir the sock frosting.  Then trace your pattern onto 12 x 12 card stock (you can get three per page).

Step 3 -

Cute the liners out and trim the top with your chosen decorative scissors.

Step 4-

Apply craft glue to the edge as shown and press the liner together to form the cupcake cup.

Step 5 -

Insert the frosting socks into the liners, put into cellophane bags and tie with a pretty ribbon.

These can be given for any occasion by just changing the gift tag wording.

Donut Teacher Appreciation Gift.

Today's Teacher Appreciation is another super simply one - Donuts!

Purchased 4 pack donuts, placed in cellophane bags and tied with a pretty ribbon.  The tags read "Donut you know what a terrific teacher you are".

Teacher Appreciation Gifts - Calculators

Today's teacher appreciation craft is super simple....

Simply buy any size calculators, put them in a cellophane bag and tie with a pretty ribbon.  Attach tags which read - According to my calculations.... You make the best teacher! You can also use any other teacher related saying.

Simple and cheap and who doesn't need another calculator?

Custom Retractable Name Badge Clip

This is our Teacher Appreciation craft for Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week.

Suggested supplies -

Retractable badge clips (found at Dollar Tree)

1 1/2" button covers (for this project you will only use the back pieces)

Artwork (clip art printed from your computer, wrapping paper, magazine images, photos, etc.)

Coordinating ribbon

E6000 adhesive

Craft glue

Dimensional Magic (variations of this product are sold).  You can also use any of the resin type products used in jewelry/charm making.

Step 1-

Remove the button shank from the button cover back piece using pliers.

Step 2 -

Using the button back trace around your image and cut out (inside your line so it fits).

Step 3 -

Using the button cover back, with the "lip" side up.  Glue your image onto the back inside the "lip" area.

Step 4 -

This step is necessary only if you are using images or graphics printed from your home printer.

Put a thin coat of craft glue over the top of your image and let dry completely before adding the dimensional magic. If you don't "protect" your paper image the dimensional magic will soak into the paper leaving it distorted.  You could also laminate your image before gluing into the button and eliminate this step.

Step 5 -



Flood the entire inside of the button cover back with dimensional magic, pop any air bubbles with a pin (this is why you use the side with the lip/rim). The image will be cloudy appearing until it dries completely.

Step 6 -

Cut lengths of ribbon to cover the strap part of your clip.  Seal the ends of your ribbon by using seam sealer or heating the ends with a lighter.  Using the E6000 glue the ribbon to the strap part (craft glue will NOT work for this attachment as it will simply peel off when dry).  Make a coordinating bow and glue that, or other embellishment, to the front.

Step 7 -

Using the E6000, glue the dry covers to the front of your badge clips.

Your badge clips are now complete.  Attach them to cardstock and put in clear craft bags for gift giving.

Teacher Appreciation Candy Card

National Teacher Appreciation week is May 2-6, 2011 with Teacher Appreciation Day being on Wednesday the 3rd.

We like to send a little something each day of the week in appreciation of Savannah Grace's teachers.

Our first craft is a candy card....



Suggested supplies -

Poster board
Craft glue
Double stick tape or tape runner
Die cut letters
Embellishments of your choice
Boxes or bags of selected candy

Step 1 -

Fold the full size poster board sheet in half and cut. Fold each half sheet in half again, making two cards.

Step 2 -

Using craft glue or double stick tape, attach your background embellishments to the front of the card. You can trace something from coloring books or various clip art sites from the internet.

Step 3 -

Using craft glue or double stick tape attach your desired lettering to the front of the card. I cut my letters using the die cut machine at school but you can use Cricut cuts, pre made ones from the craft store or trace some from fonts on your computer.

Step 4 -

Attach your chosen embellishment to the front of the card. I made decorative flowers by gluing beads to the center and attaching that.

Step 5 -

Now move to the inside of the card. Attach your desired background embellishment and letters as you did on the front.



Step 6 -

Attach your desired candy using craft glue to the desired location on the card. I use Whoppers for my chosen poem so I covered the "S" on the candy with a construction paper dot.

Your card in now complete - give to your favorite teacher in appreciation for their hard work and dedication to our children everyday.

Front -

Inside -





Purse theme, pink and damask 10th birthday party.

Every year I let Savannah Grace chose her birthday theme. For some reason she always comes up with the hardest themes to pull off. This year it was purses - We are really in love with the black and white damask print right now, so chose that along with pastel pink as our color palate.

The decorations -

I customized Chinese lanterns to match out theme and colors (instructions are posted in a separate blog entry).

The birthday banner was created from full size 8.5 x 11” scrapbook paper and cardstock. The backing is black cardstock with the corners rounded with a punch. Applied on top are various patterned papers cut into the frame I desired. Letters, cut with the Cricut machine, were applied to the top. I punched holes in the corners and attached each piece with pink tulle.

The birthday gifts were wrapped in damask paper bought at Hobby Lobby at Christmas. I hand tied the ribbons from florist ribbon and attached little purse embellishments printed on white cardstock.

I found the perfect party balloons on ebay in damask, pink scroll and soild pink.

I made decorative labels from cardstock, scrapbook paper and coordinating ribbon.

The damask napkins (actually bandanas found at Hobby Lobby) were tied with pink satin ribbon and embellished with more of the purse cardstock purses.

The food –

For the past several years we have had cupcakes instead of a cake for birthdays. I searched the interest for ideas for weeks for the cupcakes and found some with tiny purses as embellishments. I then searched for weeks and weeks for some little purses, without success. I finally decided to try and make some from gumpaste. Let me just say gumpaste is a sticky mess, like playing with adult playdoh. It was difficult to get each purse even remotely similar even though I measured out each amount. Eventually, I did end up with enough that looked similar enough to use on the cupcakes. I found damask baking cups at the supermarket and had the local bakery bake the cupcakes. I then embellished them at home with the little purses and pink sugar pearls.

We made party punch with fresh fruit floating on top. We served strawberry ice cream cups placed on a pretty cake pedestal. Party goodies included pink snowballs, brownie cookies, chocolate chip cookies, strawberry marshmallows, pink and white m&m’s, and raspberry Hershey hugs.

All in all the party turned out as planned and our little girl was provided with special birthday memories to last her a lifetime.