Let's get crafty!

It's Thanksgiving Break around here and at New School, we have the whole week off. Craziness! Happiness! Crazappiness! There are things I could (should?) be doing this week in my bonus time, such as cleaning or organizing the house, but screw that. I'm on VACATION. I feel like I've been burning the candle at both ends, with moving to a new state, starting a new job and head coaching a fall sports team for the first time, learning this District's IEP guidelines and a new-to-me online IEP system, getting evaluated, co-teaching for the first time, and trying to support 39 students and their families. Whew! Time to refuel Ms. B's creative well.

I was inspired by this blog post from Love, Teach, as well as motivational quotes and posters I saw on Pinterest.

I bought kids' watercolors, a watercolor pad, crayons, and paintbrushes at WalMart. I got the stencils at Michael's. I impulse-purchased the Smartfood Popcorn and purple Skittles because vacation should mean yummy snacks.

For the poster above, I wrote the first part of the quote in pencil and then painted over it. For the word, "FUN," I used the floral stencil. I was having fun being creative, so according to Einstein I wasn't just playing with crafts while watching television for hours--I was being intelligent. 

I flipping love this quote and I think it's so true. Roald Dahl knew what he was talking about.

This is the only one I'm not sure about. I'd bought washable crayons, and when I used the white crayon and painted over it, the words didn't show up well enough. This attempt was with non-washable crayons, and it worked out better. But I think it looks a little juvenile. I might try again with white stick-on letters, and I might plan my painting a little more. But I love the mantra, "Work hard. Be nice." I think it covers the most important things!

Pretty colors and stencils make me happy.

What kinds of crafty things have you done for your classroom?