Creativity.

Ever since I started teaching it has drained me dry of any type of creative thoughts I used to have. This has definitely been the most stressful, most exhausting jobs of I've ever worked. The past 7 months I have learned so much about teaching, running a classroom and even myself. I am FINALLY starting to feel the need to create my own work again, and even getting excited about it! I am so looking forward to this summer and crafting/creating in the office space Steven has created for me. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm just trying to  make it to Spring Break first! ( 2 1/2 weeks to go!)

I was hoping for another snow day today, but that didn't happen. Luckily I have my students well on their way on their projects, a couple of favorite blogs to search through and Pinterest for inspiration. (Don't judge, those high school kids can take care of themselves)

I'm ready to turn this blog into something that inspires me and others to get crafty and creative, to make a house a home, and to make something pretty or find something beautiful every day. I know this won't come until this summer, but I'm just glad I have a better direction and know where I want to go. Without some of the blogs I follow I would not have found the small glimpse of inspiration I needed to get back in my craft room and create something that's not part of an example for class.

So here's to creating beautiful things, lighter days, and warmer weather!

If you have time check out:
A beautiful mess
Paper paintings
This Pinterest board

Floral Filing

So I had been seeing these amazing filing cabinet transformations around Pinterest lately and have been dying to create one of my own. Now that I have a classroom to prepare my parents have been on the look out for cheap office furniture and since I'm basically starting from the ground up in my classroom they snagged this beauty for me at a church sale!

Oh, the ideas were flowing, my mind was racing! Of, course I had to pick out my classroom colors first and then design around those. (I'll save that story for another day. Just picture me sitting on the bed with paint swatches all around me discussing with my husband which pink he thought looked best... he's such a trooper!)

But after I finalized my thoughts, off to the craft store I went! Primer? Check! Spray paint? Check! just the right paper? Check! (little did I know these cabinet fronts were a wonky shape so I had to get crafty with my paper)

First I used what was left of my primer from my lamp. I knew I should've gotten another can because I ran out. But ideally you'll only be able to see a little bit of left side of it in my classroom, so I just primered the important parts. Let dry..... now the fun part! I settled for watermelon because I wanted it to be a darker, more sophisticated, hot pink. Right? Luckily, I bought two cans of this and had just enough to cover all the areas that would be showing. ( a.k.a. not the back)

Let me tell you. Spray painting large surfaces is not for weak hands! After I let my fingers and thumb rest for a good while and I had control over those muscles again It was back to work. Since my paper wasn't big enough to cover the surface in one piece ( and I couldn't figure out how to get the hardware off the front.) I decided the best way would be to cut it into 3 inch, 2 inch, and 1.5 inch strips and Mod Podge it around everything. Thank the Lord for Mod Podge! The first one took the longest because after I had all my notches figured out and cut I could then make the templates for the other drawers.

At this point it was about 1:00 in the afternoon and I was stinking hot! I decided to move my operation inside. After I did that, got everything set up and the wind wasn't threatening to take my dainty little templates away, it was smooth sailing.

Ta Da!! I apologize for the picture quality, there's only so much I can do with hallway lights. I'm glad we moved it inside though, because it is raining like crazy now! But I still think it's beautiful! I get too excited everytime I look at it.

Gosh, I am chomping at the bit to get her into my classroom and jazz things up a little! I hope you have a lovely day filled with floral productivity!

Conversation piece

Operation "Decorate Classroom" is officially underway! I went yesterday and found an old lamp that I thought would look marvelous spray painted.I also got the materials to have a file cabinet overhaul. Hopefully I will get to that tomorrow!

But for now, feast your eyes on project numero uno! ( I started out small just to get myself going. Don't judge!)

Poor little thing just wasn't very attractive. I didn't even realize it was supposed to look like a cactus until the cashier said something about my "cactus lamp." I instantly felt like an old lady with an addiction to southwestern decor. I quickly let him know that I would be spray painting it.

Little did I know that I would fall in love with the "Olive Bright" spray paint at Michael's... womp, womp. Maybe it looks even more like a cactus now. A very bright, festive cactus though! I honestly just thought it was a funky, cool lamp that I could buy for $3. I can hear the students now, "Have you met the new art teacher? The one with that kooky cactus lamp on her desk?" Hopefully they'll trow in there how awesome I am and how art is their all time favorite class. ( I can hope, right?!)

Project list so far:

Scrap paper holder

Desk

Lamp

Cork Boards- 4

Chalkboard-2

Bunting



 

What a week last week was! It was filled to the max! I'm sad and glad it's over at the same time. Luckily we'll be having another art camp in July. I can't wait to see what that week has in store. We really did have a blast. There weren't very many kids, but since this was the very first time we had put this on, that was perfectly OK! The kids were so creative and not scared at all to just jump right in!

I also got a chance to go see the classroom I will be working in next year! It's pretty plain right now, but I honestly don't mind working from the ground up. At least I don't have to scrape funkyness off of everything, right?

I get to paint and decorate to my little hearts content! You can imagine as soon as I left the school my head was swirling with ideas, I even made a pit stop by Michael's on the way home! I can not wait to do a before an after reveal soon. Now I just have to get started...



For Father's day I told my dad that we could do absolutely anything he wanted. He decided we needed a road trip to Okmulgee to eat at Ike's!

If you're ever in the Okmulgee area I definitely suggest you stop in! It's the cutest (or manliest) pub right downtown. I wish I would've gotten pictures of the inside but it was quite dark in there and I didn't want to embarrass my family. I did manage to snap some pictures of our wonderful lunch!

If this doesn't say Father's day, I don't know what would!

We had a great weekend filled with family and food. What better way to end a super hectic week!