Teacher Gifts. 5 ideas for teacher gifts you haven't seen

Teacher Gifts - 5 ideas for teacher gifts you haven't seen. Because all teachers are awesome. 

And while they love the coffee certificates, and plants, and home made gifts (not so much) and WINE! Lotsa Wine! ... these ideas may take your teacher love to the next level. Let's see what "Teacher Gifts. 5 ideas for teacher gifts you haven't seen" for this years teacher appreciation week. 

TEACHER GIFTS you haven't seen.

Treasure Chest

Provide each child with a small envelope and ask the family to contribute a summer 'treasure'.

It can be anything - an inspirational quote, a thank you note, a small toy, photo, movie tickets, or even a gift certificate to your favorite local book store, restaurant or salon. Package the sealed envelopes in a toy treasure box (or a box with a photo of a treasure chest) add chocolate coins and present it to the teacher with this note:

"We've treasured your teaching all year long. 

Please enjoy these small treasures from all of us. 

(Opening one per day this summer takes more patience, but brings more delight!)"

Summer Reading Escape

Ask parents to provide their favorite gently used books and magazines.

Package them in a colorful beach tote with a new beach towel, sunscreen and water bottle. If your class is the cash-gathering kind, purchase a Kindle or Nook and an online gift certificate.

(Use VolunteerSpot's FREE ONLINE SIGN UP SHEET to request your group donation and reminders will be automatic and easy!) 

Garden Gadgets

If you're teacher is a gardener, ask members of the class to donate seed packets, garden tools or small gift certificates to a home and garden supply store.

Package the gifts in a large watering can with a bow and a potted plant. (VolunteerSpot Tip: Use this theme idea and replicate with other hobbies - art baskets, cooking supplies, etc.) 

Thank You Bouquet

Teachers will tell you when asked, the thing they appreciated most (over another candle, or school-themed trinket), was a simple thank you note.

1. Send two colorful index cards home with each child. 
2. Write one thank you note yourself and have your child write one too - be sure to make it personal (sentence starters below). 
3. Gather up all the notecards and assemble them in a colorful basket with a foam bottom. 
4. Use florist note-card holder picks to hold the thank you cards. (Supplies available at any craft store). Parents may want to include photos or gift cards also. 

You're extra special because...

Thank you for...

I love how you... 

This year you've taught me...

This gift can easily be stepped up with Gift Certificates. We have one class take up a collection of certificates for a Teacher who was getting married. From $5 Home Depot cards and Amazon gift cards, to the PTO collection. She was truly touched and it was an EPIC Staff Wedding Gift. 

A Few Hours Off

Things get stressful towards the end of the year with tests and all the kids getting antsy for summer vacation.

Ask parents to take turns helping in the classroom. Suggestions might include: organizing a reading circle, hosting an end of the year party (starring parents), or helping with end-of-year packing and moving teacher supplies from the classroom.

Make the end of the school year a celebration, not just because your kids are escaping school! Remember the good times of the past year, and thank their teacher for their hard work.

Remember anything you give is appreciated and memorable. Event a little note to say "Thanks!"

Make mistakes. Breathe, reflect and laugh out loud! 

Handmade Easy Elephant Paws for Baby Girl or as a Gift.

Homemade Easy Elephant Paws Costume for Kids

After sewing the schools costumes this year, my daughters reminding me that she wants elephant paws (a la one of the shows characters). I finished embroidering my boys jerseys, which was thrilling all its own. I can't believe sometimes how easy it is to learn new things. So of course after I showed baby girl that I had finished the boys names, she asked "Whats for me?" Mommy suddenly remembered the Elephant Paws request. And so a star was born... 

Well a basement singer. My universal sewing machine made in Japan is the rock star of this performance. I had made practice stitches of each setting to remember for future use. Said sewing stitch aid as also used here in this project. Baby girl pulled up a chair and sat next to me the whole 20 minutes of sewing. She asked lots of questions and I answered each one as I sewed. Logistics: the elephant paws were sewn wrong way facing first to be inverted when complete. First sew on nails. Then 3 layers if felt. Between the top two layers I stuffed the bunting (using what I had on hand). Then I sewed layer 1-2 closed. I don't want her hands touching the stuffing, pulling it out, getting it dirty, etc. 

Beautiful Purple Elephant Paws, with pink nails. My Daughters color choices can't be beat!  Getting paws on by herself, "but mommy I need help." Nope! "Just like daddy said, if you want your new bracelet - or in your case paws - you need to be able to put it on yourself."  And she did!! 

Baby girl is so excited to try on her elephant paws! 

Trying on her new elephant paws. Pink painted toe nails. Nice touch! 

Date: May 15, 2015

 Make Mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud. 

Dear Friends, First Wedding Anniversary Gift: Paper and a Note

My two life long friends are celebrating their 1st Wedding Anniversaries... The sentimental friend that I am, I got them the traditional gift of paper! As I walked to the store, and came home from the Dentist (and during my cleaning), I thought about Paper, and Marriage... and their similarities. As is often the case, I mentally drafted the note inscription for my dear friends and their wives. I like symbolism, and practice soliloquy when putting my notes & thoughts in order.

So few gifts are handmade nowadays. We often lack time... But I have found putting a little thought, and finding a half an hour to write a note is such a personal and warm gesture. Very often appreciated and remembered for years to come! 

My note inscription:

"Dear 'Happy Couple,'                Jan, 2015

Happy first wedding anniversary. We are so thrilled you have found each other to love for a lifetime! It's a great tradition that paper is a first wedding anniversary gift. As you probably have experienced in the last 365 days… Marriage is a lot like paper! 

> The days come in many shapes and sizes. 

> Some days are smooth like linen and others are rough like raw fibers. 

> Some days you want to crumble up like a badly worded note and just start over (on a new day / page).

> But most days, I hope you find are filled with a variety of color, texture, feel and surprise. 

Just like on paper, we can erase mistakes leaving only a trace behind, and look forward to the rest of the pages we can fill with Loving Words, Kind Thoughts, and Many Happy Memories! 

I hope your marriage is filled with a variety of Beautiful Pages, like the "paper gifts" enclosed. 

Best Wishes and Many More Happy Anniversaries, 

with All Our Love 

signed

 

Enclosed with this notes was a small stack of 25 or so notecards and envelopes. I keep odd and ends note cards and frequently pick up supply when I am out thrifting. Needless to say I have a small supply to carry me thru needing notes for all occasions until I am old and gray. I gathered a few cute and appropriate:

- notes from my supply

- lone envelopes

- a few sheets from writing pads

- and 1-2 sheets of plain paper, labels, and even index cards.

Paper comes in all shapes and sizes, as does Marriage and the need for a variety in stock at home.

Make Mistakes. Breathe, Reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud 

All Those Family Gifts: When A House Guest Returns Home Souveniers from Chicago

Our cousin is returning to Guatemala and with him we will send lots of fun gifts for the family. Now, our family over there is large, break the bank large, so we are only sending to the family that we socialized with and who hosted us when we visited years ago.

On his arrival here, our cousins Father and Mom splurged on our kids and all the cousins with traditional Guatemalan gifts for the American Cousins:

- 2 Large Dolls for Baby girl in traditional dress with braided hair.

- Hackie Sacks, crochet in traditional colors.

- elongated minions also in traditional colors and crochet

- keychains with a Quetzal Coin attached

- keychains made to look like traditional shirts. One will be used as an xmas tree ornament to remind us of his visit during Christmas time

- Sweet candies to share at the Christmas table

- traditional wood toys like spinning tops and a ball on a string caught in an attached cup

- traditional shirts for the boys

(As an aside for our wedding gift these cousins gave us a heavy bedcover and pillow case in Guatemalan patterns / colors.)

The Booty - his luggage going home....he brought 4 different coats and ski pants here, however heading home to Guate he won't need that stuff - luckily one whole suitcase is just gifts!

I was taught when you buy something on vacation, get what is unique to the area, maybe food or crafts. I often see people send tshirts, and I know they have tshirts in stores there, and might think that's all we Americans love. Here's what We the American Cousins sent home as gifts for our Guatemalan family: 

- since I am of Polish Heritage, and it is unlikely that any of the family has been / or will go to Poland I sent a 4 pack of beer in cans for an Uncle we like and his son. They come shrink wrapped in plastic - $5 

*(I confirmed in advance who drank alcohol and who didn't.)*

- a bottle of Sweet Polish wine for the Aunt who let us stay with her during our visit, made traditionally soaking fruits in sugar. "Nalewka Babuni" - $10

- English tea biscuits, bag of Italian biscotti, and butter cookies in tins. (Cookie tins add weight to luggage, know your airlines weight requirements and check the scale for overages on the luggage.) Many purchased at TJ Maxx and Marshalls -$2-$5 each

- Polish chocolate bars and Toblerone Chocolates. Including a few extra bars for anyones gift I might have forgotten. $1-2 each.

- Crocs for his Mom. Shes not a frilly girl, doesn't wear a purse or jewelry. So comfy walking shoes that last forever! $60

- apparently his mom Loves Marshmallows and eats them by the bag full! So we hunted for a large variety. The dollar store had valentines sales and we bought 6 kind there, our fruit store had Halal kind. Wowser $1-2 each

- his dad LOVES star wars. And after the holidays we found lots! Keychains at the lego store of C3PO and R2D2. $6 each

- Star wars t-shirt at the Disney Store was $19.85 (ouch). Target had a $12 shirt while Ross had a $8 shirt. And 4 glass Star Wars decal cups for home the family could share.

- A young teenage cousin in the family received and handmade necklace my cleaning lady / neighbor makes. Tiger eye and lovely. $5

- 2 teachers (pre-K and 6th grade) received Chocolate bars for themselves and books in English for their classes, both new and gently used from our library - we own 526 books, so we can spare a few classics. Dollar store and TJ Maxx. $2-5 and free

- a model airplane collecting adult cousin got a flat metal sheet, die cut pieces to assemble a small plane. $6 at the Science Store - which we visited by coincidence. Baby girl bought marbles there, large ones!! 

As for our Cousin, he took home a goldmine of gifts! Including the 6 different Chicago theme / team hoodies he received. 

And from his Christmas and time with us, our Teenage Cousins got:

- a birthday dinner at Rainforest Cafe (gift of an experience)

- a Joker lego keychain

- winter gloves with texting fingers. He claims he wanted gloves for the cold morning in Guatemala! Ha!

- Hats that said Chicago. Apparently I thought of this gift before because he had 3!!

- a goosebump book from my attic (great series of safe fear / scary books for preteen 11-14 year olds)

- a musical snow globe with santa - they don't have that in Guatemala.

- a Christmas stocking with his name on it

- a homemade Rafael TMNT ornament (1 of 4 made for my 3 kids + him)

- New Years Day at Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament + souvenir plastic cup (gift of an experience)

- countless Museum Visits (illinois residents have free days) (gift of an experience)

- Chicago Bears tshirts and pajama set. (PJ's make a great gift as many families share a home with many family members and do use PJs for bed!)

- I printed out the photos I took throughout his stay - 146!! I had been uploading them in the new Snapfish app! Super easy to use. The app allows you to upload photos from your phone and then I go online - to use discount coupon codes - and order for delivery or a pick up at Walgreens. Super Convenient.

- his homemade journal, see in a House Guest Post, here. We wrote in my spaghetti recipie he loved and glue in his Chicago Vacation Bucket List.

(- I haven't made any insects set in epoxy resin, but I will this spring / 2015 collecting season! It'll make a great and legal to export gift.)

- his own crocs, with the added layer for warmth. Easy removal at home and last longer since it'll be slightly larger without the insert.

- Slippers from his gift basket. In my fantasy head he would've read the books on American National parks and canyons, ha! So those stayed here. If he showed an interest I would've given those to him.

- a remote control car and an XBox model figure from a game. He played with each one once but claimed to really like them?

- his playstation 4 from dad was really all he felt he needed, so any cash, went to his PS4 for an all access game pass

- candy for his friends, Jelly belly flavors, sour patch candy, jolly ranchers... You can't get these strong delicious candy flavors in Guatemala. 

- one gift stayed here and that was his shovel with his name painted on it.

I am certain the family is loving their treats and gifts. And I know our cousin loves his crocs, hoodies and PJ's back at home.

Make Mistakes. Breathe, reflect (realize 2 months is way too long for a moody teenager to visit) and Laugh.Out.Loud

Handmade Gift: Butterfly Feet from Baby Girl

We recently had to accumulate gifts for our cousin heading back home to Guatemala. On the list were cheap tchotchkes like Chicago keychains and magnets. But when I was a young traveler my parents taught me not to spend money on - well - crap. Unless it was something I really wanted or was requested specifically. (I'll post the full list of guft ideas for families abroad shortly.) 

So I convinced our cousin that we would send food and drinks that couldn't be gotten at home. In Guatemala culture there is a lot of coffee drinking, so cookies and biscuits go well with their breakfast and dinner coffee. Amongst ither edibles like Wendel Polish Chocolates. But all this guest shopping brought me to grandmas birthday. Aren't we all tired of crap gifts?

Maybe I am overly sentimental but I love handmade gifts, both giving and receiving. Who has time to make things anymore? And that's partially what make these type of gift all the more special! The thought is time consuming as is the making of it. 

And so came the first "gifts" for 2015. And Baba got this glorious painting, framed. It was inspired by my baby girl who was excited her own birthday was coming one day after Babas. And when we were sharing her bday present wish list, she said "I will give Baba a Kiss and a Hug for her Birthday." That was sweet enough - amd when I happened to see a pair of baby feet on Pinterest, I knew where the quote belonged!!

 

Here are nearly 3 year old baby girls feet, in Pink Acrylic, pressed on. With sharpie marker outlining the details of the butterfly image form, and the quote.

Happy Birthday Mom's, Grandmas and Baby Girls everywhere!!

Make Mistakes. Breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

Handmade Card for Baby Shower

Some PINspiration started my idea for a "baby's starter library" for a baby shower gift. Yes my inexpensive finds of some basic baby books were the foundation of the gift.

So few gifts include a handmade card or element. And I don't think it's lack of talent, simply a lack of time.

My two PINSpiration photos (top and bottom left side) are included. I liked the idea of the word BABY in a fancy script and a garden theme for the "starter library." My first sketch is included - I guess mated spacing and my colors and flower shapes. Here is experimented with color pencils in sons school supplies.


Handmade Card for Baby Shower, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Total time commitment was about two hours. 30 minutes to find the PINspiration, 30 minutes for my sketch and the final piece took one hour to sketch and assemble with the toile cover glue on and then tied to the books with a pretty ribbon.

The books were added to our pack which included the splurge gift, a pack if diapers.

Happy photo finding. Photo 4 of 5 Final Sketch for cover of the books when wrapped.

UPDATE March 2015

I'll be making 2 more of these gifts for babies we are Welcoming into the World.
My only change to this project is making this "Babies First Library" instead of starter.

Our Insects Pinned Wasp as a Gift and How To Pin Insects Guide

On a nature center visit in summer of 2013 all the cousins have a Nature Scavenger Hunt to complete. On our list was find an insect, of course! Each child found one, alive or dead. Our young cousin A (age 5 at the time) found this dead wasp and another insect, unidentified. 

Our Insects Pinned Wasp as a Gift and How To Pin Insects Guide 

So I pinned them for her. I have many many baby food jars still in storage from the days when I home made baby food for my little ones. I never threw out the jars because they have so many uses: seasonings jar, lost and found trinkets in the laundry room, leftover storage for sauces and condiments to refrigerate, and now, EXCELLENT bug storage.


I want her to have her bug from our outing (which the kids all still talk about today). It's a unique treasure. She can see the bug from all angles and access it by unscrewing the lid. 

I'll be sure to instruct her (and mom) to keep it well away from her two younger siblings and find a special home for this keepsake. And really the gift will be able to survive for generations if they want.

Our Insects: Pinned Wasp as a Gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party

It's so unfortunate that we lack the time - as in previous century's like we have seen on the show Downton Abbey and in this post - to write, draw, and make handmade gifts for our family and friends. We often have the kids make the necessary cards for all the events in our lives, cousins birthdays, friends baptisms, and Dr. Seuss themed Twins Birthday parties: for thing one and thing two! For Father's Day a few years ago we made the kids handprints into shapes with Dad Messages. These pieces turned out so great we made them into art for the bedroom.

So for the twins birthday party I wanted to do something fun. I recently attended a baby shower and handmade the card for that event. So my inspiration struck across these many events. For the boys I purchased the classic book the Giving Tree. I decorated the book inscription in a fanciful way. How often have you seen a book inscription that evidently took quite a bit of time to complete. I have time. Not much, but I can scrape together an hour in the evening to put a handmade touch that I enjoy doing. And I hope the gift recipients enjoy as much as I do.

For the twin boys birthday card I sketched at home my younger sons hands into the thing one and thing two shapes. I outlined the faces for the two things and also there chest monikers. Then I used colored pencil to color in the blue hair and red shirts. This is the beginning of coloring in. Notice on the final piece the colors are much deeper. I colored in a second time to cover the line marks and get a richer color.

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Here is the finished interior. The color is rich but light. The picture was taken on my car dashboard in full sunlight, so a softer interior light would've done this card more justice. 

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

For the card cover we chose a whimsical writing and the Inscription is a play on words from the classic Dr. Seuss book "Oh the Places You'll Go."  I know I could've given the boys this book as a part of their gift to really complete the theme.

Handmade First Birthday Card Cover:

"Today IS your 1st Birthday!!!

You're off and away...

Oh the places you'll Go,

Oh the Places you'll play!!"

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Here's "Thing Two" handprints that hang in our bedroom from my younger son, which is the art PINsinspiration for the birthday card we made.

Mommy Made Card for a Dr. Seuss Birthday The Party, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

Also here hanging above our bed is the complete set of kids hand and foot prints (and how we feel about making it)... my baby girls feet prints, which we tried to make into butterfly wings however her cooperation was lacking at 18 months old. And lastly my older sons lobster hand and foot print.

The total time to make the card took about one hour. But most importantly it was something I enjoyed doing and making. So it's partially a gift for me too, since I enjoyed the process.








Make Mistakes. Breathe. Reflect. and Laugh.Out.Loud!

Mommy made Childrens Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift

I love making handmade gifts for family and friends. I especially love making things for little kids because you often can get a glimpse of their genuine appreciation of the gift. Their innocence, their simplicity, their truth - because if they don't like you, you'll know! Same goes for the gift! My go to birthday gift is books. For the last baby shower I attended I gave baby to be a "library starter set." For my little twin cousins first birthday I chose a the classic children's book "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. The rest of the Handmade Gift is here, as the handmade card.

Mommy made Childrens Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift

I'll be honest, when I first read "The Giving Tree" I didn't appreciate it. I felt so empty inside after I read it. Perhaps like most people who initially read this book, on the surface level we think "that poor tree, she gave everything of herself to that little boy." But I'm thinking like a mom. As I've evolved I've come to realize the try generosity of the tree. It doesn't hold back in any respect. It gives every bit of itself. How romantic the idea of providing what the boy needs during every phase of his life. When the boy needed a playmate, the tree was there. When the boy needed sustenance, the trees apples were there. When the boy needed shade, the trees leaves were there... And on, and on.

Can you imagine giving completely of yourself as a mother during every phase and changing need of your child's lives? Initially I'd like to think I'm that mom. Always providing every need, fulfilling any request, everything (every demand of a child frankly), but in reality I'm not that mom.

Now while I work actively to be a good mom, always giving, always providing, I don't truly give everything of myself (and neither do you). We CAN'T as mothers give absolutely everything of ourselves because frankly there would be nothing left! Not for ourselves or for our kids. We've all heard that we Mom's need to take care of ourselves first, because if moms not well, nobody's happy.

Mommy made Children's Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.
And so is my assumption of the true meaning of "The Giving Tree." True limitless giving, without holding back, with no cost, can you imagine how much we could solve with his type of giving.

Mommy made Children's Book Inscription for a First Birthday gift, a photo by areyousureaboutthatblog on Flickr.

My inscription to my cousins book was inspired by a few photos I found for hand sketched names.

"Happy 1st Birthday:

May you always know
The Joy if Giving...
Gifts that never cost,
That don't limit,
And which will be there for
Every phase of your long lives."

I hope this inscription captures my love for these kids in their young lives.

I added some decorative elements. Not pictured - each child's names first letter matches the Font of the Cover Page - double lined. But the rest of their name is in cursive, a little fanciful that way.

I also sketched in long vines at the start an ends of words and added leaves with mini branches in between. All the letter "i" are triple dotted, just to be fanciful.

I hope they enjoy reading their book for years to come.

As a separate blog post is the remainder of our gift holder a handmade card.

NEW UPDATE :: YOUTUBE CHANNEL INFO ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT BLOG

Our family has had many adventures through the years. Mom, the @Minstr0Interior had an a-ha moment . . .  Suddenly I See what we will have filled our life with, ADVENTURES! We travel, craft, sing, dance, collect insects and spend loads of time together. Sometimes too much time together. Our kids have recently begun to document their own adventures, and so this channel was born. Enjoy our adventures. Or not. WANT MORE? If there is a blog post accompanying this video we will share it here. Sometimes we will include the ingredients list of the craft or recipe, or the itinerary of our trip. In the meantime click play. 

From our family: 👍 + 🙃 + ❤️ ( Thumbs up, emoji face, hearts! )

See It Live >>> 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2mGpujQIVgxdfTImFnQuLA

Make mistakes - breathe, reflect, and Laugh. Out. Loud!!