Ten years ago I had just started my junior year of college.  Ordinary day turned into extraordinary.

Later that year, all the choirs at UNC performed the Britten War Requiem.  It had been chosen prior to the reality-changing events of today, but it deeply struck a chord with everyone who was a part of the performance.  To this day it remains one of the most powerful pieces of music I have ever experienced.

Always remembering.

The view from my desk in my nearly-finished classroom.  School officially starts tomorrow, though I have been here for several weeks preparing, decorating, and testing students.

It’s come to my attention that – at least for the next little while – teaching will be keeping me impressively busy.  So I shall be taking a  bit of a blogging hiatus until I see how things will settle out.  I want to give my students all my energy (thought I of course won’t forget to care for myself!) and focus on this tenuous first year in my career.  I’m uncertain when and if I’ll be back to blogging here regularly, but I anticipate a few fun projects and great ideas will be shared periodically.

So, with much love, I bid you adieu… for now!

But what if it is?  Can you fix it?  Is it worth the DiY?

This rocker was left outside another teacher’s room with a sign saying it was broken.  It looked in good condition, but after sitting in it (not necessarily recommended…  Please don’t risk injury, haha!), I noted that the only flaw was a loose right armrest due to a missing screw.  An extra screw and 30 seconds later, the chair was good as new and sitting in a place of honor in my classroom!  I’d been hoping to have a rocking chair for reading, and now I got it!

Then there was this little table, sturdy and in good condition, but the top was a mess.  Even after cleaning, it was patchy and stained.  My solution?  Paint that tabletop!  Now it’s a great extra addition for the classroom, useful for students to use as a group learning area (also it fits neatly under one of the other tables, storage win!).

What DiY projects have really paid off for you?

I’ve been steadily working on my classroom, and I’ve just about got it where I want to start out.  Furniture is in place, number and alphabet lines are up, library is.. well, halfway sorted.  Now all I need is kids!

A lot of the walls are still bare as we’ll be creating charts with students.  I love the bunting, and I’m planning on having the kids create more for the rest of the room.  I’m so excited!  Just two weeks until school starts!  Wow!

I’ve been at it all week decorating my classroom and have come across a need for an alphabet line.  My students will mostly know their letters, but an alphabet line is useful for creating alphabetized lists.  I decided to keep on with the bunting idea!  I went ahead and created both upper and lower case letters in a PDF file that I will printout on colored paper and trim to the right size.  It’s easy to do on your own, just make sure your top margin is as small as possible!

Need an easier idea?  Try the bunting printable with these cute patterns over at Ruffled!  It’s so cute!

What make and takes have you found additional uses for?

OMG you guys, I can’t even contain myself.  THIS IS MY CLASSROOM.

It’s a great 30’x26’ space, and I’m expecting about 27 kids for my very first class!  I’m mapping out my arrangement of the room, but I’ve got a great blank slate to work with!  What should I do?  Throw your ideas out, I’d love to hear them!

Holy cow, is it really that time?  Sure is!  Most schools will be starting in just a few weeks, about halfway through August, and we sure are close to that!  In celebration, here are some fun projects to prepare for the big return.

Rhonda of Dollar Store Crafts developed this adorable pencil cuff!  Great for teachers and kids alike, it’s a way to show off one of our favorite classic writing utensils.  Think of all the things you can do with pencils, wow!

This adorable burlap pencil case is printed with a little foam and some paint to create a block print.  Super cute and of course functional!  Thanks, Factory Direct Craft!

Finally, our own speech bubble chalk boards take nothing more than foamcore, a knife, and some chalkboard paint.  Make any shape you want!  Fun first day photos, anyone?

What are some of your great projects for back to school?

Blue is one of my favorite colors for decorating.  From a pale blue-green like antique glass to a warm tiffany blue, they all make exciting statements!

Blue is generally considered to be soothing and calming, but other blues can be exciting and impulsive!  Check out these examples!

I love this bold teal.  It makes a great statement in a room filled with mostly other greys.

This royal blue accompanies the warm gold and wood tones of the vignette in this room very well, balancing and bringing interest!

This pretty pastel looks especially nice highlighted by the white trim and details.

What’s your favorite blue room?

Recently a purchased a FABULOUS pair of gold glitter shoes for a friend’s wedding (who doesn’t love a bride who asks you to wear GLITTER shoes?), and I am just SO in love with them!  Check out the finds I’ve made by continuing the search!

These are similar to the Steve Maddens I bought, but the glitter here is darker and multi-colored!  The sparkle really makes this classic style exciting!

Who doesn’t love the Dorothy-style magic of a pair of red glitter shoes?  I think the strap makes it that much more fun!

If you’re a little more budget-conscious, don’t worry!  Our friends at Target have a great collection of shimmering shoes to sate our appetites for sparkle.

No need for heels?  Try these super simple ballet flats – comfort and style all in one!

Which are your favorites?

Happy Monday all!  With school starting up, I expect to be busier and busier, so I’m switching back to Tuesday and Thursday postings (after skipping Friday, apparently. XD).  Hope to have some great projects from the classroom coming up soon!  See you tomorrow!