DIY Superhero Classroom Style

Tie on your superhero crafting capes my friends and get ready to create some colorful and useful accents, incentives, and accessories for your classroom!

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DIY Classroom Organizing Tips & Tricks

As teachers we are always on the look out for cheap, fast, and easy classroom organizing tips and tricks.  My most recent DIY is so simple I don't know why I haven't done it sooner.  You probably have, but just in case I am not the last person on the planet to implement this trick I wanted to share it, and a few other ideas that make classroom life easier and a little more organized.

I use yarn for a lot of different things in the classroom and I have tried a few different techniques for trying to keep the yarn from becoming either a tangled mess, or an unraveled nightmare that would delight my baby kitty.  I just recently made a trip to our local recycled supply store (also known as teacher heaven) and stumbled across this genius trick. I love that it also happens to be a great reuse of my Kirkland Mixed Nuts containers that I have always saved, but never quite known what for! Now I do!

All you need:
1 good size plastic container with a lid
1 power drill with a  1/2 inch bit

I had Dad2punkerdoo help me with the drill, because he's just really good with that kind of stuff.  He made sure the lid was screwed tightly on the container, eyeballed the center, and then in about 3 seconds drilled a perfectly sized hole.  I simply placed my yarn inside, threaded the end through the hole, and ta-da...there you have it! A simple DIY solution for keeping your yarn from becoming a mess.

I have got a few other organizing tips and tricks posted over on Mom2punkerdoo click on the links below to read more!

Click for more ideas and a FREEBIE

Click for a few more fun ideas and a DIY basket! 

Be sure to check out my classroom organization board on Pinterest for many more useful ideas to getting your classroom organized!

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DIY: Creating No-Sew Curtains

If you're looking for a way to spruce up your classroom, office, or even a room in your home - I have the perfect DIY project for you. It's easy, inexpensive, and best of all? It requires no sewing!

Curtain rods 
I used spring mounted rods since I am not allowed to make holes in the walls at school. Be sure you measure your windows as they sell several different sizes - something I had to learn the hard way...
Fabric scraps, ribbons, lace, etc. 
Back in the day I used to do a lot of quilting, so I have a lot of scraps of fabric in my storage closet, but you can also purchase fat quarters or even miscellaneous bits of fabric at your local craft store.
Scissors
Fabric scissors are the best, but you could also use pinking shears or regular scissors as long as they are sharp enough to cut the fabric.
Ruler
Anything that measures in inches will work, but honestly you could "eyeball it" in a pinch.

Cutting board and rotary cutter
As I mentioned before, I have a lot of leftover supplies from my quilting days, so I used these instead of scissors. I found it to be faster, but it's totally optional.

Use the ruler to measure and mark the fabric at 2-inch increments. (I found that 2-inch wide strips make for a nice curtain or valance. You might experiment with different widths or even use various widths to add interest.) If you are using ribbon or lace, you can skip this part.

After cutting your fabric into 2-inch wide strips, determine the desired length of your curtains. For me, I wanted some light to still come through the bottom of my windows, so I made my strips 43-45 inches long. Really, I was using scraps and I just figured whatever width I had was good enough. BUT, it's important to remember that you'll need TWICE the length (plus a couple inches) since each strip will be tied in the middle, giving you two hanging parts.

You might want to create a pattern of some sort or you may prefer a more random approach. My poor OCD mind couldn't handle too much "random", so I chose to follow the color order of the rainbow. My classroom already has a lot of red, so I swapped pink for red in my pattern and included several shades of some colors.

Once you've determined the order you want your fabric strips, begin tying them to the curtain rod. Since my windows are super high and I never really touch the curtains, I didn't knot the fabric strips. I just tied them once. This held the fabric in place without adding too much bulk. I liked the look, but I have seen it done several ways and you might prefer the knotted look. Go ahead and experiment. That's half the fun!

As you tie the fabric to the curtain rod, squish the tied pieces together to create a fuller curtain. Spread them out if you prefer a less puffy look. Once you're happy with the look, continue tying fabric strips to the curtain rod until it is completely full.

What are you waiting for?!? You're done. That's it. Nothing more. Just hang those cheerful curtains up in the window or door frame and enjoy your perfectly amazing work! In fact, take a picture and post it to Instagram. Tag me @iteachstem so I can see your version of these super easy curtains!

I have two windows and a back door, so I made three sets of these curtains so everything would be matchy-matchy, just the way I like it!

And...
I loved making these so much that I ended up creating a table skirt for the ceramic art studio my hubby and I own to hide the clutter of boxes and bubble wrap and unfinished pieces. They are so cute and WAY easy. I just tied the fabric strips to wooden dowel rods and used command hooks to attach them to the table! I'm in love!

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DIY Paint Can Back to School Survival Kit

With Back to School just around the corner, why not get an early start and do a fun, little DIY project? We've all seen those Back to School Survival Kits that you can make to give to teachers, but this unique kit is sure to grab some attention.  First of all, who knew you could buy brand-new, empty paint cans? When I discovered this, I just knew I had the perfect use for one of those shiny pails. Just look at this oh-so-inviting Back to School Survival Kit!

Here is what you need:

• A new, unused, empty paint can (I bought mine at my local Home Depot).
• Candy, school supplies, treats.  I included bubble gum, band aids, crayons, glue stick, travel size kleenex, life savers, paper clips, index cards, post-it notes, Milky Way, Jolly Ranchers, Nutter Butters, pencils, pencil sharpener, and erasers.
• Colorful ribbon
• Label for the outside
• Note to teacher with a list of contents and their meanings for the inside

 Assembling your kit is quite simple, once you have gathered your supplies! First cut out the paint can label and the Note to Teacher. You can create your own, or feel free to download the FREE labels as shown in the photo.

Next, start packing the items into the paint can. 

At first glance, it looks like you won't be able to fit everything in the can. With some careful packing, though, it can be done.  Just be sure NOT to forget your list of contents and their meanings in the can before it gets too full! 

Once your can is filled, add your Back to School Survival Kit label.  Glue the label to the front of the paint can.

Once the label is neatly in place on your can, add some colorful ribbon. I chose some spare red ribbon I had left over from another project.  I think it is perfect!

Now, the fun part: Give your Back to School Survival Kit to a lucky teacher! I can assure you that everyone will ask where it came from! Isn't it adorable? 

To download the FREE Back to School Survival Kit packet, click HERE.

Thanks so much for visiting!  I'd love to connect with you on my Facebook page, Appletastic: Blossoming in Fifth Grade!

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