Teacher Appreciation Gifts

This year I got a gift for each of my child's lead teacher, our bus driver and the new Assistant Principal who was a huge help to us this year with our son.  We love to give to the teachers when we can but, we don't have as much as we would like to give.  So, I try to make the best of what I can find. 

This year I found some great gifts in the $1 bins at Michael's craft store (my favorite place to go for teacher gifts).  Since we are giving the gifts for Teacher Appreciation Week and the school year is almost over, I decided to put together a "pampering kit" for the teachers to help them relax and rest up over the summer.

Pampering Kit ($1 items from Michael's):

• Nail Files - 2 pack
• Sleep Mask
• Manicure/Pedicure Kit
• Back Massager

Each of the items came in 4 or 5 different colors.  So, I gave each teacher all the items in one color and put them in a gift bag ($0.79 at Michael's) that was the same color.  I buy white tissue paper in bulk, so I already had some at home.  I only used one sheet of tissue paper for each bag. 

I added a little something to spruce up the packaging.  I had ribbon at home from the hair bows I make my daughter.  So, I used coordinating ribbon to make a bow on each bag.  From the bow I had their name that I printed out on card stock and cut out with decorative craft scissors.

I also had note cards that I bought from the $1 bin at Target (10 note cards for $1).  So, I used those to write thank you cards to the teachers and tell them how grateful for all their hard work and for being kind to our kids.

I think they turned out great!  I hope the teachers like them as much as I did.  =)  Happy Teacher's Appreciation Week!!!

*These gifts are also great for End of the Year teacher's gifts, Mother's Day gifts and Christmas gifts too!

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Mother's Day is just around the corner and if you haven't gotten the moms in your life a gift, you better hop to it.  Moms can be some of the most difficult people to shop for.  Sure you may not think so but, you probably also think all moms love anything to do with cleaning or something for the house.  And you would most likely be wrong.

When you get a Mother's Day gift for someone, it should be for her!  Don't buy her a blender, vacuum or a new shower curtain.  Those are things for your house and family.  Buy her something like a gift card to the spa or her favorite craft store.  Even if a mom says she doesn't need or want anything, give her something anyway.  For more ideas check out these sites:

Mother's Day Gift Ideas

• Cool Mom Picks - Gift Guide
• Gifts.com
• Mother's Day Gift Basket Ideas
• The Best Gifts for Mom

Creative Gift Idea

I showed you the gifts I put together for my first graders teacher with Gift for Teacher or Mom.  I also made gifts for my preschooler's teachers.  I got the idea for their gifts from when I was searching the internet for Gift Ideas for Teachers.


I decided to make my preschooler's teachers decorative canvas tote bags.  He has three preschool teachers and I was able to find a 3-pack of brightly colored canvas totes at Walmart.  I had decorative and alphabet iron-ons at home, so I didn't need to buy those.  I also grabbed a few things to fill the bags:  designer notebook, designer planner, 2 nice pens and a bag of Hershey's Bliss chocolates.


I put the words HOPE, LOVE and JOY on the bags with iron-on velvet letters.  I surrounded each word with relative and colorful iron-on images.  I chose these words because these particular preschool teachers have taught our two oldest children over the last four years and during this time they have brought hope, love and joy into our children's lives.  It only seemed fitting to tell them so.


My son and I gave his teachers their gifts today in celebration of Teacher Appreciation week.  However, this is a creative and fun craft or gift idea for anyone and any occassion.  I had fun making them and the teachers loved them.

Gift for Teacher or Mom

I love putting together gifts for my kids' teachers to show them how much our family appreciates all they do for our kids.  Since this week is Teacher Appreciation week I got on the ball and came up with some cute ideas for gifts.

I decided to make a gift basket for my first graders main/homeroom teacher.  I layered a couple of floral print sheets of tissue paper in the basket and bunched a couple sheets up at the bottom.  In the basket I put a designer notebook, designer planner, 2 nice pens and a bag of Hershey's Bliss chocolates.  I topped it off with a thank you card in the front. 

This would also be a great gift idea for Mother's Day.  You can fill the basket with all your mom's favorite things!

For the bunch of teachers that my first grader encounters throughout the week, we made 3 dozen muffins.  I bought the Martha White's Muffin Mix in chocolate chip, blueberry and mixed berry flavors.  You only need a 1/2 cup of milk for each package.  Super simple and fairly inexpensive.  I piled the muffins into a disposable cake pan lined with wax paper and covered with a lid.  (You can dress up the cake pan by putting colorful tissue paper instead of or under the wax paper.)  On top of the lid I taped a thank you card addressed to all the elementary school teachers.  Inside the card I listed the muffin flavors. 

How to Make a Paper Flower Garden

Today I surprised my kids with paper flowers for Easter.  My oldest son liked his so much that he wanted to make a whole garden of paper flowers.  So we pulled out the cupcake liners and pipe cleaners and began making flowers.  My son came up with the idea of the garden.  We grabbed a shoe box and covered it with green construction paper.  Then we poked holes in it to stick the flowers in.  My son even figured out that we could use green pipe cleaner to make "grass" for our garden.  He is so proud of his garden that he put it on display in our dining room.  This is what we did to make our Paper Garden:

Supplies

• Cupcake Liners
• Pipe Cleaners
• Shoe Box
• Construction Paper
• Pen (for poking holes)
• Tape or Glue

Directions

1. Make your paper flowers using cupcake liners and pipe cleaners (see below for instructional links).
2. Cover a shoe box with green construction paper.
3. Poke holes in the top of the box.
4. Insert flowers into holes.

How to Make Paper Flowers

• Cupcake Liner Flowers
• Tissue Paper Flowers 
• Flower and Garden Crafts for Kids
• Paper Flower Templates

Paper flowers are a great gift idea for children to make.  It's perfect for Teacher Appreciation Day and Mother's Day too!We had so much fun spending time together making this craft!  I hope you do too! 

Gift Ideas for Teachers

This year Teacher Appreciate Week is May 2-6.  If you are looking for a good way to show how much you appreciate your child's teacher, go no further.  Here are some presents we gave in the past and some great sites I found with wonderful ideas for teacher gifts.

Ideas 

• A large scented candle with a ribbon and tag reading:  "A good teacher is like a candle - it consumes itself to light the way for others" or "You are a scent-sational teacher!"
• Buy an inexpensive canvas tote or make it yourself.  Then jazz it up with iron-on transfers (see Tote Bags with Iron-On Silhouettes).  Fill the tote with teacher supplies like sharpies, notepads, pens, etc.  Or you can fill the tote with children's books for the classroom.   

Links

• Creative Teachers Gifts Ideas
• Best Teacher Gifts from Kids
• Teacher Appreciation Ideas by Skip to my Lou

If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them.  So, please share with a comment!

Free Full-Size Febreze Candles

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 2-6th.  Show your child's teacher how grateful you are to have them in your lives with a free gift and get one for yourself at the same time.  Visit Free Full-Size Febreze Candles- 1 for You & 1 for a Teacher! to find out how.  For more ways to show your child's  teacher your appreciation, visit Gift Ideas for Teachers.

Dirty Santa - The Gift Giving Game

This year our family is changing things up with our gift giving.  My mother-in-law suggested playing "Dirty Santa".  We were all a bit hesitant to agree to it but the more I learned about it the more interesting and fun it sounded.  No, it's not an adults only game.  Also, it is sometimes called "White Elephant".  The rules are pretty confusing but here are a couple of websites that I found that describe it in a way that is easier to understand:

• Dirty Santa Gift Exchange
• How To Throw A Dirty Santa Party
• How To Play Dirty Santa

A few sites suggest coming up with a theme for your Dirty Santa Party and a price limit.  The price limit is often around $20-25.   Choosing a theme can make gift ideas easier for those participating.  Some great themes are:  Gag Gifts, Alcohol, Board Games and Small Appliances.  If you decide you don't want a theme, be sure to remind all guests to choose a gift that is good for just about anyone.  You don't want gender specific gifts because the game won't be as fun.

Here are some websites that have great ideas for Dirty Santa gifts:

• Great Dirty Santa Gifts Around $25
• Top 10 Dirty Santa Gift Ideas Under $5

Have fun and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!

Motion Sickness to Morning Sickness - "It's In the Bag"

If you have ever had morning sickness or motion sickness, you know how embarrassing it is to get sick in front of an audience.  On top of that, the clean up can be a struggle since the smell can trigger another "episode". 

No, I do not have a cure but, I do have a recommendation to help prevent a mess and minimize embarrassment:  Momma's Chic Sicbags.  The creators came up with the idea to make these bags when their daughter became pregnant with their first grandchild.  Check out all these bags have to offer:

•  Tabs for easy and secure closure. 
• A cleansing wipe conveniently attached to the outside of each bag for easy clean-up.  
• Small enough to keep in your purse, diaper bag, car or carry-on. 
• Available in three cute designs:  Momma's Chic Sick Bags, Puke University Bags and Travel Sick Bags.

I took some Travelers Sick Bags with us on our last family vacation.  During our flight home we were glad to have them in our carry-on when our 15-month-old succumbed to the turbulence.  It made things much easier when we deplaned. 

Buy Momma's Chic Sicbags for yourself, your kids or as a great gift for an expecting mother.