Need a New Source of Classroom Inspiration? E-t-s-y !

It's summer, and if you're like many teachers, you're ready to track down new and inspiring resources and design elements to help create the perfect learning environment for your students... or you're still catching up on naps.

Whether you're taking part in book studies, sales shopping, or attending conferences, the thought of tackling furniture arrangements and bulletin board displays will eventually cross your mind.  If you're anything like me though, you'll notice that trimmers, anchor charts, and manipulatives featured in teacher stores and catalogs have all started to look alike, no matter the animal, super hero, or polka dot pattern used.

They're tried and true stand-bys, and I'll appreciatively admit that Bordette corrugated trimmer has ~saved~ my bulletin board displays on more than one occasion, but if you're wondering what else might be out there (and you're the creative sort who isn't afraid of scissors, a glue gun, Mod Podge or printing in color), I've got the perfect place for you to find fresh inspiration:

ETSY.

Oh yes, take a gander at art prints, bunting, printable posters and manipulatives available on Etsy, and let your imagination, creativity, and craftiness be inspired.  I've created a treasury of items that caught my idea for classroom consideration here: 

How about these?  Teaching in Kansas, The Wizard of Oz is one of my favorites.  Illustrations, typography, and textural elements can all contribute to the feel and comfort of our students' learning spaces.

You can join Etsy for free, and search to your heart's content.  I use terms like "art print," "bunting," "classroom decor," "teacher gifts," "quotations," and "nursery" when I'm on the hunt for ideas.

Where else do you find inspiration for your classroom?  The great outdoors?  Museums? Travel?  Movies or television shows?

True Colors

Beautiful version via TED: "In a heart-melting moment, TED Talks Education host John Legend sits at the piano to sing True Colors, giving the lyrics a special meaning for kids and teachers. 'So don't be afraid / to let them show / your true colors / are beautiful, like a rainbow.'

Life Isn't a Race

It's a dance:

You're a Teacher

(Jerry Mills)

Dixie Carter

I loved watching Designing Women, my two favorite characters being Julia and Suzanne Sugarbaker. Suzanne's clothes, hair, sassy narcissism and of course, fur coats always caught my eye, but it was Julia's sophistication, class, loyalty, and spine with the mouth to back it up that inspired me.

A woman called "The Terminator?" Oh y-e-a-h:


(apologies for the error "Your" instead of "You're," I didn't title the video)

I can't help wonder what Julia Sugarbaker would have said about the current state of public education.

I would have paid to see that speech.

Need...More...Coffee

I'm ever-so-resistantly moving back to my school schedule. In bed by nine(ish), up at five(ish), out the door by seven(ish), needing another cup of coffee by three(ish). Problem is, if I drink coffee at three, I'll be exhausted but unable to get to sleep at nine.

My toddler has been *so* helpful keeping me on my school schedule over the past two weekends as well. He's awake and rarin' to go at five. Not five(ish), FIVE. Bouncing. Running. Yelling. Happy, smiling, exuberant. No coffee needed. Not a chance of sleeping in for me. I feel no guilt sending in the attack toddler to wake up Daddy and Sister at seven. NONE.

*****

My husband took me to Lydia's last night for our anniversary dinner. Num, num, and MORE NUM! He enjoyed the bottomless pasta (the servers had a much prettier sounding name for it) and I indulged with a perfectly cooked salmon steak on a bed of Yukon Gold potatoes and (get ready to catch my mother as she faints) green beans! We had a piece of "Happy Anniversary" Tiramisu for dessert, and then attempted to burn off some calories walking through Barnes and Noble.

Finding the newest editions of Somerset's Artful Blogging, Somerset Home, and Somerset Life in stock at B-and-N also helped burn off some of our delicious dinner: jumping up and down with glee is exercise, right?

*****

Yes, I'm heading back to my classroom today. I managed to avoid it yesterday, though I did take the kids on a bit of a drive to find another teacher store out of town, and visited Goodwill to find a reading chair. Two vests and three purses for the pretend center later, I found a sturdy yet comfortable chair. I'll be so happy when my class finally has that "all pulled together" look, ready for students with bright, shining eyes.

*****

Speaking of bright, shining eyes, get comfy, and watch this video of Benjamin Zander, speaking about classical music and life, and think about checking the connection you have with your students when you meet them for the first week of school:

Oz-Fest/Inspiration Binder

My family and I will watch The Wizard of Oz, Return to Oz, and Tin Man this weekend because...







Uncle Sam says we are to return to the land of Munchkins, scarecrows, and ruby slippers this summer!

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Please do me a favor and help me in the "oohs and ahhs" department once you see my latest attempt at scrapping (my husband doesn't quite understand the need for encouragement for this kind of thing). In preparation for moving this summer, I've been snipping and clipping my favorite recipes, photos, craft and home decor ideas for my Inspiration Binder. I've mentioned before that we have a weight limit for our household goods each time we move, so packing and hauling stacks of magazines isn't feasible. I just can't bear to be without all of the beautiful, creative and innovative ideas I come across though, so I sort the clippings by season/holiday or subject (health/diet; home decor; houseplans; fashion; crafts/patterns), pop them into page protectors and add them to my binders. Wouldn't you know it, I had to buy larger binders because my old ones were stuffed! Here's what I started with this afternoon:



There were so many pretty papers I wanted to use, so I decided on a nine-patch pattern:



I used ribbon as border around some of the squares, and photo corners, brads, and embroidery floss on others:



Out came the chipboard:



Then tags,text, paper flowers and more ribbon:



And a bitty photo of little ol' me when I was MUCH younger (don't worry Mom, it's a digital copy):



I was only able to finish the front cover before the toddler woke up from his nap, so tomorrow I'll be adding the spine detail and back cover:



I feel like it's a bit of a "sampler" of scrapbooking ideas, though I didn't use stamps or "fancy scissors" yet...not sure if I will...