Crafty Christmas Ideas

Aside from buying for family and friends at Christmas, I always try to give my fellow English teachers a little something special (all thirteen of them!).  Usually it's a homemade treat...or if I'm really on a time crunch, it's candy and a card.  This year, though, I decided to put my obsession with Pinterest to use and create a great teacher gift idea.

My workspace. Thanks to my adorable husband for helping out!

Attaching popcorn to the back of each card.

Circle punch from Michael's.

After finding some adorable cards at Hallmark, which came in these cute red envelopes with snowflakes, I bought a few boxes of movie butter popcorn (the best) to attach to the cards.  Next, I used my handy dandy large circle punch, which I purchased from Michael's two years ago to create tags for my niece's birthday party favors and (to be honest) I haven't touched it since.  I jotted a little note on each tag, finished with a little ribbon and TADA!  A cute gift that everyone can enjoy.

The finished product.  The tags read "Hope your holidays are poppin'!"

But there's one more group I always put together a special gift for - my yearbook students.  They work hard to meet those deadlines and deserve a little "thank you."  I purchased yearbook t-shirts from our yearbook company, wrapped them up with boxed candy, and included a colored pen (because they do a ton of writing for me!).  

A little edge...

Tuesday was the beginning of yet another school year (this is my eighth).  To be perfectly honest, the first day of school never gets any easier...in fact, it's downright chaotic.  That being said, I was feeling a little edgy and I think my style reflected it.  Here are some shots of my accessories from Tuesday.


Black acrylic Guess watch with black and silver bangles.



Gianni Bini spiked flats.  Definitely edgy, but super comfortable!

Feeling Gray

On a recent shopping trip to Marshall's with my mom, I scored this amazing chair.

Close-up detail of the silver studding.  Gorgeous.

It's a gray and cream with a bit of an ikat print, and it's fabulous.  Problem is, it doesn't really match my current decor.  So...I'm going to design an entire room around it, of course.  Now, it's so secret to my family (especially my husband) that I'm OBSESSED with gray.  Case in point: our weimaraner, Lexie, and dapple dachshund, Zoey.  What can I say?  Even my dogs are gray.

Recently, I've been searching around on Pinterest and found several lovely gray bedrooms from which I'll be pulling my inspiration. I love how versatile the color is.  I think I can easily accent the room with blues, yellows, even turquoise, to keep it from becoming too monotone.


Lusting over the chandelier!



I'm really loving the mirrored nightstand and the silvery printed comforter.

Lucky for me, I don't mind painting, but finding the perfect shade of gray is going to be tough!  I'll be sure to post some pics when the bedroom is done.  Another idea is to use the chair at my desk, similar to the pic below. 

Now all I need is the Mac.....

Back to School

   With summer winding down, so does my summer vacation...depressing, but inevitable.  School is starting in a couple weeks, and teachers are slowly making their way back to their classrooms, armed to the brim with new supplies.
   For any new teachers out there, I have a bit of information that may come as a surprise: being a teacher is expensive!  Few people realize how much of their own money teachers spend out of pocket each year on necessities like highlighters, paper, glue, folders, scissors, markers, index cards, and so much more.  These are just a few of the items on my end-of-summer shopping list, and I teach high school!

   With budget cuts affecting most of the schools in our state, money is tight.  What does that mean for teachers?  Well (aside from no more raises and the constant threat of cutbacks) it means if you want/need something for your classroom or your students, you're probably going to have to buy it yourself.  Luckily, many office supply chains (like Staples and Office Max) offer teacher discounts and Virginia offers a weekend in August where school supplies, even clothing, under $100 can be purchased tax-free.

  

 

   It was during this weekend that I went on a bit of a buying splurge (only for school, of course!) and scored the items pictured above from Staples and Target.  My total purchase cost (wait for it)....$178.93.  Now, for some people that doesn't sound like a lot, but for a teacher (especially one from a school district that hasn't seen raises in over 5 years) that is a fortune!  While in Staples, I met a woman shopping with her husband.  They each had a cart FULL of supplies...for her third grade class!  I don't even want to know what her total was, but I'm sure elementary teachers spend much more than that us high school teachers.

   The problem is, I'm not done.  I'm thinking of doing some redecorating this year, which of course costs money.  I've purchased some colored bins (going with blue, lime green, pink and purple - one color for each class) with matching paper clips and binder clips to help stay organized this year.  I will also be purchasing some fabric to use on my bulletin boards, rather than the usual paper.  Fabric won't fade or rip, and can stand up to the constant flow of high schoolers in and out of my room.  Another fun fact: if teenagers can touch it, they can also destroy it.

Beginning the color coding process...

Here are a few pictures of my classroom.  I have an odd-shaped corner room on the second floor.  This means I have more windows, though!  My room's walls actually have five sides (three long walls, two very short) so the placement of desks and other furniture is a bit like playing Tetris. Once I've finished decorating, I'll post some before and after shots.  Wish me luck (with the room, or with the teenagers). 



This is "my" corner. The orange bulletin board contains pictures of students,
as well as tokens from my travels. My small fridge and mircrowave pay
homage to my alma mater!  The tops of my filing cabinets will display pictures of
my nieces, and a large bust of Shakespeare, of course.

 

Another view to show the odd walls. 
Bookshelves and cabinets literally go wherever I can fit them!

Sweet Savannah

   As a Southern girl, I've learned to appreciate the simple beauties of the South: homecooked meals, sugary sweet tea, kind people with thick accents seeking refuge from the hot sun under huge shade trees.  While I enjoy the peace and quiet of the country as much as anyone, let's face it...I do love to shop.  Southern cities are the perfect combination of that slow-pace for which the South is known for living, mixed with the hustle and bustle of city life. 
   Now, I've spent quite a bit of time in New York City and I've also been to London, so I can safely say I've experienced the "big city."  While New York and London are great for shopping, fine dining, museums, or strange people-watching, they are downright exhausting.

Lovely shops on the Riverwalk.

Spanish moss and cobblestones.

   Savannah is a place I have always wanted to visit.  From everything I'd seen in movies and on television, it looked absolutely beautiful, and I must say that once I arrived, it did not disappoint.  Was there traffic? Yes, but no honking horns or angry drivers.  Crowds? Sure, but no pushing or shoving, just polite people going about their days.  Locals didn't treat tourists as inconveniences, but rather as new friends.  Spanish moss and magnolias line the streets, and every few blocks there is a beautiful square...a place for tourists and locals alike to rest in the shade, catch up with friends, or grab a bite to eat.

Free entertainment in Chippewa Square.

Just a casual stroll in Savannah.

View from our room at the River Street Inn.

I wasn't sure what I'd find when I arrived in Savannah, but after only a few days there, I was sure sad to leave.  I can't wait to get back, take a stroll down Bull Street and stop at each square, all while sipping a peach tea and wearing a fabulous hat.

Fountain in Forsyth Park.

Found my dream home!

An Easter culinary creation

I generally hate to cook. It's not that I can't cook, or that I'm a bad cook, I just find it a bit stressful. That being said, I do love to bake. Okay, maybe I prefer cooking things that just aren't that good for you: cakes, pies, cupcakes, muffins, brownies...anything sweet (and usually high in calories). Because of my fabulous baking abilities, my family usually puts me in charge of desserts each holiday (at least, that's what I tell myself). This Easter, I wanted something that celebrated the arrival of Spring, so I decided on coconut cake, with a twist. I used Duncan Hines strawberry cake mix with vanilla icing, topped with coconut and fresh strawberries.
  

The "cast of characters." Peeps can be used around

the cake stand for decoration.



Needless to say, it was a hit. It's also my personal belief that all cake tastes better when blended with a pink mixer (which my husband refuses to touch).  This was the ideal cake trifecta: simple, delicious, and fattening.



Top with fresh strawberries...perfect!

Can you think of a better time than Easter to break out the pink appliances?  Neither can I.  Trust me, though, this is only about a third of my collection (including the pink coffee pot, which I don't think I've ever actually used, but it's adorbable sitting on the counter).





Wedding Bells on the Beach

   Let me first start by saying I am not a typical girl when it comes to weddings.  I never spent time daydreaming about a beautiful church wedding, or ball gowns, or a handsome husband waiting at the end of an ailse donning a tuxedo.  However, I have always known exactly where my wedding would be.  The Outer Banks has been my second home since I was born.  After my parents' divorce when I was five, it became my refuge, a place to enjoy family time, relaxation, and of course, the sun and sand.  I only hoped that I would meet a man who would love the Outer Banks as much as I do.  Luckily, I did.

After the storm, these beautiful clouds and blue water.

   David and I met almost eight years ago.  I was a young reporter for a local newspaper who had to interview a firefighter (and I freely admit, I hoped he was cute).  Luckily, he was.  We went on our first date that very night, and have been together ever since.  When he proposed, there were many plans to consider (food options, the dress, invitations, the dress, how many guests to invite, the dress, music, the dress!), but the one thing we were absolutely sure of was the location...Hatteras Island.  Once we found a vacation home large enough to fit our guests and reception (we chose the Love Boat in Frisco) the wedding was officially on a roll.

What's a wedding without firefighters?

   The week leading up to the wedding was beautiful.  Our wedding day... not so much.  I awoke on that Friday morning to torrential rain and 40 mph wind gusts.  "Devastated" just doesn't cover it.  So much money, time and effort had gone into this wedding and many of our guests had traveled hours to get there.  Now it looked as if our ceremony would be taking place in the living room of the Love Boat.  But as anyone who's spent time on the Outer Banks knows, the weather can change in an instant.  Two hours before our ceremony, the rain stopped and the clouds disappeared.  The wedding was on as scheduled...we just had two hours to set up for it (and get dressed). 

   In the end, though, Hatteras came through for me.  Somehow I knew she would.  Afterall, this had been my childhood dream.  It was surreal to stand before the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in a wedding dress, posing for photos with my new husband and being congratulated by strangers.  Surreal, and wonderful.  My dream had come true, and to share it with the man I love makes it all that much sweeter.

A dream becomes reality.

And away we go...

   This is my first blog, so bear with me while I work out the kinks, but welcome!  I'm hoping this will a be a place where I can share some of the things I love and that inspire me.  Maybe, just maybe, they'll inspire someone else, as well.
   When I'm not teaching Shakespeare or designing fabulous layouts as the Yearbook Advisor for the local high school, I enjoy decorating my home that I share with my adorable husband, David, and our dogs, Lexie and Zoey.  I'm mildly obsessed with boots, never met a cardigan I didn't love, and am always on the search for the perfect pair of jeans.  My husband and I love to travel (ask me for tips on NYC or Vegas...trust me, we've been there ALOT), but our true love is the beach.  There's nothing like sand between your toes and a salt air breeze to put life in perspective.
   Coming from a family full of lovely southern women, I love to bake and believe in being polite.  I'm also hoping to visit as many southern cities as I can in the near future (Savannah and Atlanta...check!).
   So thanks for visiting my blog, and please check back for future posts!

Jessica