A Bag of Mints {Teacher Appreciation}

This is an easy and inexpensive gift to make for the teachers, but the little message covers a lot.  I gathered a variety of minty treats and put them in a cello bag.  I made the toppers in three different styles so you can pick what you like best (one pictures above):

The little saying I found on the internet, but have no idea who wrote it to credit says:

Thanks for your commitmint to help me learn.

Thanks for your encouragemint to always to my best.

Thanks for your involvemint in my life.

Thanks for your investmint of time and energy to make school such a great place to be.

Thanks for making each day an enjoymint.

Thanks for helping to create a nice environmint  for me to learn and grow.

Everything you have done this year has really mint a lot to me!

Some mint ideas: Peppermints, lifesavers, mint gum, Altoids, mint M&M's, butter-mints, Andes mints, etc.

This last year I made these gifts again, but I changed the packaging a little.  I only used wintergreen lifesavers.  I bought a large bag at Costco and had enough to cover a lot of people.  I only put about 15 mints in a bag, but it turned out beautifully.  I had enough for my daughter's teacher and the teacher that comes in her class to help, the 7 specialists (librarian, assistant librarian, computer teacher, art teacher, 2 PE teachers), the office staff, the principle and assistant principle, nurse, and the middle school teachers.  We are on a major budget this year so I was very pleased with how nicely it turned out and how little it cost to cover all those people!

Download the Printable HERE

Over 15 Teacher Appreciation Ideas and Printables

If you have read my blog before you know that I believe teacher are underpaid and under thanked.  Through the last few years I have tried to come up with some thank yous for our teachers.  Most of my ideas are fairly inexpensive.  I want to thank all my children's teachers, including their specialists.  Now that I have two in middle school that is at least 21 teachers.  It does add up, but I believe they deserve a little thanks too.  Actually I haven't been good about thanking the middle school extras (like the librarian) and I often forget their counselors and the nurse.  I do what I can.  
Here are some things (and links) to things I have done in the past and each item has a free printable you can download.  Please become a follower before you download.


I like to give one gift every day.  Here is some things I did last year:

I'm Aiming for Brownie Points!

This is one of my favorites, and I'm thinking I may do it again.  You can attach it to a box of brownies or a plate of brownies, but I'm thinking about attaching it to a mug of mix that you put in the microwave (just have to find it on pinterest again).  Then it is a serving for one and they get a cute mug!

 Hand Sanitizer

This is one of my most pinned, most popular posts. 

Teachers plant the seeds of knowledge that will grow forever!

This is an easy, expensive and cute gift.  Easy to do for lots of teachers, specialists, and staff.  You can also dress it up with a flower pot and garden gloves.  You can even go a step closer with a trowel and other gardening supplies.

 Word Play on "mint" coming soon {I guess I forgot to post it last year}.

Post-it Holder

 

We have to ad-MITT you are a great teacher.

This is tied in with a bulletin board idea and a box of recipes the kids wrote about their teacher.

M[arvelous] & M[agnificent] Teacher

 A Poem explaining the colors of M&M's and a bulletin board idea.

Thanks for making me Sharp!

Baggy Tag

Your class is the highlight of my day!

You have been the Write teacher for Me!

Or

You are the Write teacher for Me!

How do you spell the world's greatest teacher?  Y-O-U!

Attach to pens, pencils, chalk, expo markers, etc.

 Supply Cake

Can be made for as a birthday present or for as a teacher appreciation gift.

My future is bright because you are my teacher.

Attach the bag to a pair of sunglasses.

Or try one of my monthly gifts I did last year (I didn't quite make it each month).

Baseball Ideas {4 tags}:

I've hit a home run being in your class

Your a hit above the rest

You have hit every situation we have pitched right out of the park

 I'm glad to pitch-in for some fun

If you used these for teacher appreciation instead of a small gift you could attach it to baseball tickets or merchandise.

 I'm pumped because. . .

No Picture - Attach to football item.

There's no Toss up.  You are the Best!

I hope that you can find an idea or two that will be able to use.  Please remember that if you choose to download, please become a follower first (on the right).  I'm happy to share my creations with my followers.  If you would like to leave a comment too that would totally make my day!

Linking to parties listed above on the Link Party tab including:

Bloom Designs, Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons, Mormon Mommy Blogs, Anything Goes,

Bulletin Board Make Over {Teacher Appreciation Week}

I have to preface this post.  I had the whole thing typed up and when I published it, it disappeared.  I had spent hours on it, twice, and I lost everything but my first paragraph and picture.  I was so frustrated I couldn't work on it. It was put off to work on later.  I guess now is later.  It may or may not be as long/detailed as before. 

For Teacher Appreciation week I saw some cute door make-overs over at Skip to My Lou.  I thought that it would be fun to do for my kids' teachers.  I decided to use their bulletin boards and make them over.
I loved the Recipe for Success idea and I had to use that one.   

This picture doesn't do it justice, it turned out much cuter than I can show you.  My plan was to buy a red and white checked table cloth, but I forgot to hit the party store to see if I could find one.  I did have red and white wrapping paper so I used that instead.  The title was cut out with a die cut machine (or cricut or silhouette would do the same thing):

I

If I had to do it again I would have put plain paper behind it so that it would be easier to read.  I then put on the recipe.

The top says Mrs. Yawberg has the recipe for success!  The recipe says: Take 11 boys and 16 girls. Sprinkle liberally with laughter and enthusiasm.  Marinate with creativity, knowledge and love.  Mix gently in a classroom.  Let simmer for 9 1/2 months.  This recipe make 27 students well prepared for Middle School.
I asked the students to write their own recipes of what make Mrs. Yawberg a successful teacher.  I photo copied their recipes and put them on the board:

 

I stapled paper plates, plastic cups, and utensils wrapped in napkins around the board. 
The original recipes I put in here:

 

To make the holder I purchased a 4x6 photo holder from Micheals.  I mod podged paper onto the front.  I attached a coordinating ribbon with a tape runner.  I left a little gap to attach the bow. The bow on there is actually a barrette that I made.  I liked how it looked on it plus if she wanted to stack it she could remove the bow and have more room (or she could even use it in her daughter's hair).  I also put the year down in the corner.
To go along with the board I had the kids sign an apron.

I wrapped it all together with another teacher gift for the week:

 

The tag says 'We have to Ad-MITT, you are a great teacher!  Thanks for all you do!'  It was tied onto an oven mitt filled with cooking utensils and the apron wrapped around it.

We were going to get all the kids' pictures taken in an apron and chef's hat, but I didn't have the opportunity to go in there to do that.  I wanted to put their pictures on the board next to their recipes.  It would have been so cute and added so much more to it.

The other board we decorated (for our second grade teacher) we used the M&M theme.  I have used this years ago, but it is pretty popular now.  I found a cute poem to go with it.  
Here is the board:

The center of the boards says:

To make the boarder I cut out large circles (as large as I could get on 12x12 paper) in the color of m&m's.  I put part of the poem in each circle:

In between the large poem m&m's I put small ones.  In the center are m&m's that say 'Ms. Millson is magnificent because' and 'Ms. Millson is Marvelous because'.  The kids in her class each filled two of these out and then we hung them up:

For her treat we made her a bucket of M&M's complete with the poem. I found a clear paint can bucket and filled it with m&m's.  I tied ribbon along the side in the colors of the m&m's.

 I also slid in a copy of the poem.

Both teachers loved their boards!  It was a great end of school year board too.  I think there may have even been a few tears.

 To download the Ad-Mitt tag click here. 

Download the M&M's used on the boarder here

Download writing M&M's and more boarder m&ms here

Download M&M's to write on here

Download the poem for the board here (in M&M's)

Download the poem for the board here (as I used)

Download the M&M poem here (as seen in the can)

If you choose to download, please become a follower first (on the right).  I'm happy to share my creations with my followers.  If you would like to leave a comment too that would totally make my day!

Back to School Teacher Gifts

The school year has began and the best way to start it is with a gift for the teacher.  This year I have two in middle school (13 teachers) one in elementary (1 teacher, 7 specialists).  The count is getting much higher. 
I had planned on giving these during open house to the elementary teacher & specialists, but I began work this week and didn't have time (and I found the idea the day before open house):

We made them for the first day of school instead.  I printed the the tags from here.  They had two per sheet and I chose to print them on an 8x11 page four times (8 tags) so each sheet is a little smaller than 2x3.  
Using bakers twine I tied three kit kats to the tag.  These we gave to the elementary specialists.  I didn't take a picture, but for the teacher I put one bag of (opened a bag of snack size) kit kats and three containers of Keurig coffee into some tissue paper.  I tied the top with red and white bakers twine and attached a tag.  We then slid the tissue into a red and white gift bag.
I had one bag of kit kats left.  We tied two kit kats to a tag and gave them to the elementary and middle school office staff and bus driver.  
For the middle school teachers I wanted to give them something useful.  I'm not sure if you know this or not (I didn't until I worked at the school), but Magic Erasers make EXCELLENT erasers for dry erase boards.  I picked some up along with some Expo Markers while they were on sale this summer.  I printed some tags and brought out the bakers twine.  Using coordinating colors I tied on the tags.
I used two different sayings for the tags:

The original idea for the 'spell' tag here

The other tag:

This tag used to say: You have been the write teacher for me!  For the original idea check out here (plus you can download the past tense there).

Each teacher was given one (I even had an extra one for the elementary teacher).  They now have a marker and an eraser to use in class that they don't have to spend their own funds on.  It may not be huge, but they will appreciate it.

Download the WRITE tags here.

Download the SPELL tags here.

If you choose to download, please become a follower first (on the right).  I'm happy to share my creations with my followers.  If you would like to leave a comment too that would totally make my day!

Monthly School Idea: Sidewalk Chalk

Sorry for the delay.  There are so many posts I need to do still, and Surprisingly (not really) they are mainly teacher/school gifts.  I guess I have a soft spot in my heart for teachers.  

I recommend giving this gift when it is warm.  It could be in the fall or in the spring.  Since our schools don't start until September and we did the recess bag first, we saved this one for the spring. 
I bought a large box of sidewalk chalk and made some tags.  I attached the tag with lots of bright ribbon.  It pulled all the colors of the tag and the chalk together.  There are two to choose from:

Use your 3 inch circle punch for these.

You could use the top one and attach it to other teacher supplies: pens, markers, expo's, sharpies, etc. 

If you choose to download, please become a follower first (on the right).  I'm happy to share my creations with my followers.  If you would like to leave a comment too that would totally make my day!

Download the tags HERE

Post-it Holder

I saw this idea floating around the blog world/pinterest: a cute post-it note holder.  I decided it was a simple and low cost gift for Teacher Appreciation week.  I purchased the clear plastic frames from Walmart (they are at Dollar tree too, but they are actually cheaper at Walmart).  I ended up buying 3.5x5 frames and two 4x6 frames (because they were out of the smaller size, but they cost the same).  I sent my daughter to pick out paper and she came back with the assortment you will see.  I was extra excited because I had coordinating sticker ribbon that went with this paper.  Next time I make them I will probably use bright colored paper, ribbon, and post-its. 

If you buy your frames Walmart don't forget to remove the plastic coating that protects the frame (the ones Dollar Tree didn't have it - another reason to buy from Walmart).  Just cut your scrapbook paper to fit inside the frame.  You can get fancy and use two colors, but I just used one print because the post-its cover most of it up.  Add some ribbon across the top and accessorize it.  I added flowers, tags, and some bling.  You could add the teacher's name or initial.

These just have yellow post-its.  The middle is a 4x6 frame.  My youngest found some heart post-its and wanted to use them for her teacher.  I obliged and we we added some post-it flags to the top.  The colors aren't as pretty as the yellow or green post-its, but it works(this is also the reason why I want to try bright coordinating colors next time):

I also had purchased some apple post-it holders at the beginning of the year.  I used these for the elementary school teachers and put their name on it with white stickers:

I tied it up with a cute tag found at Tip Junkie.  I also put the tag on the back of the plastic frames.