A Classroom Preview

I'm very torn, part of me is extremely jealous that some of you are already in your rooms, the other part of me says it still means it's summer break! Because the second I step through those doors it's all over! Anyway I don't get in my building/classroom until next Friday, so I've been working hard the past few days trying to get some stuff together (that's also my disclaimer to those of you waiting on custom orders). Until I get into my room and set up my stuff, I took some pictures so you can see what I'm thinking. I've gone very back and forth about what I'm doing. I really didn't want to do zebra again, but it's so expensive to change themes. I figured I'll do what I can with what I have, that means a black base color for as much as possible with bright colors. It's kind of what I did when I got sick of zebra being everywhere last year. I just want things basic, clean, bright... I dunno how to describe it exactly. Anyway here are some previews:

{calendar}

 {please no more circles... I can't cut anymore circles}

{my new toolbox}

{like i said, basic! not a lot of fanciness} 

{my daily organizer} 

{set one of ceiling decorations} 

{decoration for outside of my classroom door}

Now on a side note, my apartment is so stuffed to the max with stuff! I got a huge hall of stuff yesterday when I went shopping. I went to the actual Lakeshore Learning store for the first time. I was totally impressed!! They had so much stuff!! I couldn't believe the variety of things they had. Like the cut out letters. Omiword they had like every pattern imaginable. Plus most stores don't ever put stuff on sale, but everything I bought was on sale!! I also went to Sam's. I got 4 packages of binders for my Bright Books. I got Ziploc baggies, folders, pens, markers, etc. All that good stuff. A few other stops at a few other stores and I'm doing pretty good. I have about 15 of these drawer things, but I couldn't resist finding this one for so cheap because it's always so expensive everywhere!!

I'm totally excited to get back to my room, but totally overwhelmed. I wish everyone started school at different times so I could still work on stuff for other people, but get my stuff done too!! I'm beyond excited to enjoy my last week of freedom though :) Have a fantastic night ya'll!!

Oh, and I forgot!! Teacher's Notebook is having their Back to School Bonanza!! This is so amazing! You need to see this!! Umm... hello you can win $25 to spend at Teacher's Notebook!! They're doing it everyday until all of the money is gone!! Go enter so you can win!!

Here's the link to win: www.teachersnotebook.com/backtoschoolbonanza

Here's the info:

Teachers Notebook is sponsoring a campaign to raise $10,000 (or more) from corporate sponsors and parents. All of the contributions to the campaign will be given to educators in the form of gift certificates to purchase the educational resources that they need.
They need your help to make sure educators have access to the educational resources that they need for back to school as well as for the school year. Additional educational resources enables educators to better reach the varied academic levels of their students. Educators constantly strive to reach students above and below their grade level. Additional resources will help students be actively engaged and more likely to reach their fullest potential.
Please help spread the word by visiting the fund-raising site and sharing it everywhere. Share it on Facebook, your blogs, your Pinterest boards and Twitter. The more people view the campaign, the more contributions will be made and the more gift certificates can be given away to educators.

Win Preposition Party!!

Tracy over at Creekside Teacher Tales recently made it to 100 followers!! She's having a giveaway. You can win one of two prizes packed full of giveaway units from lots of us fabulous bloggers :) One packet has this little lady:

So hop on over and enter:

http://creeksideteachertales.blogspot.com/2012/07/100-follower-mega-giveaway-30-chances.html

I'm allowed back in my room next Friday. That only gives me about a week to start fresh. I'm in the middle of trying to figure out exactly what I'm going to do. I've changed my mind 4324 times. No joke. That. Many. Times. I promise I have some new things, plus once TPT gets back to normal I'll be posting there!

I hope everyone enjoyed the freebies :)

Freebie Extravanganza

So I've been so busy trying to get as much of my stuff uploaded as possible, redo my store, begin a TPT store, and try to do custom orders for everyone else, that I've completely neglected to even have the slightest thought about my own room. Well unfortunately for me, that seems to be backfiring on myself. School starts in about 3 weeks, not to mention there's 3 days of institute, and all the time getting my room finished. Maybe I should say started? I'm starting fresh in a new room, so I'm starting to feel the pressure. Anyway throughout summer I've found things I wanted to make for my room, many inspired by things I've seen on Pinterest or in friend's rooms and I've made them for myself, but I know other are now using all of the things I've been making and would probably enjoy them. Some of these things I've already posted, or posted last year, but I'm fixed them up a bit. I decided to make a freebie folder on my computer with many of these things, and I felt like it was overflowing today so I posted a ton of stuff! I normally put freebies on here through google docs, but everyone seems to have problems with google docs, so I posted everything on my TN store. Eventually by the end of this week I'd like to have them all on TPT as well, but one thing at a time! So anyway, here are all of the crazy freebies I posted today:

{binder sorter/organizers} 

{give me five} 

{water bottle labels} 

{birthday balloons} 

{good readers} 

{group signs}

 {hallway poem}

{highlight your name} 

{stay positive sign} 

{lesson plan posters/covers} 

{parent night letters} 

{nametags} 

{newsletter} 

{specials signs} 

{testing poem} 

{welcome posters}

I hope everyone enjoys them! I'm trying to get inspired here to get crafty or something. I actually walked in Michael's yesterday hoping to get inspired, and walked out with NOTHING. I've never ever done that in my entire life. I usually leave with 50 more things than I wanted in the first place!! Enjoy!!

Ramblings of a Tired Teacher Plus a Mini Q & A

Omiword ya'll... I could post for 3 hours on everything that's been going through my head! Okay so I promise this time nothing bad has happened to force me to neglect my little old bloggy, it's more of a good thing. A new person has come into the picture a while back that has been taking me away from all of my bloggy friends. I have to admit he's taken away some of my time from here, but he's kinda great and exactly what I needed, even though ya'll may not like it ;-)

So anyway between that, the fact that for a while I couldn't stop laying outside in the hot summer sun, and the fact that I've been redoing everything I haven't posted. Now that I'm, do I dare say it, OVER summer. Hello? Bring on fall! I don't know if I can even go outside one more time in this heat and humidity. Legit, I'm jealous if you live in a dry state, this whole sweating as soon as I open the door thing is too much for me. Anyone in AZ looking for a fun roomie?

So I haven't moved much from the couch since Thursday night. I have completely redone my Teacher's Notebook store. I spent ALL day, yes ALL day, on it. Plus I opened a Teachers Pay Teacher Store, because I know some people don't go on TN. Wow, I didn't expect how much work that would be. I'm exhausted... I know things could be worse. I could not be sitting on a couch/floor/plastic patio chair (yea I brought that bad boy inside for a change of pace for my butt) in the AC watching TV. I thank goodness that I can do that, but I'm actually really exhausted right now. I'm trying to get custom orders and everything done before I'm back at school in a few weeks (le sigh).

Just in case you're looking for something here's what I have on TN right now, plus some of the additional older packets and games, everything comes in 5 themes: Black & White Polka Dot, Colorful Polka Dot (pages have different colored backgrounds), Chevron, Bright Stripes, and (Duh!) Zebra!! Remember I am willing to customize!

So I neglect my blog e-mail a lot, but I've gathered some of the common questions and I thought I'd take some time tonight to answer a few of the questions as best as I could. Then I'll get back to posting other things tomorrow and this week! Here's my mini Q & A:

{what do you use to make your files}

I use all kinds of programs in Windows. I have a Dell, not a Mac, so I use Microsoft office programs like Excel, Word, Powerpoint. I also use Photoshop, Paint, and a few other editing programs depending on what I'm doing. It really all depends on what I'm doing, how I want something to look. Sometimes I use more than one program on a project. Plus everything gets converted to an Adobe PDF. For those of you that don't know, almost all (if not all) of the graphics all of us bloggers use are copyrighted, so we cannot give you an editable file. You could then pull the graphic from our document and use it on your own. Plus you may not have the same fonts as me, so your document would not look the same.

{can you teach me how to make the things you do}

I have to be honest and tell you I wouldn't have the patience or the time. I say that with a laugh, because all it reminds me of is trying to get my Dad to type a simple letter on Word. We had so many arguments over it, I'd end up just screaming at him to give me the file and let me type it. No, but seriously it would take FOREVER. There are so many buttons and effects and things you can do. The way I learned was just playing around with buttons and effects. Click on things, see what they can do. It's the best way to learn!

{where did you get that font? clip art? frame? background?}

I get things all over, depending on the exact thing and style I'm looking for. I have some buttons on here of people that I like. There are a few others I plan on putting buttons for because I get a lot from them. Anything you get from me should have an info page attached where you can find where I got things. Fonts I get from all over! The majority of my backgrounds lately (minus the zebra) I have made. I get picky on backgrounds so I end up making them.

{can you customize something?}

I am usually willing to customize to an extent, especially now with school right around the corner. In about 2 weeks my entire self will be devoted to getting my classroom ready ASAP. I'm moved into a new room, but by moved, I mean my Mom shoved all of my stuff in every nook and cranny we could find so I could leave on the last day of school. I'm starting fresh, AGAIN, for the 4th time! (Ugh, side note, it's so weird for me to say this will be my 4th year teaching, does anyone still get that after teaching for 7, 8, 10 years?

{where did you get...?}

My zebra stuff from last year was from ALL over! You wouldn't believe how many stores I went to, and I had everyone in my family looking out for stuff. There are fabric pink and black bins on a shelf that I got from Meijer (I'm not sure if they have those everywhere but in the Western suburbs in Chicago we have them). Rugs I got from Meijer and Target. I'm pretty sure Target still has the big ones (they're expensive though). My seat sacks were made by my aunt. LOL, not she doesn't sell them. Although I've tried to convince her to go into business with me. Maybe she'll retire and finally do it! Other stores I've gone to are the typical ones like Walmart and Sam's Club. Other's were off the wall places that I don't even remember. I have noticed that clearly everyone got the message that I was doing zebra, and decided to start selling more zebra stuff for me (okay I know I'm not that important, but let me have my moment). I've seen tons of stuff all over the place that's all zebra. I thought, what the heck! Where was this stuff last summer?!?

Okay, so I've also had questions on how I manage homework, my behavior chart, bucket fillers, and a few others. I'll try to answer those, along with a like top 25 list or something I've been tossing around in my brain. I can only handle a few more minutes on this computer. I'm sure I've developed wrist issues and eye issues from starting and typing so much this weekend! 

Ya'll do me a favor? Do a rain dance for us in Chicago (and everywhere else that's been dry)!! It's supposed to be 100 tomorrow, and that's not the "How it feels" temperature!! Ugh, I'm dreading it already? Can I stay locked up in my cave instead? Love ya'll, thanks for still reading and sticking with me when I neglect my lil' old blog!! 

Help! I'm stuck inside...

Okay, I'm like a hobbit or something these days. I refuse to go outside because it's so hot, and in order to keep it as cool as possible I keep the blinds closed.

I've been reorganizing ALL of my files, trying to get everything ready to upload and update. I started up a TPT store the other day and I got a little overwhelmed. I probably should have chosen to do that... I dunno like 2 months ago!? Anyway I have tons of new stuff and updated stuff coming, and a few blog posts to answer questions about how I do things in my room. I'm not gone again, I think about blogging everyday, I just get so overwhelmed with custom orders and redoing my stuff this gets last priority. If you're still reading, I'm promise I'll be back tomorrow with something juicy! ;-)

A Bunch of New Stuff :)

So I've been busy meeting my new teammate (umm... beyond words excited!) and living the life of 20 something enjoying some summer time. I haven't forgotten about everyone though, I'm still trying to catch up on stuff from the past few months and create new things. It's hard to do some stuff, because I'm not home often and a good majority of my clip art and things are on my other laptop/network. I'm 99% sure I'm going to keep everything basic and bright this upcoming year, think black backgrounds with super bright colored posters and things. That doesn't mean I've forgotten about all of my polka dot and zebra lovers though! As I make everything, I've been making sets for me, as well as a polka dot and zebra set for EVERYTHING!! :) So here's a whole posting of things that I've been making. I still have millions of more things, plus so many ideas for posts to help give ya'll ideas to organize and do things a different way! 

First some recent things I've posted in my Teacher's Notebook Store:

 {2012-2013 bright calendar}

                                      {2012-2013 dot calendar}    {2012-2013 zebra calendar}

                                   {bright cursive letters}                       {zebra cursive letters}

{polka dot cursive letters}

{bright attendance}  {polka dot attendance}  {zebra attendance}

{bright behavior chart}  {polka dot behavior chart}  {zebra behavior chart}

{bright calendar}  {polka dot calendar}  {zebra calendar}

{bright character traits}  {polka dot character traits}  {zebra character traits}

{bright calendar}  {polka dot calendar}  {zebra calendar}

{bright connections}  {polka dot connections}  {zebra connections}

Here's some freebies:

         {polka dot lesson plan cover}       {zebra lesson plan cover}         {bright lesson plan cover}

                      {zebra poster}                         {bright poster}                      {polka dot poster}

                                   {zebra supply labels}                             {polka dot labels}

 {bright supply labels}

Pretty much anything I post I'll try to post in these styles. I'm trying to go back and add a chevron theme as well but I haven't gotten to it yet. I still am always willing to customize things if I have time, but please send me a message asking first. I hope some of this helps :) 

Back to School Papers

Now I know the last thing I should be worried about right now is my papers I need for back to school, but my main goal for this summer was to bring home all of my binders to organize. I honestly don't have that many. I have my messy tendencies and I can be a temporary hoarder... like for instance throughout the year at some point there will become a huge pile of masters for different things we did. It looks horrible, but by the time the last day of school rolls around the majority of them are recycled. This is why my file cabinet sits empty year round just looking ugly and taking up space. I do not believe in using file folders for papers, not do I believe in keeping things just because "one day I'll need it." I know I'm probably in the small percentage, probably like the -1%... yea I said negative... that does this. Most teachers I know keep things, everything just in case. I have become a thrower-outter. My wordage is fantastic tonight!! ;-)

So anyway, aside from trying to convince you to join my thrower-outter club, I thought I'd share the major papers I use at the beginning of the year. I keep a binder just for these specific papers, each master in it's own sheet protector, along with the forms the school gives us (food form, library form, internet form, 3rd grade district goals, etc.) that way I just take it to the copy room, copy what I need and tah-dah I'm done!! :) There are only a few, but here they are:

{back to school forms}

On a totally side note, anyone else live in the Chicago area? It was like 8 million degrees today? The boy and I went on an adventure because this girl was determined to find a specific bathing suit from VS. Yes, he went on the adventure with me, his idea. Amazing. We managed to find the smallest VS ever, combined with the Semi Annual and the 100 degree heat... made for a miserable Christie!! But anyway to add to it, it hasn't rained in like, I dunno, forever. It's supposed to continue to be miserable for like ever. Thanks for listening to my rant :) Hopefully you're nice and cool somewhere! Nighty lovelies!!