Many, many thanks! And good news to share!

I know I have been MIA...but getting ready for this school year has been chaotic {as well as trying to enjoy the last few days of summer!}. I first wanted to thank all of you - in my absence my follower count has EXPLODED and I have now passed 300!! To celebrate {and apologize for my absence/ lack of creating a store} I am sharing my "where are we" poster. I have had so many requests for it and it seems to be the perfect freebie! I also wanted to share some excellent news! My donors choose project was funded! Whoooppee! It was my first time to post a project and it was super simple to do {I encourage all of you to write one!} I am so thankful for generous people who are willing to give towards the education of children! With that said - I hope you have a terrific start of the year!!! I have meet the teacher on Friday and classes begin on Monday. I will do my best to post pics of my classroom this weekend {its turning out AWESOME!!!} as well as pictures of the computer lab that I've redone! Til then...........


CRwhere Are We Poster

Where we are...classroom sign

Don't you hate when you know what you want - but you can't find it anywhere! That's when I decided to just make it myself.

I wanted a way to display where we were when we weren't in the classroom. I searched all night {really all morning - I've been up since 2am because my little one got sick}. My theme, well it isn't really a theme, but I will be doing bright colors {pink, blue, green, orange and purple} along with polka dots. Here is what I came up with!

I created the poster {using powerpoint...thanks to Teaching in Flip Flops for the tip!} and laminated it. Then I added ribbon so that I could hang it. I plan to put it on our outdoor bulletin board so everyone will always know where we are!

I don't know about you - but I always forget what special areas we are supposed to go to {especially on Mondays!} So I made this sign as well.

Now I will never forget where we go each day! I was going to decorate a clothespin to move up and down - but I just couldn't get these adorable, giant paperclips I found on pinterest out of my mind! I think they add that finishing touch!! Of course mine didn't come out as cute as the original, but I had to trim the ribbon!

I need your help! I have a small bulletin board that is right outside my classroom door. I usually have a welcome of some sort along with a list of kids in my classroom. I was thinking about this doing this bulletin board, but I really want to use dots instead of puzzle pieces! Here is my dilemma, I need a catchy saying. I was thinking "Welcome to 3rd grade - we saved a spot for you!" And then have the students names on polka dots around the board. Can't wait to hear your ideas!!

Awesome finds....

Sorry I've been MIA the past few days! It was my baby girl's {8th} birthday and I have been shopping..shopping..and some more shopping! I {heart} back to school sales - I have been finding some amazing things for my classroom! Here are just a few {well a little more than a few!}.....



I found these at the dollar tree! They are different sized clocks that you can use a dry erase markers with. I plan to break them up and make centers {check back because I'll be sharing the centers I create!} I also found a synonym file folder game.



Another Dollar Tree find... this great spinner. I'm thinking about using this to call on students. {My students are in groups of 4-5 and each have an assigned number 1-5 to each group!} I would have to ignore 6-8 though! I also found this pointer - I got it just because the teacher store is right next door to DT and they were selling these things for 6$!!!!!!!!




More dollar tree finds {it was a great day!} I found these for my treasure box. I will use the balls for a grand prize week. My students last year went nuts for erasers! I was so excited to find these bright colored ones as well as skateboard erasers!






Ok last dollar tree find. I found these adorable tubs that match the colors in my room! {Love it} I thought about moving all of my math manipulatives into them. Of course I bought like 12 of them {I wanted more though!!!}

I found these at Target so I can make those cute paperclip bookmarks that I saw on pinterest {love pinterest!} I found the ribbon in the dollar spot! The giant paperclips are on the supplies aisle! I already started making these and they are so much fun! I plan to give them as gifts to my teammates.







I found these sticker gems at the Target 1$ spot. I got an awesome idea from Tara at 4th Grade Frolics to put jewels on students' papers when they use "sparkling" vocabulary or use creativity in their writing. {Love this idea!}







Another great Target 1$ spot find! More shaped erasers {ice cream, crayons and cute hand shapes - i love you, hang 10, thumbs up} These are for my treasure box! I also finally found the mini erasers! I found them awhile back and decided to wait, then went back and they were GONE!! I plan to use them with centers!






And my coolest find is this timer {Target 14.99}! Sure it just looks like a regular timer....but it's quite the opposite. This is a giant timer {hard to tell in the picture} it's 8.5 in by 8.5 in! The best part - it's magnetic! I plan to put it on my whiteboard!!

I didn't take a pic of it, but I also found a good size rug 7ft X 5ft - with giant polka dots {and my room colors} for only 15$!!! And guess where I found it?!?! At my grocery store of all places. They had a dorm section with all kinds of goodies!

I think that is enough goodies for now!! Stay tuned, I've been working on some great printables to label your crates {should post in the next few days!}

What I'm in love with {Linky Party}

I couldn't pass up the linky party that First Grade Blue Skies is hosting - What are you in love with? What is on your wish list for next year!

{What I am in love with}

Here is my classroom from last year {before school started that's why the bb are bare}. My theme was bright colors and black. All of my bulletin boards were solid black and the borders were black with brightly multi-colored shapes {dots, stars, stripes}. I love my theme! I love how my word wall pops! But I think I want to change my borders {shhh! don't tell my hubby} I found these borders from frog street press and I think they will make all of my bulletin boards pop! {plus I'm totally diggin' polka dots right now} I will still keep the solid black background. What do you think? Too much?

Here are the borders I would use - they're great because they're reversible. These are the main colors that I've already used, {word wall, library baskets & the caddies that are on the desks} I think they would match nicely.




These are cute numbers for my calendar - they only had them in green, but I'm sure I could make my own pretty easily.




Love, love, love these letters, but I think I could make these too! {with my handy, dandy cricut}

I would also love to get some of these storage ottomans! I love the ones everyone is making with the storage crates - but you just can't beat the price of these. Right now they are on sale at Target for 15$ I want a blue, pink, and green one! Not sure what I would use them for exactly, but they are so stinkin' cute!

Come join the fun....link up your wish list!

Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a 20$ gift certificate!