Monday Made It - Frames, Craft Room, Clipart & Math Centers

Ahhhhh Monday - Time to link up with Tara over at Fourth Grade Frolics! I've been a busy, busy bee {I saved my favorite and best for last}! Who would have thought that Monday Made Its would lead to me opening a store?!?! {I'm having a blast making new items!} This week I have gotten so much done!!!!

I'm in Texas and it has been too hot to even go swimming {seriously it's sad when the pool feels more like a hot tub than a pool!} So my daughter and I decided this week to go on a scavenger hunt {& stay indoors!} - looking for things at thrift stores to repurpose. We had an absolute blast...and I'm blown away by her creativity {she's about to be 9}


Our first find was a really cool frame from Goodwill. It was just a simple black frame that had a few scratches here and there. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I've eyeballing these frames on pinterest where you can add wire/string and hang pictures from them. It was super simple! I primed it then spray painted it green. {The green wasn't as lime as I would have liked it to be....but it'll do} Then I used my stapler and stapled the wire going zig zag along the back. I wanted to add a little something extra so I attempted to add scrap fabric rosettes {leftover from my covered canvases} LOVE IT!!!! It fits perfect in the little reading corner of my craft room! Oh and I also made the covered clothespins with leftover scapbook paper from my magazine files! This project was super cheap! {you know I love cheap!} I got the frame for 6$, paint 4$, & wire 2$ total cost 12$!!!



Since I was working on my "reading corner" of the craft room, I decided to make one of those nifty "to do list" dry erase boards out of a picture frame. I got a giant frame {10 x 14} from Walmart. I just used leftover scrapbook paper from my magazine files & typed up a to do list check off sheet. Love it and can't wait to use it! The frame didn't have a stand in the back, so I used an old stand I had laying around. Total cost was 5$ for the frame...everything else I already had!





Ok....this is what I couldn't wait to share with ya'll. One of my goals this summer was to re-do my math centers. I've seen all of these cute acronyms like BUILD or TIME. I borrowed the idea of TIME because it went so well with the centers I want to have and made it my own!

As you know technology is very important to me! I wanted to make sure that there was a technology rotation in my centers. Here is what I came up with: T-Technology I-Independent Work M-Math Facts, E- Extra Review...and I added an R for Review with Teacher {Guided  Math} I cannot wait to use this setup!!!

I also did something I've never done before - I made clipart!!!! I could not find cute clipart for an alarm clock {I searched for hours I swear!} I finally got fed up and just made my own!! I have to say I'm pretty impressed with myself ;)

This post is already out of control, but I promise to post to soon to explain how I plan to use this set-up. If it's something you think you might like to use, you can get all the files  here! There a TON of resources included:

• Binder Cover (2 choices)
• Pocket Chart Header (2 choices)
• Pocket Chart Labels
• Center Bin Labels
• Can Do/ Must Do poster 
• Center Descriptions & Examples
• Center Planning Sheet
• Center Weekly Checklist

Summer Finds

School supplies are just beginning to show up on the shelves...but I've already found some pretty amazing finds! Here is my top 5 list of items that I have found so far this summer:

# 5 I found these adorable hanging pockets from IKEA. I was thinking of using them to store sticky notes, notepads, nurse passes, etc next to my desk. I got both the blue/green and red/orange sets.

#4 I couldn't leave my target 1$ spot finds off of my list. I went to eat lunch with my hubby last week and decided to stop at the Target by his work. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they had their teacher stuff out early. I picked up some bookmarks, stickers, pocket charts, stamps, and some caddies to hold students supplies.


#3 I love baskets and pretty much anything that has to do with organizing. A few years ago I found these amazing, brightly colored baskets to hold all of my books in my library. A few of them have cracked....well I found these cute, colored baskets at Hobby Lobby. I also found matching magazine holders so that I can now display the kid's magazines I've been collecting all summer. I also love that they have holes so I can attach my library labels to them!

#2 I found this awesome colored rolling cart that can be found at Really Good Stuff normally 80$...but I found mine at Goodwill for only 15$!!!! I found it tucked away at the back of the store. After I found it I had several people following me to see if I would put it down. I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for just yet - but I have wanted one for a really long time!

And......drum roll please........

My number #1
I was searching for misc things on craigslist. I came across the most amazing post! A teacher was leaving 3rd grade and moving on to teach middle school. I got these great center activities for reading comprehension and vocabulary from Lakeshore Learning. I also picked up a respond to reading center. All of these items total almost $400.....but I picked it all up for $55. What an amazing find! The activities are great to reinforce reading concepts!

Do you have any amazing summer finds? Head over to Ladybug Teacher Files and share your stash!