End of the year - teacher gifts - Candy Bowl!

It's that time of year again, to think of teacher gifts.  As Jo's kids are finishing up, we still have 3 more weeks left here...sigh!  This weekend my boys and I worked hard to make up the gifts so I'm not doing last minute scrambling.  This year, I decided to bring back an oldie, but goodie.  Jo and I used to make these up by the dozen and sell them at craft fairs, over 10 years ago...Jo, how is that possible?  These are SUPER easy to make, and the best part is that you can make them your own, and personalize as you like (and it's dirt cheap if you use the below links)!  The sky is the limit....

Yes...I had to make FIVE!

What you need:

• 4" craft pots or flower pots....(I ordered a dozen from Oriental Trading, and they got here, Africa, all in one piece)
• Glass bowls (I got these for a STEAL of a deal from the DollarTree...again, all in one piece)
• Paint (if I could, I would have used spray paint, but craft acrylic worked just fine...Jo, didn't we use to spray paint them?)
• Paint pens
• Glue (As you will see in the photo, I didn't know what glue would work best...turns out the Tacky Glue worked famously!)
• Ribbon
• Optional, but SUPER cute:  I couldn't figure out how to send them here, but if you can find flower pot saucers that match your 4" pot, glue a wooden ball to the bottom, paint them the same color as the pot, and you have a lid to your candy dish...how I wish I had them this year!

Directions:

• Paint the flower pot the color of choice.  If you want them to look like an old fashion gum ball machine, red is the way to go.  But, as we were painting, I thought chalk board paint could be fun, too.  Keep in mind, with red paint, you will need many coats to be even.  I lost count at 4 :)!  The good news about the Oriental Trading pots, is that the paint dries super fast, which means, if you have 2 (or more) little helpers, you will need to keep an eye on their painting, to ensure there are not paint bumps.  This is why spray painting them, may be better...Let us know if you spray paint, and how it comes out :)!  
• Then decorate as you like (minus the ribbon, do this last).  I used a black sharpie for the "dispenser" and highlighted it with a silver paint pen.  I then used paint pens to write the teacher's names, school name, and class/year.  
• Glue the glass bowl to the top of the pot.  
• Tie your favorite ribbon around the top of the pot, under the bowl.
• Fill with your favorite candy!  (I did choose the obvious "gum balls,"  but that's because many of our teachers are not American and I thought it would be fun to give them something "Americana.")

Savvy Tip:  Glue the bowl after you decorate the pots.  It's easier to handle.

The one with a white ribbon, is for my son's male teacher's aid...My son said the polka dot ribbon was "too girly."

Savvy Irish Gift Idea

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Are you looking to bring an Irish smile to someone’s face on Saint Patrick’s Day? Give them a cup of good luck! I picked up this adorable Shamrock plant at my local nursery this week and replanted it in a teacup—it is two gifts in one.

The Shamrock is the national plant of Ireland. Saint Patrick used shamrock leaves to teach pagans about the trinity: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. People wear shamrocks on March 17th in honor of Saint Patrick.

The word shamrock comes from the Irish Gaelic word Seamrog that means summer plant. Lucky clover, or oxalis house plants, are sold at stores in early March, as the symbol of Saint Patrick’s Day. They clean the air, add beautiful green color accents to home decor, and help create a pleasant, relaxing and healthy home environment.

Teacher gifts...continued...crayon wreaths

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I have to bring this up again, since my kids still have 3 weeks of school left, and I'm still dealing with end of the school year madness :)...By the way, I'm glad you had fun in Disney, Jo, but am SUPER jealous that as you were riding rides and having tasty food, I was still doing carpool, and PSG...I digress....
I made these crayon wreaths for the teachers.  I made a total of 4, but am sharing just 2...one with the longest name, and one with the shortest name...

What you need:

12" embroidery hoop, or basketry hoop
8" embroidery hoop, or basketry hoop
(instead of the embroidery hoops, you can also use the styrofoam wreaths.  I found them a bit thick, so I cut the in half and then painted them.  My friend also had a savvy tip and you can cover the styrofoam in a nice clean fabric.  Mine were already painted...maybe next year)
box of 64 crayons
ribbon
hot glue
Stickers

Directions:  Place the 8" hoop in side the 12" hoop with equal   distance between all edges.  Arrange the crayons along the 2 hoops.  Hot glue the crayons to the hoops. 

Savvy Tip:  Keep the unglued crayons arranged on the hoops.  It will keep the spacing. 

Tie the bow around the 2 crayons that you want at the top.  Create a separate loop and glue the edges together to create the hanging loop.  Place as many (or as little) stickers as you like.  Personalize with the teacher's name, if you'd like.  Super easy :)!

Teacher Appreciation or Teacher gift? You choose!

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This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. Last night, my sons and I made candy topiaries. Since Jo has also started our dialogue regarding the end of the year, and room parties, you can also do this for the party. They make great table center pieces. If you have more than one teacher (say a main teacher and an aide) then you have your gifts AND decorations.

A candy topiary tree can be created using a variety of candies. They really make great gifts. Every time I make one, the first response is "I've never seen anything like this." Unlike flowers, they won't wither away. In fact, the best part of a candy tree topiary is that not only does it look attractive, you can eat it.

What you need:

• Candy of choice (not too much, because otherwise you will eat the extra as you blog)
• wooden dowel 
• Styrofoam ball or cone to decorate
• smaller Styrofoam ball, cut in half, for the bottom (or plaster of Paris... but with this option, the pot can not be reused)
• Hot glue
• Flower pot
• Paint pens, glitter glue, or other crafts to decorate.

 Instructions:

1. Center the end of the wooden dowel at one end of the Styrofoam ball. Push the dowel into the ball firmly. Do not push it all the way through, however push it far enough so that the weight of the candy on the ball later will not cause it to fall off the dowel. You can also put some craft glue on the end of the dowel to ensure it stays in the Styrofoam ball.  Wrap the dowel with the ribbon, using the hot glue to hold in place.
   
   
2. If using plaster of Pairs, mix the plaster of Paris according to package directions in the bowl. Pour the mixed wet plaster into the flower pot or cup you are using for your topiary. It should come almost to the top but not quite. Take the end of the wooden dowel that does not have the ball on it and push it into the wet plaster. Be sure it is straight and let the plaster dry.
   
   
3. Place a small spot of glue on the piece of candy and place on the ball. Hold in place a few seconds until it dries. Continue with each piece of candy until the ball is covered in the desired design. A popular method is to start placing the candy at one end and work your way down, but you can put the candy on in any way you like.
   
   
   
   
4. Fill the rest of the flower pot with more candy (I used chocolate mini bars this last time---get it?  for dirt?), colored pebbles or Easter grass to cover the halved Styrofoam ball or plaster of Paris.  If you like, use the paint pens, glitter glue, acrylic paints, etc. to paint a design on your flower pot as a finishing touch.

 Let us know what other ideas you have for teacher appreciation gifts.  Here are some more that Jo posted on FaceBook and there are some other ideas to the right in the Savvy Etiquette box:

• Pick up an extra latte on your way to school and deliver it with a note card that says “A special thank you . . . For providing an extra boost of energy to every part of our children’s education!”

• Ask the local coffee shop to donate a carafe of coffee and a platter of scones for the break room. Make a giant card out of poster board to display next to the treats and have the children sign it. Include a small sign that says “Provided by (insert coffee shop name here)” as a thank you for the donation.