Bloglovin! and Catch-up Post

As you may or may not know, Google Reader is going away July 1st.  So, many bloggers are switching to Bloglovin.com.  I reluctantly made the switch (I was sure it was going to be a pain in the butt to switch all my blogs and to add a new follow me button), but it was SUPER EASY!!!  Follow THIS LINK to the website and follow the same easy steps I did to link up all my blogs from Google Reader. 

*Don't forget to CLAIM your blog and get your followers to join you on Bloglovin'.*

I am not doing a giveaway with this link up, but there are many other bloggers who are, so don't miss out!!!

Don't forget to follow me over at Bloglovin.com:

Finally-I know I haven't posted in a week, but the SUMMER Crazies have taken over my house. Little bit-Miss R is getting tubes next week :( , bridal shower projects, life changing decisions being worked out (he, he I'll explain in a few weeks), keeping the ant attack of my kitchen at bay (the exterminator is coming next week!!! Thank God!!! they were winning the war!!!), and prepping my house for my 30th birthday/4th of July party on the 6th of July (my actual birthday) have all taken over my life.  

SOOOOOOOOO.......

Next week, hoping to work on my files while Little Bit recovers from her surgery (wish me luck!!!)

Have a great 4th of July (or 6th!) and catch back up with me after the craziness settles down.

2nd project complete!

I just finished my second organization project off the summer! I am so proud of myself for following through with my plan this time... maybe I will become a grown-up one of these days :-P

Well, on to my project as promised. 

I stared off with my old set of  drawers that roll (used to roll until my husband broke off a wheel bringing it home for this project :-/).

Just a plain set of drawers

I selected the following paper to match the color scheme in my classroom.  I got this paper in a paper basics pack from Hobby Lobby.  They have all paper on sale for 50% off rigth now!!! A great find.

Don't you just love the colors and the mix of patterns?

Then I started to cut the paper and ended up cutting it about 10 times! My goal was a really tight fit and I kept adjusting until I was down to the dimensions listed below. Others have suggested using wax paper for doing this, I would have, but I was out at home :(

Large Sides: 3 x 11 1/2   Front large piece: 2 1/4 x 8 3/4  Short pieces: 1 1/4 x 2 3/4

Finally I began to add the paper to the drawers.  I started with placing "small pieces of tape" along the edge of the drawer as stated on other blogs were people have posted about this same project.  However, I had a small problem. You might not be able to see from the pictures, but the wide scotch tape I was using actually crinkled the paper and left messy looking tape all over the drawer.

Can you see the crinkled paper?

Looks Messy!!!

My next thought was to use Mod Podge, as suggested by another blog, but I was a bit afraid of the learning curve from this application, so... 
I brought out the big GUNS!!! As you may or may not know, I also love to scrapbook. As part of my supplies I have my favorite tool, my ATG gun, and when I say gun I mean GUN!!! Even though I may get made fun of at crops for how big it is, I love this tool and it was perfect for this project.

And don't you LOVE that it is pink!

Here are the after pictures from using my ATG gun.  I love how clean the paper looks in each drawer.

Add a small amount of the strip of tape on all sides

Clean look on the outside

No extra tape on the inside!!!

Finished drawers

I love how it looks from the front

I like the side, but I might add a piece of paper in the small section I left empty.  This will be under my desk most of the time, so it won't really matter, but would just add to the look.

Finally, I added black vinyl for a crisp look to the letters.  I cut the font on my Cricut using Pooh Font. 

I have two drawers for "tools" as I call them with my students.  Since we don't have a traditional desk in my school, I will add organizers and put all my supplies in the top two drawers.  The rest are to keep myself, my co-teacher, subs and any paraprofessionals that come into my room organized and able to help out when needed.

I hope I could inspire you to update your storage units as well, next up...my many files (SHUTTER WITH FEAR! )

Optimum Organization Linky Party

Thanks to my colleague Sarah at Third Grade Skinny-I am linking up with Kristen from Ladybug's Teacher Files for her Optimum Organization Linky Party!

This goes right along with my summer goal of organization!!! If you also would like to get more organized this summer to OPTIMIZE your new school year time, consider linking up!

My organization find for this week is a preview to the items I was going to share next week.  Below is a picture of what I hope to create with my own materials and my Cricut during the week.  I hope to have my own pictures and ideas to share and update this post next week.  Hopefully my 18 month old will cooperate with my organization plans ;-)

Adventures of 5th Grade

Hope you have a productive week!

Organization...My theme for next year!

 Organization, this has been my greatest downfall in my classroom.  I always have good intentions of how I will set up my classroom each year, and each year I fail.  I have even read Debbie Diller's book Spaces and Places in the hopes that it would help. (This is a great resource for ideas, and I highly recommend it!) Hopefully Debbie can help you come up with and follow her ideas for organization in your classroom.

But for me, I have several ideas about why this keeps happening...maybe because I have too many ideas on how to organize...maybe because of all the meetings that take over my life in August...maybe because I just need help to down size my stash...maybe all three...

Or maybe, I just need a better plan...

This summer I plan to organize a different part of my classroom before I return to set it all up. I will share my entire plan and journey on this blog all summer long, so you can join me and hopefully become inspired to do the same in your own way.

First up-My desk

I have a rather large L shaped built in desk without any drawers underneath (I will add a picture when I can get back up to take one).  Not having any drawers has made for quite a messy problem on a daily basis.  A few years ago I purchased a 22-drawer organizer.  I know WAY before they became popular. However, over the years it has become a bit shabby.  The labels were peeling off and it lacked creativity and finesse

My old "ugly" organization  toolbox

See ugly!!! 

So, I spray painted the whole box white and added the following labels.  You can purchase and print your own set from TPT here: Teacher Toolbox Labels

Here is the final product:

New clean looking toolbox

Top view: White top-might add a ribbon over the top and sides

 

Sorry they are such bad pictures, I need a better camera, but you can get an idea about what it looks like.  I used a small amount of tape to hold the labels in place.  I saw on one site where someone suggested that you laminate the paper first and then tape it in.  That would definitely help keep it from tearing in the future. However, my students almost never use this, so I am not too worried about that. 

As my first start at organization, my hope is that this small step will continue all school year.  

Next up: Organization for UNDER my desk...Stay tuned!

 

June Currently

It's June!

I love June.  Not as much as July (it's my birthday month), but I do love it.  For a teacher, June is the perfect month.  For me, we still have 2 1/2 months off, so plenty of summer play time left, but we have been out of school long enough, that I start thinking about next year.  I dream about my classroom in that "new teacher, new class" kind of way.  So much promise, hope, and new ideas to think about. Also, the whirlwind of meetings and actual school life has not taken over yet and dampened my spirit about how much I can really accomplish once school starts again. I just love a fresh start! 

But, alas, it is still June and I have so much time left  to dream... so on to my June currently and blog link up.

My June Currently:

***One of my teacher friends/co-workers asked for directions on how to link up with Farly's currently and then how to create one, so I figured others might want to know as well.  There might be a better way, but this is how I figured out how to create my currently.***

Step one: Visit http://ohboy3rdgrade.blogspot.com/

Step two: click on the picture of the June currently and save to your computer.

Step three: Use an online photo editing program like pixlr.com

Step four: Use pixlr (Advanced link) to add text to your picture.  If you have fun fonts saved to your computer you can use these automatically in pixlr!

Step five: Save Me! (JPEG is fine)

Step six: Add me to you blog.

Good Luck!!! Don't forget to link up on Farly's website (listed above) and follow her rules about comments :)

Also, I want to know how you feel about June.  Have you had enough time to process the school year yet? are you still finishing up? do you have any fantastic summer plans?  Love to hear about them all!