Back to School - Vintage Style

Well, many of you know my other job is being a third grade teacher.  Okay, that's the main job.  Well besides being a wife and mother.  Anyway, I digress.

Although it is always tough to say good-bye to summer (do you hear that Central California weather - we are saying good-bye to summer - time for these 100º temps to make like autumn and leave) and the free time, I do enjoy some structure returning to our little cottage.

I've slowly been collecting some vintage school items to pull together some fun Back to School vignettes.  I also pull out some teacher gifts students have given me over the years.  (Whew!  I haven't quite been teaching 20 years so none of those items are considered vintage.......yet.)

Do you wanna' see?

 My apothecary jars are filled with a wooden bead garland with school items, glittered faux apples, and chalk!  

You've Got Mail is one of my favorite movies!  I love how the little book shop was always so festively decorated and one of my favorite lines is about bouquets of pencils in September.  So, I made a bouquet of pencils!

I just haven't been able to get rid of some of this country style decor from the mid-1990s when I first started teaching.

 One of my favorite finds ever (and it gets to live out year 'round) is this plaid lunch box.  Well, maybe it was used for something else, but I call it a lunch box. 

 One of my sixth graders gave me this sweet little apple tin several years ago.

 And another one of my favorite finds is this spelling aid.  I bet when I come back tomorrow it will say something else.

I even have some Back to School pillows for our chair in the library 

This one is from Deb at  

Plus I just grabbed up these items from Amy's pop-up vintage shop.  Have you ever visited?  She finds the most amazing things and her prices are fantastic!

 They aren't here yet, but they will look so cute with it.

If you haven't before, go check out Four Sisters in a Cottage to see what she has!  Amy is an absolute sweetie!

So, even though I don't always enjoy the start of school, it is nice to celebrate those annual transitions.  What do you do for Back to School?  

  

A Little Something Cute

I just need cuteness around me.  It's a disease.

And no, as cute as third graders are, they don't quite qualify.

I had to buy a new binder this year for my lesson plan book (I make my own lesson plan templates with Pages - LOVE ME MY PAGES!) and I found the cutest green binder.

(Turns out Baby Bee and I ended up picking out the same binder color and we didn't realize it until tonight when I was reorganizing my new binder.  The green binder apple does not fall far from the tree.)

So....what makes this all so cute?

Why Jenny B. from ALLSORTS!  

Did you know she sells her designs on etsy?  

Uh - you've caught me.  I ran out of blue ink tonight.  But don't worry, I'll make a copy again!

I've bought a couple of her digital paper packs and I adore them!  

Haven't used them yet, but this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

This set is called Summer Cottage. 

Now wouldn't you be happy with a binder as cute as this???

Oh yeah, I know you would.  

So head on over!  Check out Jenny's adorable shop! 

(You won't be sorry!)

So glad to see you buzz on in here!

Still busy getting things going with my students and teaching team.  

But....

I've got a three day weekend and I hope to be laboring a lot this weekend!

Maybe you'll see some transformations - and then again - it might be too hot! 

(No, I'm not pregnant - I know you thought that for a second!)

Buzzingly,

Getting Ready to Go Back to School

We are all a little sad here that our summer vacation is coming to an end.

But (shhh......don't tell anyone I told you this, okay) I'm also kind of glad we will be getting back into a routine.  I think we had way too loosey goosey a summer - no plans and consequently I did not get many of the projects done I wanted to get done.  But oh well, that's water under the bridge.  

So Baby Bee starts Middle School on Thursday and I go back next Monday for training and meetings.  My students coming the following Thursday.  (It's kind of weird this year with Baby Bee and I starting in totally different weeks.)  

Uh oh - I digressed.  

Well, we had a big old slumber party here Friday night and Baby Bee invited over her 6th grade buddies from elementary school.  We had pizza and popcorn and pop! (I'm not from the midwest, but some of my nieces and nephews from Minnesota say pop when they are talking about what we in California call soda and I love it.) 

Have you ever popped M & Ms in hot popcorn?  

(pop the M&Ms in AFTER you've popped the popcorn)

The candy gets all melty and yummy and the hot buttery popcorn with the chocolate makes a delicious treat.  Worker Bee - our resident purist - does not like this treat, but us girls do!  I think it was the perfect way to spend that last free weekend with so many changes happening soon for our Baby Bee.

Now....

wouldn't one of you like to come up here and help get me organized? 

I really need your help!  

(and please note the stash of fast food coupons - 'fraid we'll be living on that stuff the first few days after school starts)

I'm a Winner and Birthday Pleasures

Something very, very exciting happened to me in August.  I can't believe I haven't told you yet, but I guess I was waiting until I used this wonderful thing I won.

Here's the back story.........

Every year before school starts the school district has a big assembly for ALL the employees - from management to custodians to bus drivers to teachers.  EVERYBODY is supposed to be there.  We hear a heart warming inspiring speech from our superintendent (and man is he good - he is the National Superintendent of the Year) and then they have a huge raffle.  Items are donated from local businesses.  Visa gift cards are some of the prizes.  (Oh yeah, you know where I'm going with this.)

So.........

They are on the last prize of the day.  And they pull a number, read it off, and......no one comes forward.  They wait a few minutes, call it again, and still no one comes forward.  They call it again and announce that if no one comes forward they are going to draw another number.  So I look at my ticket.......

and no.  It's not the one.  (Had you for a second, didn't I?)

They then pull another ticket AND...................THIS TIME IT WAS MINE!!!!!!!!  

OH YEAH BABY!  

I WAS SCREAMING AND DANCING AND WHOOPING IT UP.  

I FELT LIKE I WAS ON THE PRICE IS RIGHT AND THEY'D JUST CALLED MY NAME TO COME ON DOWN!

And........

My prize was a $100 Visa Gift Card!

So.....what did I do with this gift card?

Meet -------- (well, I haven't named her yet, but I will) -----------my new vintage styled bike!

Fresh from Wal-Mart in all her vintagey goodness!

She even got a little basket from my mom for my birthday.  

But her basket is a wee bit too small so I think I'm going to get this one with my leftovers from the debit card and returning the basket my mom got for me.

Also, wanted to show you some gorgeous earrings my sweet Worker Bee got for me for my birthday.  I spotted them on etsy and then he took care of the rest.  

Don't you love their gorgeous jadeite green shade?  They are so pretty.  I found them here.

Well thank you, dear friends, for coming by and seeing my winnings and a birthday treat.  Your visits always make me smile.

I sure hope you take a moment to enter my giveaway and leave a comment.  I just want to share with you all because you are such a bright spot in my day.

Linking up today to:

Cindy's My Romantic Home

Rednesday, Oh Rednesday - How I Have Missed You!

Nice little red alarm clock with red eyes.  Exactly how I feel.  Back to the grind.  Don't get me wrong, I love teaching, but boy it is hard to get back into that routine.

Thought I'd share a few little red things today that help me keep on top of that teaching job.

Gotta' have a water bottle.  I'm trying to go green and not keep buying bottled water.  When you talk a lot, water definitely helps you stay healthy - just not too much water - remember we can only go to the bathroom during recess.

Two other red organizational tools.  You must have a clipboard.  (This is my favorite clipboard.  It's a Mary E. one but I have to be careful with it because it's kind of like cardboard.) You also have to have something to keep all those tests and papers clipped together.  What better than a red clothespin?  Those devices are handy for all kinds of things!  I'll have to show you how I use them in my classroom sometime.

Well thanks for buzzing in and seeing a few of my Back to School Reds!

Thanks Sue for hosting the brightest party in blogland.  I haven't been by for several weeks and I sure have missed it.  

Happy Back to School Everybody!