Back to School Crafting

Back to school is a busy time for many. For me, as a teacher, I am heading back to get my class organized and prepared for the first day. Most don't realize what that entails. When I return, it is a time of placing all the furniture where it belongs, finding missing or different pieces, and getting everything in place, decorated and ready for students to return. 

Part of my return activities is always getting crafty. For several years now, I have been making bookmarks and cards for each of my new kids. I have also made locker name plates and other name tags some years. This year, I am handcrafted bookmarks and cards, and computer crafting the others. 

The bookmarks are a layer of cardstock and DSP, punched to receive a ribbon after I laminate them. The gnomes are punched out of various papers with the Gnome dies. I coloured the beard with Stampin' Blends, and then glued the pieces together. 

Several hours later, I had an entire class set of Gnome bookmarks ready to go. I love that each one is different. I hav.e extras, so even the final students will have a choice.

The cards were approached differently.  I decided to stamp and colour these gnomes. I used Kindest Gnomes and Friendly Gnomes, both retired. Once I had a couple of pages stamped with Memento Black ink, I used Stampin' Blends to colour each of them. The gnomes dies, also retired, helped to cut them out quickly.  An embossed postcard piece of card stock was topped with a piece of vellum and a die cut circle of DSP. I used dimensionals to pop up the gnomes and the sentiment. On the back, I adhered a printed message welcoming each student to my class. 

I love making these each year. I work to make them fit my classrooms theme, colour, and style. I hope the kids like them! I know of several former students that still have the ones they have received from me. Makes me feel good that I made the effort.