Making Daily 3 Posters

I've been crazy in my classroom making posters for Daily 3 recently.
When I couldn't find what I was looking for, I resorted to making my own.
Here's the "I Pick" poster.
Enjoy!
Jannine

Coin Envelopes

It's getting to be back to work time for me. *SIGH*
While I have loved being home with my little surprise, my mental well-being needs some more stimulus. There are eight weeks left before I get back into the classroom. Like many teachers, I had to create a teacher supply list before this past school year ended. For me, a doubly daunting task. First, I haven't taught in almost 20 months, second, I'm opening a new school. As I was making my list, I realized that I'll need coin envelopes for my 25+ students to hold their word study cards. Do you know how freaking expensive those little suckers are?! Yes, you get 500 for $20, but I only had $185 to spend for the whole 2013-2014 school year. $20 was too much to pay for coin envelopes.
Inspiration hit when I was cleaning out a suitcase and came across the "key" for a hotel room we had back in May. The "key" came in a little envelope. So I pulled the envelope apart, traced it onto card stock and used it as a pattern to make 30 of the cutest little coin envelopes you've ever seen! Oh, the possibilities! I realized that not only could they be used for word study, but for all sorts of crafts and classroom applications.
Happy cutting!

Coin Envelope Template

How To Plan a Memorial Service for a Loved One

Sandra Bizzle Bateman
10/12/42 - 02/25/13

My mother, a life-long teacher, learner, and creator passed away February 25 after a ten year battle with Parkinson's Disease. Her body was donated to the National Institute of Health where she had participated in a study of patients living with Guacher's Disease. Therefore, a memorial service was planned in lieu of a funeral. Given that I'm at home this year I offered to plan the service which took place on Sunday, March 17. Having never planned a memorial service before, I turned to my good friend, Google, to see what I could find.
Wiki How has a very basic description with seven steps to help the novice planner like me. Additionally, Funeral Helper is a wonderful database of information for those planning funeral and/or memorial services.

The first thing I did was to contact the church and speak with the minister who would be performing the service. We agreed on a date and then met to discuss the basic outline and liturgy used by my mother's denomination. The minister was very helpful, giving me a sample program with suggested readings and hymns.

Suggested readings may depend on your faith, your denomination, and the preference (if known) of the deceased. We had readings from both the old and new testaments. The most popular reading is the 23rd Psalm. Scripture from the book of John and Revelations is also frequently used. When you are planning the scripture reading, this is a good time to ask members of the family if they would like to read one of the scriptures. It's a nice way to involve family without asking them to come up with what they will say. Plus, when you're emotional, it's easier to read something than to try to compose thoughts to say. In addition to readings, there will be a eulogy. Others may wish to speak as well. In some services, only the minister speaks. In ours, the minister spoke briefly and my siblings and I each spoke. After we were done, the minister opened the pulpit for others to come share their thoughts. As the minister told me, it is the only time people will get a chance to stand up and share with others how they loved the deceased. How could we deny them that? I was so glad we took his advice. One woman who worked with my mom told the most wonderful story of my mom's compassion and professionalism. Without the invitation, only the immediate family may have heard that story.

Another thing to consider when planning a memorial is the music. Some commonly used hymns include, "Amazing Grace", "It Is Well with My Soul", "All Things Bright and Beautiful", and "How Great Thou Art". In addition to hymns, you may choose to have a secular song played and/or performed. My mother really wanted Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" played. As it turned out, my 26 year old nephew performed the song on guitar. His rendition, while different, was wrought with meaning, emotion, and love. When he sang, "Sail on silver girl...", I knew he had left us momentarily and was singing to my mom. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

Most churches now have multimedia systems with large screens, so it is only natural that many memorial services now include a multimedia presentation. I chose to make one from photos of my mother. After sending out an all-call email to anyone and everyone who might have photos of my mom, I began scanning what I had. This is when my brother introduced the family to Drop Box. It's a photo sharing website that syncs with your mobile devices and your computer. You can "invite" others to view your photos (and videos). No more burning photos and videos to disc! Many people who viewed the presentation I made remarked at how it was the perfect length. Some presentations go on for two or three songs. This is apparently too long. I chose to use the song, "You Raise Me Up" by Selah. It is 5:02, the perfect amount of time for about 85 photos. I created my presentation in Keynote on my Mac, but PowerPoint works fine, too. Make sure you save it as a Quick Time movie on a DVD so that it can be played at the location of your service. Be sure to check with the church to find out if they can show a presentation and whether or not a sound person will be there to help.

Don't forget the flowers! My mother loved flowers, but we were on a budget so we opted for three large arrangements instead of lots of flowers all over the place. Keep in mind that Lilies are the most commonly used flowers in memorial arrangements, but their perfume can be overpowering. You may want to check with family members about any known allergies. Think about what flowers and colors the deceased may have preferred.

Memorial services are usually followed by receptions where some kind of refreshments are served. Be sure to ask the church if they use a specific caterer. I asked and was surprised to hear they could recommend a gentleman whose food and service were VERY reasonably priced and EXCELLENT! Our caterer told us that most people order too much food for these events, so we opted for light snack style foods that would feed half as many as we expected. People tend to snack nervously and habitually rather than out of hunger at receptions following memorial services. So having lots of "snacky" foods is a good idea. We also requested that we provide Coca Cola since that was my mom's favorite beverage. This was my son's idea, "Mom, we can't have a reception without Coke for Miss Sandy!". It was a great idea that our caterer gladly accommodated. Just ask!

The last thing we did was make a display board with some of the photos I used for the presentation. I bought a three-tiered display board like you use for a science fair and the night before the service, my family gathered to pour over the photos, remember some great times, and arrange them for the display. It was a nice way of remembering and healing.

Be sure to send thank you notes to the people who made time to remember your loved one and support you in your time of grief. If the church or funeral home does not offer a guest book, be sure to have someone pick one up at a stationery store, such as Hallmark. Thanks to my sister-in-law for this! I would have completely forgotten about it had it not been for her!

So there you go. I could go on about the meals you may want to plan for the family that's coming in from out of town, or the fact that although it's environmentally irresponsible to use paper plates and plastic cups/utensils all weekend, it's worth the headache it will save you, but I'll save that. A lot has happened since my mom passed and we gathered for her memorial. We had Easter, illnesses, travel dance competitions, and a new driver in the house. So as I said that day, "Be with your family. Go and make memories."

Nutrition Packed Vegetable Fried Rice

After two weeks of illness, it's time to pull out the "big guns", and I don't mean Lysol and disinfecting wipes. I mean some seriously healthy food that's packed with protein, fiber, and lots of vitamins and minerals-- Veggie Fried Rice!

Prep all your veggies beforehand to speed up the cooking process

A bit of a cheat, but it makes putting this dish together so quick!

You can always add more oil, so use as little as possible to prevent sticking

Veggie Fried Rice

Makes 2 servings

4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 large white onion, chopped
1 inch cube fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
julienned carrots
sliced celery
broccoli florets
edamame
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked brown rice
2 Tablespoons chopped green onion

Saute garlic, onion, and ginger in 1 Tablespoon olive oil until onions are translucent. Do not brown.
Add veggies, and an additional 1 Tablespoon oil and stir fry until veggies are tender. Add cooked rice and stir until well combined and heated through. Garnish with chopped green onions. Enjoy!

Boredom Busters

Crafting as Entertainment

A really bad upper respiratory virus visited our house last week. Three doctor visits, three antibiotics, three really sick kids. 

My teenage daughter was the first to come down with this nasty bug and the first one to return to school today. The last couple of days, however, she was super whiney! "I'm so bored!" was all I heard. Time to get crafty, was what I thought.

 Check out our cute, crafty creations!  

A Pop Top Bracelet and Inspirational Spool Necklaces.

Pop Top Bracelets

This idea has been a long time coming. My husband has been collecting bottle caps for years. Needless to say, we have an impressive collection!
I cleaned out a bag of caps, finding the ones without major dents. I chose 6 complimentary caps for a bracelet tutorial I had seen on Crissy's Crafts. After selecting my caps and giving them a good soapy wash, I gathered my materials and my whiney daughter for some stress relief.

NOTE:

• When hammering the holes in the caps, mark your spot on the inside with a sharpie. 
• You might also want to take a metal file to the holes as they are a bit sharp. 
• After seeing the creation, my husband suggested gluing another cap to the backside to avoid scratching yourself. Might try that with some of our other caps.

Inspirational Spool Necklaces

I had seen this idea on My So Called Crafty Life a few weeks ago and knew I had finally found something to do with my grandmother's wooden spools. If you don't have any antique wooden spools, a Google search revealed a plethora of online shopping choices.

This craft turned out to be my daughter's favorite. So much so that she wanted to make lots more. 

We gathered our materials and chose the quotes we wanted to use. I used scripture from an old bible that I've been saving for various book art projects, while my daughter printed an Albert Einstein quote on printer paper and we got busy.

 In addition to some vintage wooden spools, I also have a ton of buttons that my grandmother saved. These and some beads from a broken bracelet came in handy.

NOTE: 

• The wire we used was a little thin for this project. 24 gauge is probably a good bet. 

Happy Crafting!

I Heart "Healthier" Donuts!

Using Coconut Oil to Make Donuts A Little Heart Healthier

Happy Valentine's Day!
I treated my kids to some donuts this morning via Paula Deen on Food Network. After a little research into which fats are the healthiest, or least detrimental, in which to fry foods, I altered Miss Paula's recipe by switching out the peanut oil for healthier coconut oil. The verdict: DELICIOSO! Plus, the great thing about biscuit donuts: you make only 8 and it's SUPER easy!

Ingredients:

• Coconut Oil that is refined for Medium High Heat
• Pillsbury Grands Homestyle Biscuits
• Cinnamon Sugar (about 1/2 cup sugar and 2 T cinnamon)

Directions:

1. Heat coconut oil to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
2. Drop in biscuits (I cut the center of mine out with a small heart-shaped cookie cutter) and cook until golden brown, flip once with tongs and continue until the bottom is also golden.
3. Remove with tongs and drain on paper towels.
4. Dredge both sides in cinnamon sugar.
5. YUMMY!

1

2

3

4

5

DELICIOSO!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

DIY Lenten Journal

A place to record your journey to the Cross and Easter

My church is participating in Rick Warren's updated The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? As part of that study, readers are encouraged to keep a journal of their prayers, progress, and thoughts. Additionally, there is scripture memorization that is meant to enhance each day's reading. Therefore, I need a journal. Now some folks might just go out and buy one, but dear readers, you know that is B-O-R-I-N-G, otherwise you wouldn't give this post your time of day.

Browsing Pinterest recently, I was inspired by this Valentine Paper Bag Book tutorial at Rosy-Posy. A lightbulb moment occurred and viola! A Lenten journal was born. I hope you enjoy making one of your own. Let me know if you have any questions.

Jannine

DIY Lenten Journal

Gather your materials

• 3 lunch-sized paper bags 
• 8 sheets of paper (lined or unlined)
• scrapbook/decorative paper
• notecards or lined cardstock
• vellum (optional)
• tape
• embroidery floss or string
• glue or double-sided adhesive tape

Gather your tools

• paper cutter and/or scissors
• pencil/pen
• awl (I actually used an old ice pick)
• large tapestry needle
• ruler
• cutting board

Directions

Begin by cutting the bottoms off the paper bags. Mine measured 10 1/4" after doing this.

Cut your paper the same size as your bag. Mine came out to be 10 1/4" x 6 1/8".

Lay out one bag and place 2 sheets of paper on top. Fold it in half like a hamburger (this is teacher lingo. If you don't understand, ask a school-aged child). Do the same with the other bags and paper.

Open up one bag and paper booklet. On the center crease, mark a dot at every inch. 

Place your booklet on a cutting board. Using your awl or ice pick, push through at each dot. You may want to use binder clips to hold the booklet together to prevent it from slipping while you are using the awl. Repeat with the other booklets.

Using about 20"of embroidery floss or string and needle, insert the needle from the back at the top of the booklet. Leave a loose piece a few inches long where you began. Then stitch your paper down the crease to the bottom and back up to the top. Turn the booklet over and tie off the loose threads. Repeat with the other booklets.

Place the booklets one on top of the other, lining up the stitches. Thread a piece of floss or string through each outside stitch and tie them together. This will help hold your journal together.

Next, add tape every 1/2" or so to reinforce the binding. It's kinda cute like this! You could stop here or cut a piece of decorative paper to 10 1/4" x 6 1/8" and adhere it to the outside of your journal with glue or double-sided adhesive tape.

Your journal is complete! You have pockets to hold any notes or notecards AND you have paper for journaling. 

You can decorate the outside of your journal with your favorite scripture or leave it blank. 

I printed my favorite scripture onto vellum and glued that to the front. 

It's your journal, do whatever you like!

Enjoy!

HOT PIZZA!

Before tackling my New Year's resolution to make bread, I had vowed last summer in 2012, to make my own pizza dough. I was inspired by a friend who would whip up a batch and make pizza, calzones, and stromboli like it was nothing. The dough I make is easy, has no added sugar, and takes about one and a half hours to make. The kids and husband rave that my pizza is as good or better than our local pizzaria.

Basic Pizza Dough

In a bowl or your stand mixer, combine 

1 1/3 cups WARM (not hot) water and 1 package dry, active yeast. 

Let stand 5-10 minutes or until kind of bubbly.

Add 3 1/2 - 3 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 T olive oil, and 1 T kosher salt. Mix until moistened. 

Kneed dough for 5-10 minutes 

(5 min. on medium speed in your stand mixer with a dough hook is sufficient).

Place dough ball in an oil-lined bowl, turning once to coat. Cover and keep in a warm place for about an hour. I like making pizza and bread in the winter because it gives me an excuse to turn up the heat to about 75 degrees for an hour! 

*If you have dough proofing as an option on your oven, you can put it there for about 40 min.

This is also a good time to gather your pizza making materials and shred your mozzarella, romano, and parmesan cheeses (hand shredded cheese melts quicker and is gooier, but if that's not your thing, buy a bag of pizza cheese that's already shredded-no worries).

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down to remove the excess gas. Cover the dough again and let it rest for about 10-15 min. This is a good time to preheat your oven to 475 degrees. For a nicely textured crust, preheat your pizza stone as well. If you don't have a pizza stone, refer to the manufacturer's instructions for preheating your metal pan. 

Time to make the pizza! 

Divide the dough in half, and kneed on a well floured surface, pushing the dough out into a circle or rectangle depending on your pan. You can use a floured rolling pin to continue stretching the dough out or try your hand at tossing. My husband is a tosser! It's a lot of fun to watch!

My M-I-L watches in awe of her pizza-tossing son!

When your dough is formed to your liking, remove your hot stones from the oven and very CAREFULLY lay your pizza on it. 

It will actually begin to cook right there! 

Lightly spray or brush the top with olive oil and spread on your favorite sauce.

 In our house, the only sauce for us is Don Pepino's. It's Don's or nothin'! 

Don Pepino's is not very sweet (only 2g sugar/quarter cup) and is very tomatoey. 

After your sauce is on, top with a blend of cheese. We use mostly mozzarella, and sprinkle on romano and parmesan for added flavor. Sprinkle a little oregano on top and bake until the crust begins to turn golden and the cheese is melted thoroughly. 

Slice and enjoy!

Garland, Garland Everywhere!

I am obsessed with garlands! Pom-pom garlands, penant garlands, washi tape garlands, handmade paper garlands. It's everywhere!
This week, I decided to make some Valentine garland. I have been experimenting with sewn paper lately and decided on some punched paper hearts garland.
NOTE:
Sewn paper garland should definitely be done on a sewing machine.
If you haven't sewn paper, check out this informative tutorial at Belle Papier.
NOTE: sewing paper ruins your needles. Always keep your paper-sewing needles separate from your fabric-sewing needles.

Here's how I made mine:

First, get some cute paper and a punch...

or use your Cricut

Second, stitch the shapes, leaving an inch or two between each shape. 

Be sure to pull the garland from behind the machine as you're sewing.

Third, find a place that NEEDS some garland.

ENJOY!