First Week of School Teacher Gift (and Printable) with My Sister's Suitcase

Today's guest bloggers, are some of my very favorites. Nat and Holly of My Sister's Suitcase lead what they call a LDCR (long distant craft relationship). Cute, huh? They are two sisters who share their love of crafting through their blog. How fun would it be to share your blog with your sister?! I swear, these girls really are the sweetest and they are, of course, super talented. My Sister's Suitcase is full of DIY projects and ideas. They have great (and free!) printables for download, they feature some great upcycled projects on their $5 Fridays posts, and I always love their home decor and mantel projects. Go browse their blog you'll love it!

Ok, here is Nat and Holly of My Sister's Suitcase they are with a great teacher gift idea! 

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We are excited to be a part of Allie's Back to School Event! Today we are going to share an easy gift idea and printable with you. We first shared these tags on our blog last Christmas... every teacher needs some treats to survive that week before Holiday Break!

Now we have a new version that is perfect for the first week of school:

Most teachers I know have a caffeinated beverage of choice that helps keep them going :) And who doesn't like chocolate?? Well, just in case, we have created a blank tag that you can fill in with your own custom gift items:

It doesn't even have to be food. I am sure every teacher would appreciate some extra classroom supplies, new books, or even hand sanitizer and kleenex to help ward off all those germs!

For my son's teacher, we decided to fill up one of those reusable plastic tumblers with assorted mini candy bars and we'll be giving it to her with her favorite drink {I'll be sure to ask at the Open House next week!}

Download {First Week Tags} here

For those of you starting school on Monday, we hope this will give you an quick and easy idea for your kids' teachers. We know they will appreciate it! Thanks for having us today Allie. We have loved the ideas you've shared so far and can't wait to see what you have in store next week!

Find us here:

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I seriously LOVE this idea. Nat and Holly, I'll totally be your kids' teacher anytime! :) Caffeine and chocolate are definite musts for that first week of school. 

Be sure to head on over to My Sister's Suitcase and give them some love. Here are some more of my favorite projects from Nat and Holly:

1. Kids' Easel Makeover,2. Valentine Mantel 3. Upcycled Globe,  4. School Supplies To Donate,  5. Instagram Memory Game,  6. May the Force Be With You printable, 7.Ombre Yarn Letters, 

Check out the rest of the Back to School Projects so far here! 

Check back tomorrow from another post from me!

Seven Back to School Projects with ikatbag

My first guest blogger is LiEr from ikatbag. If you don't know her, the only thing I have to say is HOW? How do you not know her? Seriously she is crazy talented. Just go browse her tutorials page and be in awe of how LONG the list of links is and how wonderfully clear and detailed her tutorials are. She is a wonderful seamstress and has a bajillion great sewing tutorials...Be sure to check out her drafting patterns series, too. Oh! and if being a master at sewing isn't enough, she's also the Cardboard Queen. Read more about that here and here! You can also buy some of her wonderful sewing patterns here. What? I'm not in love with her blog or anything. :)

Without further ado...here's LiEr!

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Hello!

I'm LiEr from ikatbag. I am excited to be here celebrating Allie's Back To School Event! I have three girls aged 4, almost-6 and almost-8 and the two oldest are heading off to school in less than a month, while the youngest is going on to her second year of preschool. Eeeek! Where has the summer gone? I am excited for each new milestone my girls reach but I am also a little sad that they're growing up as quickly as they are. 

My eldest daughter's birthday falls within the first week of school and, typically, the party preparations eclipse any back-to-school activities or crafting we might otherwise have done. I personally prefer to buy the kids' clothes and other school accessories than sew them because I'd rather save the time and hang out with them instead. However, when the girls were starting preschool, I got all sentimental and mushy and made them backpacks. And the past couple of years I sewed Emily a whole wardrobe of long-sleeved tees, sweatpants and a hoodie because nothing off-the-shelf would fit her lanky frame (and yes, I was also bonkers). We were well into the school year by then, though - I was always such a fantastic procrastinator that I could never get anything ready in time for the first day of school.

Today I thought I'd share some tutorials from the archives, in case you'd like to send your kid off to school with something handmade.

First is a little satchel/messenger bag that were take-home gifts at one of Emily's birthday parties. 

She'd asked for a school-themed party that year because she loved everything about school. Here is the link to the party post, from which you can access the other party bits: the crafts, the food and the games.

Next is a cyclindrical zippered pencil case:

A bit more challenging but if you like the professional look of piping, a full lining and a set-in zipper, you might enjoy trying this out. You can find my full tutorial on Sew Mama Sew. 

Something for older kids: a bookstrap of the sort I used as a teenager in school (except mine was icky plastic, not faux leather).

Moving away from fabric, this is a fold-out cardboard easel made out of a pizza box. It is a chalkboard on one side and a whiteboard on the other, 

so it's fun even for very little kids to scribble on.

And, finally, this is a lunch bucket that's great for more than just a packed lunch.

I made these for the girls' teachers at the end of the last school year and got their classmates to add their artwork to it. The pdf pattern is available for sale on the blog here.

Thanks, Allie, for having me here! Have a great school year, everyone!

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Thanks so much LiEr! It was so fun having you. I may need that lunch bucket pattern...SO cute! And the easy cardboard easel is precious-they would make for great centers in kindergarten, too!

Here are some of my other favorite projects of LiEr's: 

1. Cardboard Carriage , 2. Little Blue House, 3. Sewing Pockets Series, 4. Fold Up Cuff Pants, 5.Reverse Applique, 6. Cardboard Pirate Ship, 

You have got to go check some of these out and see all the detail she puts into her projects. Amazing.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for more Back to School goodness. 

Check out the Back to School Projects done so far here!

Miss Lovie First Anniverary Event Wrap Up

It was a fabulous week of great Christmas guest posts by some super talented women! If you haven't been by Miss Lovie in a while, here's what you missed!

Christmas Tree Decorating Tips by Ashley at Mommy by Day Crafter By Night 

Carved Heart Ornament by Bev at Flamingo Toes

Christmas Photo Card Wreath by Dara at Teach.Craft.Love 

 Frosty the "Canvas" Snowman by Jen at Craft-O-Maniac

Naughty or Nice Printable Gift Tags by Heidi at Sew.Craft.Create. 

 Printed Twill Ribbon by Amy at Positively Splendid

Christmas Tree Inspiration from by at Living With Punks

All kinds of Christmas Gift Wrap Bow Tutorials by me! 

The giveaways below are still open! Click on the images to go enter to win! 
          

Anniversary Event Guest:Living With Punks and DIY Christmas Tree Inspiration

I’m so happy to be here for Miss Lovie’s Anniversary!  Doesn’t time just fly by?  Like this year, with Christmas!  Didn’t we just have Christmas last year?  I swear every year it goes by quicker….and I hear it’s not going to slow down.  Anywho, I’m Susan from Living with Punks.  I love to sew and craft, and I mostly do it for my punks.  They are the light of my life (sometimes that light is so bright, I get a big fat headache…if you know what I mean ;) .


Today I thought I’d bring you some DIY Christmas Tree inspiration.  The tree shape is the universal symbol for winter and Christmas.  Just seeing them around makes me smile!  I’ve made several versions of them over the years and I love all these that I’ve seen lately...

Vintage Paper Trees

Blingy Trees

Felt Shingle Tree

Glitter Trees

Almond Tree

Crate Paper Trees

Scrapbook Trees

Ruffle Trees

Ribbon Trees

Inspired yet?  I know I am!  I want to make every one of these… and the awesome thing about all these trees is that they go with any décor!  Just pick your color and go with it!  Thanks so much for having me Allie!  I’m off to make some trees  :)
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Thanks so much for sharing, Susan!! I am so loving all the tree variations out there. Those vintage book trees are to die for. And the blingy ones of yours are so fun!


I'm sure you all know about Susan at Living with Punks, but if not you should go browse her blog immediately. She's got great holiday ideas including a New Years Glam Brooch, Salted Caramel Sauce, and these adorable Polka Dot Stockings. Some of my other favorite projects of hers are the Mondo Pom Pillow, Chrysi Pin, Land of Nod Floor Cushion. And these all come with tutorials!! :)


Don't forget to enter in these great giveaways. You still have a great chance to win on all of them!!

          

And be sure to check out the other guest posts from this week!