Fancy House Road » back to school

Back To School: Supplies To Keep Your Kid Smiling

keighley — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:00:58 +0000

At the start of each school year, my favorite thing to do was assemble my supplies in boxes, pouches, and binders. Something about seeing all my tools organized and in their proper place made me feel prepared and calm. On Saturday, Debs came home from the local grocery store with bags of school supplies. She started talking excitedly about the “old days” when we would get all of our school supplies. As she rambled about great prices and school supplies, she started pulling out item after item and tossing them about the kitchen table. With each item she’d toss, a short explanation would follow.

Toss: Eraser Explanation: These are the best kinds… they don’t leave smudges.

Toss: Taffy Explanation: Afternoon Pick-Me-Up

Toss: Glue Stick Explanation: Better to have your own. Classroom ones get yucky.

Well, considering none of us are in school anymore we decided that these school supplies would become a blog post! So today we’re highlighting a few tips for making a back-to-school box that will keep your kid smiling.

Remember, fun pencils are a must! I always got jealous when the girl next to me pulled out a glittery pencil and all I had was plain yellow. Not saying yellow is bad, but sometimes you just got to outshine the person sitting next to you! Also, please pack some chapstick for your child. Those crazy chapped lips that extend from nostril to chin are unacceptable. Teach them to not lick and to simply apply.

It’s always good to remember that the lid of any back-to-school box can be functional. All you need is some double-stick tape. Lastly, attach a handwritten note, list of advice, or picture in your students tool kit. This will mean more to them than anything else, even if they don’t want to admit it. Debs wrote a personal note or drew a picture for me almost every day of the school year. It always made me feel close to home.

Back to School: Mason Jar Lunches

kiersten — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:22:52 +0000

We all know that I have history with making grown-up lunches, and since that didn’t go over very well I thought I would give a kid lunch idea a shot. We’ve all heard the claims that plastic has negative environmental and bad health effects, so this could be a great way to cut out the use of plastic bags, containers, etc.. from your child’s packed lunch. The down side? Glass is a bit heavier for your child to carry in his/her backpack. You win some, you lose some.

Click HERE to download this printable.

Feel free to download, print, and get creative with your own mason jar lunch meals! I thought the verbs were a fun way to dress up the lids.

Have you found a way to avoid plastic in your child’s packed lunches?

Kid Friendly “Back To School” Lunch Ideas – Hero Sandwich

camberley — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:30:18 +0000

I found a wonderful recipe for homemade HERO sandwiches. This is the perfect sacked lunch recipe because you make it the night before. Then, you let the sandwich sit in the refrigerator overnight and VOILA – Lunch is ready to go! Here is my rendition of this HERO sandwich recipe.

Hero Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 (1 pound) loaf round, crusty Italian bread
1/2 pound sliced deli turkey meat
1/2 pound sliced ham
1/4 pound sliced salami
1/2 pound sliced mozzarella cheese
6 leaves lettuce
1 tomato, sliced

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and garlic. Season with parsley, oregano and pepper. Set aside.
Cut the off top half of the bread. Spoon 2/3 of the olive oil mixture into the bottom. Layer with turkey, ham, salami, mozzarella, lettuce and tomato (You may not use all of your meat and cheese depending on what you like – eyeball it!). Pour remaining olive oil mixture on top, and replace the top half of bread. Wrap securely in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Please note: this recipe makes 6 servings

Back to School Kids’ Craft – Pencil Holders

camberley — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 17:45:00 +0000

Here is another Woman’s Day Back-To-School craft you can do with your kids to get them excited about learning. These cute Pencil/Scissor Holders can be used on their desk at school or home.

Decorative Pencil Holders

Materials

Tin can
Sandpaper
Tape measure
Pencil
Printed paper (i.e. gift wrap or an enlargement of a color photograph)
Scissors
Spray adhesive (Elmer’s has a good one)

NOTE: A recycled can is perfect for this project. Sand the upper edge first!

Directions

1. Rinse and dry an empty tin food can. Sand the upper edge to smooth interior surface.
2. Measure cup circumference; add 1⁄2 inch. Measure cup height. Measure, mark and cut a piece of printed paper to these measurements.
3. Spray adhesive on wrong side of paper, then smooth onto sides of cup, working from center out to eliminate air bubbles.

Happy Crafting!

Camberley

Back to School Kids’ Craft

camberley — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 16:58:42 +0000

Chalkboard paint is all the rage now a days. Especially black chalkboard paint.

Mark Olson

If you don’t have room in your house for this kind of chalkboard paint treatment – don’t be sad. You can spend time with your little ones creating personal chalkboards.

There are many chalkboards paint colors you many choose from, so don’t feel confined to your typical green or black.

via Apartment Therapy

Here’s how it goes…..

PERSONAL CHALKBOARD

Materials:

Plywood (cut into any shape)

Frame (optional – just make sure they plywood will fit inside frame)

Sandpaper

Chalkboard Paint

Tacky Glue

Decorating Accents (i.e. buttons, ribbon, photographs)

To begin sand and seal plywood. Then, apply at least 2 coats of Chalkboard paint (follow the manufacturer’s instructions)

Once paint has dried apply desired decorating finishes. For example, add a button border, add good quality ribbon to help hang the chalkboard, glue a photograph in the top corner, frame the board in a nice frame….the possibilities are endless. Be creative and see where it takes you!

via Home Made Simple

Happy Crafting!

Camberley

Back to School Kids’ Craft – Bookmarks

camberley — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 17:53:11 +0000

Are you looking for a fun craft to do with your little ones today? Would you like to do a craft that will get them excited about reading? Well then, I recommend creating BOOKMARKS!

Here’s how you do it…

Bookmarks

Keep track of your favorite books with this handy bookmark

From WomansDay.com

Materials:
Fun Foam in assorted colors
Decorative scissors (optional)
White glue
Fine-point permanent markers in assorted colors
3/4″ pompom
Two 5 mm movable eyes
Yarn

Instructions:
Cut 2″ x 10″ strips of Fun Foam for base of bookmark. Cut additional shapes, such as face or star. Use decorative scissors if desired.

Glue shapes to one end of strip. Decorate shapes with markers, movable eyes, pompom nose, yarn and hair.
Write names of books you’ve read on base strip.