What else have I been doing?

My last post was a quick one just to show my kitten and my floor lamp. But, there are a few other projects I have going and a few projects I hope to get going.

One of my goals this summer was to get a few more supplies for my classroom. If you are not interested, please skip ahead. Now that I've got two years under my belt I'm starting to get a better sense of my needs for organization and how I use the room. For example, I didn't like my turn in system. I never taught my students to use the turn-in bins, and it wasn't cohesive for them all to pile to that area of the room. So, the paper collector would collect the assignments and just give them to me. And I'd occasionally put them in a "to grade" folder. Meh. I would also have the student helpers give out missing work slips at the beginning of class, but then I would have to file them all before I could see which students had 3 missing work slips (which means detention). The other major thing I didn't like was having the stapler/tape/extra pencils up on my desk. The caused a lot of traffic in the front of the room and a lot of encroaching on my space. Short story long, I've acquired two new tables and one will go in the back as a more organized student center (I had one last year but it wasn't well utilized). It will house all the major supplies: extra pens/pencils, correcting pens, stapler, and 3 turn-in bins (math, science, late/absent). It will also have a missing work log for the student helpers to check off and monitor who has three missing work slips. There will be separate pass-back bins for work I've graded that student helpers can work on organizing in homeroom. Under the table will be the portfolio bins that took up way too much precious counter space last year. If I can focus more on student jobs this should alleviate much of the needless stress and choas. I'll post some pictures of the stuff I've gathered.


Whew. Okay, you can tune back in non-teachers. Here are my home to-do list items with a brief update:
- Paint the downstairs bathroom: probably not happening. Over the last year I have painted so much, and I'm feeling a bit burnt out. Plus there are actually 9 walls in the bathroom with three doorways and it would be a huge paint. Did I mention it's also dark blue? I would love to paint it, but I'm not sure if I can muster the motivation.

- Finish wall decor in living room: I will probably still order the ceiling medallions. If they don't turn out to "fit" the living room they can always go upstairs. It's about $80 to order 5, which isn't bad, I just haven't bitten the bullet.

- Decorate master bathroom: We found wall hooks on clearance at Pier 1 and got 2 to hold our towels. They will probably go behind the door since that's one of the only places a towel can hang. That still leaves new curtains, some sort of art on the one big wall, and blinds/etching the window.

- Pillow Covers for the Couch: Well, I'm making slight progress with this one. As I mentioned in this post, we will eventually be moving the sectional upstairs into the rumpus room. But, that's a ways off as it doesn't quite mesh with our financial goals. But back to pillows. I had been putting it off because measuring fabric and sewing is not exactly my forte. Then I ran across this method through pinterest where there is knot any sewing involved. Get it? Anyway, I haven't tried it yet but I plan on using the ol' JoAnn's coupon to procure some fabric to try. If not I supppoooose I can try sewing one. No promises. I would like to get this done, though!

- Gallery Wall: Yes. Happening. I checked my 6 cans of white spray paint, however, and I think I'm about out. I'm fairly decided that I will do a small gallery wall outside the bathroom door in the entry hallway. I've seen many-a gallery wall that is totally overdone and stressful to look at, and I'd like to steer clear. However, the nook in the main hallway will be a great place to show some art that has been sitting patiently (like my Fife city map from Jenna Sue!). I have all the frames in a bag from when I planned it in the past, now it's a matter of doing.

- Something for the classroom: Consider that done. Moving on.

- Scrapbooking/Card Making: Happening Thursday at a home near you. Will post my creations.

- Plan for rumpus room: I better bring it. Oh, it's already been brought. We have a plan, which = moving sectional upstairs and buying the biggest TV we can find, but... not yet. We set up the hoosier as a little bar, but right now there is just a table that I do my homework at and some extra furniture in there... Someday...

- Other crafts:

- Finish giant wood art (already assembled, just needs stained) for landing

- Make book-page dahlias for above master bed:

- Hang all the things that are waiting to be hung...
- Stop doing finish doing schoolwork
- Exercise more

Ha! Someday. Hopefully I can make your head explode in a few weeks with all the awesome stuff I've done!