With Appreciation

 

When I saw the theme for this month’s Waltzingmouse Stamps blog dance was teacher appreciation, I knew I wanted to play along. As a teacher, I know firsthand how challenging—and rewarding--the job is and how nice it is to have your hard work and commitment to your students recognized by the children and families in your classroom. The gifts I treasure most from my teaching career are the notes I’ve received from parents and from children. I’ve kept them as reminders of the lives I’ve been able to touch and influence as a teacher. I’ve always thought that teaching kindergarten was kind of magical. For so many kids, it’s their first formal school experience. There’s so much growth and change over the course of that year. Kids walk in to the room barely writing or recognizing their own names and leave at the end of the year reading. I'm always awed at this and honored to have played a part in their lives.

Here’s what I came up with to share today. I made a card using a sentiment from the Sweethearts stamp set as my focal image. Yes, the sentiment’s original intent is for a more romantic card, but this quote is one I’ve seen used for teachers as well and certainly holds true. I stamped it in white pigment ink on a gray panel and heat embossed it in white, then brushed on a little extra pigment ink for a chalkboard like look. To frame the sentiment, I used mitered strips of kraft cardstock to create the look of a traditional wooden chalkboard, even adding teeny, tiny copper brad “nails” to the corners.

The finished chalkboard panel is set over a white doily topped with a red fishtail flag strip. For a school-themed touch, I ran a strip of measuring tape style washi tape along the edge of the red flag. I love the little pop of color it gives! I set the pieces on top of a gray dotted paper panel, then added a shiny red apple cabochon accent at the bottom of the chalkboard.

Materials Used:
Sweethearts stamp set (Waltzingmouse Stamps); Steel Grey cardstock, Fishtail Flag Layers Stax die (My Favorite Things); Real Red cardstock (Stampin’ Up!); Desert Storm cardstock (Neenah); white pigment ink (WPlus9); Tea Dye distress ink (Ranger); Sn@p Color Vibe 1 6x6 paper pad (Simple Stories); white embossing powder, copper mini brads (Michaels); apple cabochon (EK Success); paper doily (Wilton); measuring tape washi tape