This is my unwanted help, Mozart (my EB).  🙂

We have a local outlet that sells bulk fabric and notions, carpets, etc., dirt cheap, so I decided to pay them a visit 🙂 They must celebrate when they see me walk in the door because my imagination rules my purchases! Today was a great day 🙂 Last year I kept an ocean theme up all year and loved it, so I am expanding on it this year. .   I found dark blue wrapping paper for my Word Wall Aquarium, acrylic paints in four primary colors for my desk plate holders, and the sweetest coordinating fabrics for my reading table skirting and cabinet doors. Have you ever heard of the liquid starch fabric application? You simply soak the fabric in liquid starch, wrap and smooth out on the surface you wish to cover, then wait for it to dry thoroughly. It stays as long as you want it to. I may cover my teacher desktop too! I own my old metal office desk, and it needs all the beautification I can apply to it! Did I mention they had velcro tape really cheap too???

Here is a pic of my desk plates BEFORE they undergo a dramatic change.  I plan to have four at each table which accomodate six students (two at the end and two in the middle with back to back name plates).  I have blue, green, yellow, and green table colors.  The desk plates will be hot glued or glue dotted to the tables this year! Last year was a disaster with students pulling them up and playing with them because they were attached with velcro.  Well, this old girl has learned her lesson!  I’m going to stick those puppies down permanently! (of course…this might be seen as a bigger challenge for those creative little minds). 

And…is there anything better than the Cricut??? I think it would be hard to find something else as useful to a teacher as that wonderful thing! I found some great primary color card stock and a few “embellishing” pens to go with it. Can’t wait to see what I’ll come up with! I already have my captions cut out for some areas of the room.  My new venture on the cricut is to try cutting fabric lettering.  I’m going to need the new sharper blades that I ordered from amazon for 7.00! Two of my favorite sites are eBay and Amazon.  I was able to buy several childrens books used one year at a huge savings because I found a seller who had “as good as new” books for sale. 

Oh! In case anyone wants to know how to make the desk plates.  My hubby is a retired shop teacher, but you can have Home Depot to cut a 2×4 in half lengthwise, then chop it in 12″ pieces across.  Have someone you know to saw a 1/2″ slot in the center of each, sand off the sharp corners and ends (just round them), then paint with acrylic paints (non-toxic and water based).  I have not tried to use glue dots, but will try them before using hot glue to stick them to my tables.  Hot glue is so easy to remove.  It is even my top choice for sticking things on the walls.  Happy creating to all of you!!! I’ll be posting pics as I put my room back together.  Oh, did I mention…the new fabrics are the perfect colors to go with my striped flat panels (bed sheets) that I bought to go on my closet area! Ta-tahhhhh!