Tag Archives: PINspired

Out with the old, in with the new!

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I think it is about time to replace my fall wreath with a spring one.

This was a “PINspired” project I did back in september. I got the idea from Sweet Passions on a Thrifty Dime.

While I couldn’t find red and orange accents for the wreath, I did find this bundle of grasses at Wal-Mart by Better Homes and Gardens.

I think it was less than $5. I got the grapevine wreath at Wal-Mart too, but kicked myself when I visited Goodwill later and found several grapevine wreaths for much cheaper. Remember that next time you need a grapevine wreath! The pearl letter I got on our honeymoon almost four years ago at The Paris Market in Savannah, Georgia. They actually still carry them on their website if you want one!

So today I hung up my spring wreath! And it wasn’t a “PINspired” wreath either. No, this one was inspired by my sister’s wedding.

See those beautiful hydrangeas? Those were used all throughout her wedding decorations. So after the wedding was over, and I had slaved away at cleaning and dismantling the décor, I decided to take some of those pretty flowers with me… and make a wreath! So for three years I’ve had this wreath, but after Leslie’s post on altered wooden letters, I decided to add an initial.

What do you think?

I got the letter from CraftCuts.com. It’s an amazing site with all sorts of wooden letters in different fonts, sizes, and materials. You can get letters that hang, or letters that stand up, or even letters that are connected! If you are interested in the letter I ordered, it is a ¾” thick, 6” tall, unpainted Baltic Burch letter in Poor Richards font. I painted the sides navy and the top pale blue using acrylic paint to match the flowers.

I just love my “new” wreath! Thanks for dropping by!

A PINspired Classroom

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As crazy as it may sound, while in college one of the most memorable pieces of advice we were given was,
“As a teacher, you need to BEG, BORROW, and STEAL!”
And that was at a christian college too! (That makes us wonder what they tell teachers at secular colleges!) When first hearing that, not many people would be inclined to follow those words.  But, when you think about it -it makes so much sense! As teachers we are always looking for new strategies, activities, displays, projects, and ideas that will enhance the learning experiences of our students.  And as we all know, there is little or no time to do it all, (especially if you want to have a life outside your job!). There is really no need to “re-invent the wheel” when so many people around us are displaying their ideas and creations from their classrooms for all to see! Why not take an idea from a friend, use inspiration you’ve found in a book, or PINsperation from the internet?!…..which brings us to our next point. If you have not found PINTEREST, the lifesaver website that is saving teachers and crafters, and artists, and bored people all over the world…….then well,…. you must be living under a rock! :(
OR maybe you feel that this is what you might become if you surrender to the ploys of pinterest.

Picture from digitalmomblog.com

OR maybe you’ve ran across this definition of pinterest and it depresses you:
Picture from perdueosity.com
OR maybe you’ve met people with this attitude:

picture from brittanysbuttons.blogspot.com

Whatever is keeping you from pinterest is also keeping you from being PINspired!

We’re here to tell you that getting a Pinterest account is totally worth it, and it might possibly change your life! There is so much out there to be PINspired by!

If you haven’t succumbed to the realm of Pinterest (or if you have, but you are so busy pinning that you don’t actually execute the ideas you pin) then here is a suggestion: START SMALL. Choose a craft that you have all the supplies for (or the supplies are cheep and easily found).

Then do it!

Here are some of Leslie’s first PINspired classroom projects: {Pictures are linked to original pinned source}

This took me all of 2 minutes! I just found some extra magnetic letters in my class and some fake flowers and a jar from home, and whipped this up!

When beginning the school year, I found some quotes that I loved and wanted to put them up inside/outside my class. Here is one that I simply saved, printed, and cut out to put outside my door.

Later, I came across bigger projects that I wanted to tackle like this mailbox system and a teacher wreath. With both of these, I used the picture that inspired me and turned it into my own version.  I just created it with a twist!

Although my creations are not always the same as the ones I pinned, I still love my finished projects because they were made with my special touch, and they work for me!

See it IS possible to not let pinning take over your life. It’s possible to let it be a tool to assist you in accomplishing tasks that you would’ve never thought of in the first place. It’s OK if you PINdulge every now and then, but I’m PINferring that you might’ve done yourself some PINjustice by not being PINnovative with your pinning. So use your PINtellect and be PINspired! (Ok. I’m done.. I might’ve gotten carried away.)

(We both have lots more PINspired pics and projects to share with you in the future! Keep following us!)

Happy pinning and be PINspired!

Just wondering. What do you think about Pinterest?