Teacher Appreciation Gifts

I love the girls at Eighteen25. They are so creative and have the most darling DIY ideas!

This is the first year my daughter has been in school and therefore had a teacher

(she started preschool last September). I have been having so much fun figuring out

little teacher gifts for Christmas, Valentines Day, and Easter, etc. I recently discovered

that next month (May 2-May 6) is National Teacher Appreciation Week, (with May 3rd being the actual day), so I thought it would be fun to look around and see what is out there on

the blogosphere for creative teacher appreciation gifts.

Personally, I appreciate a handmade gift, and I especially appreciate when a child is involved in making it. I would imagine teachers feel the same way, so that is my #1 criterion to show appreciation to my daughter's teacher.

Eighteen25 did not disappoint! Click on the links below to see their step~by~step tutorials

and a materials list to make these darling projects, + some FREE DIY printables!

There are also lots more inspiring ideas on their blog.

You might want to grab some coffee and stay awhile.

Oh, and if your child is in Mrs. Walker's class, let's coordinate gifts so we don't duplicate :)

Thanks a Latte

My Teacher is AW-esome

The Grass is Always Greener

So Fortunate to Have You for a Teacher

You are o"fish"ally the best!

Back to School Blackboard Cupcakes

These cupcakes earn top marks for sweetening even the most reluctant student's return to school.

Ingredients

• Yellow, green, and white frosting
• Cupcakes
• Red Skittles or M&M's
• Small plastic bag

• Rubber band or twist tie
• Chocolate-covered graham crackers
• White Good & Plenty candies

Instructions

1. Cover the cupcakes with yellow frosting and allow them to sit for an hour before decorating. Dab each red Skittle or M&M with a bit of green frosting for the apple's leaf, then set them aside.

2. Put a tablespoon or two of white frosting into a small plastic bag for piping. Cut a very small hole in a corner of the bag, twist the top of the bag closed, and secure it with a rubber band or twist tie. Piping the frosting gently out of the hole, write messages on the chocolate-covered graham crackers. Leave space at the bottom of the cookie, where it'll be stuck into the cupcake.

3. Cut a groove in the cupcake's frosting with a knife, then fit a blackboard into the groove. Add one Skittle or M&M apple and a piece of Good & Plenty chalk, as shown.

Source: Family Fun

Mini Dessert ~ Ice Cream Apples

In keeping with my back to school theme, I will be posting lots more fun ideas, and DIY downloads for styling your first day of school parties, as well as creative and fun menu ideas.

Today's darling back to school theme menu idea comes from Jess and Pen & Paperflowers! Thank you for sharing with us Jess!

Sweet Treat ~ Back to School FREE Printable Party Collection

Celebrate the new school year with the back to school prinatable party collections by Tweedle Dee Designs. The set includes, party punchables, 4" printable circle, rainbow alphabet banner and their new lunch box notes. All available for FREE download by clicking HERE!

Be sure to head over to Brandi's blog at Tweedle Dee Designs to say Thank You!

Edible Crayons

These have to be just the cutest idea for a Back to School or Graduation theme party

~ Edible Crayons found via The Crafting Chick!

All you need is pretzel rods, candy melts, and paper for the "wrappers". The candy melts can be found at any local craft store {such as Michael's} in different colors {or use white candy melts w/ food coloring}. These customized crayon wrappers were created in Photoshop, personalized with the kids' names, and printed out on colored cardstock; however I also found FREE printable crayon wrappers in red, blue, green, orange, purple, and yellow; as well as a template to make a DIY personalized crayon box at Parties by Hardie.

My daughter's Back to School {AKA First Day of Preschool} party is really coming together and I'm getting sooooo excited, a little teary~eyed!!

Back to School Free Printables

This is definitely going to be the "Back to School" banner that I use for my daughter's first day at preschool. While she technically isn't going "back to school" since she is starting her first year in preschool, I am such a sentimental sap that I thought it would be cute to use the same banner year after year for the first day of each new year...and add some sort of specialty decor to correspond with the grade she is starting in school.

Along with the "Back to School" banner download there are also darling and theme

related regular and oversized party toppers {I especially will be using the little blonde

girl cupcake toppers}.

These were designed by Charlotte, of The Paper Cupcake, and featured on Party Like a Kid. If you would like any other printables to go with this or any other design, be sure to check out Charlotte's shop, The Paper Cupcake. She offers SO MANY cute custom designed printable partyware options {and be sure to tell her thank you while you are there}!!!

Click HERE to start your FREE Back to School 2010 printable collection download!

Back to School Theme Party with Apple Shaped Cupcakes

So I bet you are all winding down the summer and getting ready for "back to school" parties and celebrations like I am!

I found this adorable "Back to School" theme party on Social Couture who found the original inspiration on the Bower Power blog. Although there are is a lot of fun inspiration found in this party {I love the idea of using apples, so perfect and budget friendly} ~ I have to say that these apple shaped cupcakes are SO CUTE! I hopped over to the Bower Power blog to find out how they made these adorable cupcakes. Here's the description {and they are supposedly simple to replicate}:

Make a white cupcake in a red liner and top with a tiny bit of red icing

Slice a mini donut in half {lay in on the counter and cut it parallel to the counter}

Lay 1/2 of the round donut onto the icing and then ice the whole cupcake

Dip the top in red sugar sprinkles

Add a chocolate leaf and a half a tootsie roll for the stem

Love it!

Come back soon as we will be featuring LOTS of back to school party inspiration and

FREE DIY printables and downloads!

Vintage School Themed Baby Shower

You all know by now that I am on the hunt for adorable school themed parties, since my daughter will be starting school in September. I want to have a few ideas in my inspiration files for when we have occasions to celebrate; like first days of school, good report cards, last days of school, awards, and other milestones etc.

I fell in love with this sweet vintage school themed baby shower planned by

Sara Westbrook and featured on One Charming Party.

Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom - there are some FREE DIY Printables!!

Alphabet cookies is a darling touch...

I love the darling old~fashioned flash cards and giant letters...

A chalkboard is always perfect for displaying a warm welcome, or a menu..

Thank you to One Charming Party for sharing these FREE Printable Downloads that

can be used as cupcake toppers, to embellish invitations, or any other party decor!

Click HERE to download these "g is for girl" PDF file....

Click HERE to download "b is for B" PDF file...

Click HERE for these simply adorable children's books PDF file...

As always, please check my original source on One Charming Party for a list and credit to all the talented vendors who contributed to this party!

FREE DIY Printable Apple Note Cards

I know summer just started and you probably aren't thinking about thank you notes or

gifts for your kid's teachers, but you can always find someone who has taught your child something valuable that you want to say thank you too. My daughter loves to

create personal notes for her teachers ~ and a handwritten note is always so appreciated.

This summer my daughter and I are making thank you notes for her Sunday school teachers (since she is moving up to the next year) and her teachers at vacation bible school, small group leaders, ballet teachers, etc.

Just because it's not the "end of the year" doesn't mean there isn't someone you could thank who has invested in your child and made a difference in their life!

These darling free printable apple note cards were created and graciously shared by

Creature Comforts.

*They would also make darling note cards in the fall for an apple-picking play date!

Click HERE for your FREE DIY download!

{Real Party} School Inspired Baby Shower

Since my daughter will be starting formal schooling this Fall, I have been so inspired by

school related parties. This darling School~Inspired Baby Shower was featured on

The Sweetest Occasion and was held in honor of a school teacher.

This shower was planned by photographer, Whitney Smith, who you might remember

from the darling Pat the Bunny Baby Shower I featured earlier this year.

I think this theme would be perfect to celebrate school teachers, baby showers, or any student milestone {graduations}, or end of the school year parties, etc.

This shower is filled with cute school inspired details like apples, cafeteria trays, a

composition notebook used as a guest book, a chalkboard menu, traditional school fare

like sandwiches, and milk and cookies.

Photos by Whitney Smith