Hot gluing paper backed products without them tearing!

Ever had one of those moments that feels like a stroke of genius??  Here's mine!!  We do a lot of hot gluing to our walls, because that's basically the only way to get things to stay on our walls with this great Florida humidity.  The only problem with hot gluing, is you have to have things laminated before gluing so they come off of the wall without tearing the paper...  Well, the laminator is not always available, and something cannot be laminated.  So my stroke of genius?  Tape!!!

 I put a strip of tape on the back of the paper plates and other paper items I wanted to hang....

 Then I hot glued right onto the tape!  This way, it's LIKE being laminated, but you don't have to wait for when you can use the laminator.  Not to mention, you can't laminate paper plates!!!

Classroom Setup!

 One of the most difficult and exciting times of the year is the transformation of the classroom at the beginning of the year!!!  Since I am changing my whole theme, I started at the very beginning!!  Took EVERYTHING off of the walls and completely started over!!!

 The beginning stages....

 My calendar/math board.

 I got the idea of this calendar from this teacher, and am very excited for a new way to do calendar!

 This shelf was really ugly when I got it, so I invested in that special primer and some yellow paint, then mod-podged the fabric on the back board.  I'm in love!!!!  :)  The bright colors are awesome.  This is going to hold my math supplies for calendar and some center choices.

 

 My word wall.  :)  The letters are on plates with coordinating ribbons, we will be clothespinning the words to the ribbon to make it more accessible to students.  I will post more later.  :)

 My awesome sister came in and helped put the color word wall together.  We put up these great posters I had from years ago.  Then she used my BIG circle hole punch to punch out different colors from paint chips (and I had some leftover circles of construction paper from a past activity), and she hot glued them all around.  :)  So fun!!!

 My vowels plates - Filling wasted space and giving the kiddos a visual reference.  :)

When I graduated high school many years ago...  I was given a super comfy reclining chair.  This chair has been OVER loved in my classroom for all of these years!!!!  I have tried (and failed) to keep this chair clean...  EW!!!

 I finally have found a way...  Cover it up!!!!  :)

 I found this beach towel at Walmart for $4 on clearance.  I folded over the top and bottom and stitched them up the sides, creating a sleeve.

 Then I just slipped it on over the chair and voila!  A polka dot themed chair cover that can be WASHED!!!!!

 My book boxes for Daily 5 on the left.  I will be putting the alphabet cards on the pocket chart for the beginning of the year, and then move on to Phonics chunks,  The plates with ribbons are for Daily 5 sign ups.  :)

 My final Math board.

 I used bulletin border scraps with Index cards and dot stickers to make labels.  :)  I hung this clipboard by the door.  Inside that sleeve will be the dismissal lists with bus numbers and student names.  I put it in a sleeve so that I can use the Vis-a-Vis marker next to it to make any transportation note changes or whatever for the day. 

My classroom from the front door.

Along the back of the classroom...  Book Nooks for reading and lots of book bins!!!!!

My Daily Five anchor charts on the front board.

Trying a "deskless" space this year.  Only the computer desk and filing cabinet!  Please work!!!!  I hate the clutter of a desk!  The table to the left is for my volunteer.

Writing station area and behavior chart.  Used my teacher desk for this area.

Our classroom timeline for the year.  :)

I bought this frame at a yard sale for $1.  :)  Primed and painted it.  My friend added the words for the kiddos to use for the pictures.  These were my helpers for the day.  :)

My table tubs for shared supplies.  Magnetic Muffin tins painted white with Mod-Podged stickers.  I hot glued magnets to the bottom of the cups.  I will be hot gluing another magnet in the bottom of each muffin space to give just a little stronger connection, I think.  We'll see how they work.  :)  I got tired of the big bins!!!

I have decided to downsize classroom furniture.  Behold my reading table and student desk combined.  All set up for parent orientation.

 The outside door.  :)    Here's to a great year!!!!!

Trasformation from "Ew!" to "That's so cute!" :)

I promised the transformation of my shelf, so here goes!

I purchased the entertainment center below at a yard sale for $5.  I looked at it and thought "Man, that thing is nasty - but the shelves would be great and $5 is totally doable!"  So....  I decided to give it a makeover.....  Here is the before....

 Gross, huh?  My husband wanted to die when he saw it come home!!!

 To prep it for makeover time, I removed the doors and all shelves.  I also removed the backing you can see in this picture... 

 I then went to Walmart and found some cute scrapbook paper.  A whole pack for only $5, making my total investment only $10!!!  I used my fancy scissors to cut each paper into 4 squares...

 I forgot to take a few pictures, so I'll explain what I did here...  I used a foam brush to put ModPodge on the wood, added one square at a time, and Mod-Podged back over it again.  I then used an old credit card (actually an old key card from a cruise ship) to push out the creases.  I just kept repeating, with scissors handy to cut corners, triangles, edges, etc.  I saved the cut pieces and used them whenever I had a little hole that needed filled!!!   Shelf 1 -

 Shelf 2 -

 Base of the shelf - Same thing!

 I then just continued to cover the entire shelf.  I even got some help from my hubby, gasp!  :)  I kind of got wrapped up in it all and didn't take any other pictures until the final product was complete and in it's home.....  Introducing...  My new Word Work CHOICE center!!!!  :)

My New Scissors Stand!

Based on an idea I got from Pinterest, I hunted garage sales for an old mug stand to use.  The original site was here.  I found this one for $1.  Yay!  However, I can't stand gold, so I thought I'd make it my own.  :)  I realized that I have all of these fancy scissors in my closet that I never let the kids use because I never remember they're there!  I have been really working hard to put all of my wonderful supplies in the hands of the kids instead of hiding in the closet unused!!!!

I was so excited when I saw the heart at the top and around the base!!!

 My hubby wanted to die when he found out I spray painted in the garage...  But it was rainy and I had no patience!  :)  I probably won't do it again for his sake, but nothing bad happened.  :)  I planned on adding red polka dots to it with Mod Podge, but when I was finished, I decided I really liked it how it ended up!!!!

 And the finished product......

The kids love the new decoration and they can't wait to get their hands on all those scissors!!!