Teachers Archives - Simply Kierste

{keep calm and teach on…teacher bookmarks}

May
06

It's the season for teacher appreciation and end-of-year teacher gifts! At our school they do teacher appreciation for a full week, and I wanted to send in something small everyday, with something bigger on Friday. I was trying to think of cute ideas that were also inexpensive, and I came up with these fun bookmarks...Keep Calm and Teach On! These are super easy to make, and perfect for any teacher! {supplies} -printable (see below) -white cardstock -ribbon -distress ink -hole punch -paper trimmer {directions} 1. Download printable, and print onto white cardstock. 2. Use paper trimmer to cut them to size (2x6). I use the polka dots at the bottom as a guide for the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Gift Ideas, Printables, Teachers | 4 Comments

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{footprint rug}

May
02

I am in love with capturing my children's footprints and hand prints. Seriously {LOVE}. For Mother's Day this year, I made my mom a footprint rug for her kitchen, and it is ADORABLE. That tiny little footprint, next to all of her siblings? Darling. I can't stand it, it's so cute. ☺ It's perfect. And...it's super easy! I was SO excited when I came across this rug in the kitchen aisle at Target (only $8) last week, because I knew was going to save me a lot of time not adding the border myself. It was exactly what I was looking for! The border frames the footprints perfectly, and the red makes the white lettering pop! {supplies} -kitchen rug (a plain color) -fabric … [Read more...]

Filed Under: All Crafts, Crafts, DIY Decor, Gift Ideas, Mother's Day, Silhouette, Teachers | 11 Comments

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{paper sack mother’s day card} a child’s Q&A

Apr
23

paper sack mother's day cards | simplykierste.com

At my church, I get to work with the Primary children (kids aged 3-11), and I LOVE it. Mother's Day is just a few short weeks away, and this week I designed a super fun card that I think all their moms are going to love! I wanted to make a card where they could each express some favorite things about their mom. I was talking to one of my best friends this week, and she reminded me of an idea that I have actually loved for a long time...in fact, my oldest son wrote a card like it for me when he was in preschool, and it's one of my most treasured possessions. Asking a child questions about their mom--some funny, others serious--and putting it all together in a cute package was just what I … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Birthdays, Crafts, Father's Day, Gift Ideas, Home & Family, Kids' Crafts, Mother's Day, Packaging, Printables, Teachers, Thinking of You | 57 Comments

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{over the rainbow} st. patrick’s day fun & free printable!

Feb
20

Skittles are perfect for St. Patrick's Day...all those rainbow colors! I paired them with one of my personal favorites, gold-wrapped Rolos for a super fun gift...for friends, neighbors, teachers, and more! I also created a fun tag, and free printable, just for you!!! I save all of my Crystal Light containers, which I LOVE to re-use for all sorts of gifting and organizational purposes. I love the lids, how easy the wrappers are to take off, their size & shape, and that they are see-through! If you don't have any, or want something smaller, try a jelly jar, other small mason jar, or a baby food jar/container. I layered the candy starting with the Skittles first--in rainbow … [Read more...]

Filed Under: All Crafts, Crafts, Gift Ideas, Holiday Projects, Printables, St. Patrick's Day, Teachers, Thinking of You | 8 Comments

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{simple decorated clothespins}

Jan
02

Decorated clothespins aren't anything new--I've been making them for a long time, and actually first posted about them several years ago. However, my obsession with them hasn't changed much at all, and I love how they can transform an ordinary clothespin into the perfect accessory for magnet boards, clipboards, and more. I've used several different methods to cover them, including fabric, paper, paint and stamps. I'm going to share a method I tried this week--the easiest yet! It literally takes less than 1 minute to cover a clothespin! LOVE that! I'm all about things that are simple, don't take a lot of time, but make a huge difference. What makes these so easy? I used … [Read more...]

Filed Under: All Crafts, Crafts, DIY Decor, For the Home, Gift Ideas, Organization, Re-purpose & Refinish, Teachers | 9 Comments

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{$5 photo books} FABULOUS gift idea!

Dec
04

I posted these for the first time a few years ago, and they remain one of my favorite projects! I thought it was good time to bring it out of the vault, and share again!!! We all love to give gifts to those we care about and appreciate, but being on a budget is part of my life, as I'm sure it is yours. I"m going to share with you one of my favorite gifts to give, and not only is it absolutely darling and super easy to make, it cost me less than $5! It's a purse-sized photo holder that's the perfect size to tuck into a purse or diaper bag, and everyone you give it to will love it. Think teachers, mothers, grandmothers, friends, and more! There are very few supplies that you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: All Crafts, Christmas, Crafts, Gift Ideas, Holiday Projects, Mother's Day, Teachers |

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{diy personalized mugs & dishes} great gift idea!

Nov
05

With the holidays quickly approaching (Thanksgiving is in 3 weeks???), it's the time for easy and simple gift giving ideas and decor projects. How about personalized mugs for gift giving, and personalized dishes for serving, decor, and everyday use? You won't believe how simple it is to do, and they can both be done very inexpensively. I've been wanting to try the porcelain paint pens you can find at Michael's or other hobby stores that are made specifically for porcelain/ceramic dishes, and once cured, are dishwasher safe. I finally tried it, and I LOVE it! I found these simple white bowls at the dollar store for $1 each a few years ago, and it was time for a little face lift! … [Read more...]

Filed Under: All Crafts, Christmas, Crafts, DIY Decor, Entertaining, For the Home, Gift Ideas, Holiday Projects, Mother's Day, Silhouette, Teachers, Thinking of You, Weddings | 12 Comments

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{fabric handled buckets}

Oct
16

I just love little buckets! They are one of my favorite ways to give a small gift, or package a yummy treat for a friend or neighbor. You can find them really cheap--my most successful places to check are in the Target one spot, or at the dollar store--both places they are only $1! Using fabric, or even ribbon, as a handle adds the most charming detail to any small pail or bucket ( LOVE those little knots on the sides), and it's an easy way to add in some color to match any holiday or season. This black and white polka dot is perfect for Halloween, but how fun would this be for Christmas, filled with yummy treats for neighbor gifts? Easter, Valentine's Day, 4th of July...they would … [Read more...]

Filed Under: All Crafts, Birthdays, Christmas, Crafts, Entertaining, Father's Day, For the Home, Gift Ideas, Halloween, Holiday Projects, Mother's Day, Packaging, Silhouette, Teachers, Thinking of You, Valentine's Day | 4 Comments

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{handprint aprons for mother’s day}

May
02

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If you are my mother, or my husband's mother, please do not read any further. ☺ Sometimes it seems like the years past faster than the days do, and capturing little handprints are like freezing a moment in time. When my oldest was small, I made an apron with his handprint on it for my dad for Father's Day. I still LOVE seeing his tiny little hand on that apron. ♥ This year I decided to make them for my mother and mother-in-law--perfect for Mother's Day! This is an easy and super fun project---the hardest part will be trying to get the handprints in the right places with a minimum of wiggling! I love gifts that the kids can contribute to, and it created some really … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Clothing & Accessories, Crafts, Father's Day, Gift Ideas, Kids' Crafts, Mother's Day, Sewing, Silhouette, Teachers, Weddings |

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{pop!}

Feb
27

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I've been teaching piano lessons for a long time, and I absolutely love it. This weekend was our winter recital, and I always like to give my students a little something to let them know how proud I am of them, and to congratulate them for a job well done.Whether you are a music teacher, or someone special in your life is a music student, this is a super fun and simple way to let them know that you're proud too! This would even be fun for after a Primary Program--- Supplies: microwave popcorn packets (you could also use soda pop bottles instead!) scrapbook paper and cardstock distress Ink baker's twine double stick tape Directions: 1. Print out the tags, cut them … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Crafts, Gift Ideas, Kids' Crafts, Teachers |

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