Teacher Appreciation: Rolo Pencils!

Wish I could take credit for this idea.  Oh well.  It's actually an idea featured in the September 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine.  I fell in love with these the second I saw them, and decided they'd be a perfect little gift for my daughter's AWESOME pre-k teachers!

The body of the pencil (inside) is a package of Rolos and the tip of the pencil is a Hersheys Kiss attached to the Rolos with a glue dot!

To make the outside of the pencil, you cut a piece of yellow cardstock to 3 1/2" x 4 1/2", trim one short end with scallop edge or zigzag edge scissors, and score every 1/4" lengthwise...wrap around the Rolos and adhere.  Then wrap a 3 1/2" x 3/8 " piece of pink cardstock at the opposite end.  Add a small pink circle to cover the exposed end of the Rolos.  Cover the seam between the yellow and pink pieces with a length of silver foil tape.  Then just wrap the ends with a ribbon and tag.  I used Create a Critter to make the apples on these, and printed my sentiment from my computer right onto the tags.

To finish, I put them each in a clear bag and made a bag topper with each teacher's initial and some embellishments on them.  Super-easy and super-fun!

Thanks for looking and have a creative day!  :)

FANTABULOUS CRICUT CRAWL: Button Up For School!

Welcome to Organized Chaos and the second "Fantabulous Cricut Crawl": Button Up For School!  It's Fantabulous Cricut's version of a blog hop!

If you've come from visiting Melin at Cooking With Cricut, you're in the right place! If you've just happened across my blog and would like to play along with our Fantabulous Cricut Crawl, start HERE.

In honor of Back To School time, we're calling our second Fantabulous Cricut Crawl "Button Up For School"...each design team member will be featuing a button somewhere on their project!  Here's a sneak peek of mine...scroll down to see my project!

Each Design Team member will be featuing an original project featuring a button AND a Cricut cut somewhere on the project. Make sure to check out each DT member's blog for some awesome inspiration! There will be prizes along the way at our DT members' blogs, AND there will be a grand prize up for grabs at FCCB for one participant that submits a project meeting the the "Button Up For School" challenge criteria!

How fun is that?

Here's my project for the Crawl:

I made a card for my daughter's pre-k teacher using the Cricut "Just Because Cards" cartridge for the apple and layers, and the Storybook cartridge for the marquee-shaped frame.  All pieces were inked and the frame was popped off the page with foam adhesive.  The "bite" mark was made by punching a small scallop on the edge of the apple.

Where are the buttons???  Look closely...they make up the little worm peeking out of the apple!  I used four mini green buttons.  For the face, I used a white ink pen to outline the holes to make the eyes.  On the other three, I punched a small green circle and adhered the circles on top.  I also added little antenna!

You might be wondering what the rest of the sentiment says...well, here ya go:

Hee hee!  :)

Okay, time for prizes!!!  I am giving away a super-fun prize for the Crawl...a brand NEW full-size Close To My Heart clear stamp set!!!  The set is called "Piece of Cake" (retired!) and features different cakes and sentiments, perfect for using on those handmade birthday cards:

Here's how you can win this fabulous stamp set:

1.  Leave a comment on this post...let me know what your favorite subject was in school!

2.  Become a follower of my blog.

Now it's your turn! See if you can incorporate a button on your own "Button Up For School" project. Make sure to include a Cricut cut somewhere on your project, too!

Next stop...Leigh's blog, My Scrappy Journey.  Go see what she has in store for you today!  And when you're done, make sure to link up your project to FCCB's Fantabulous Cricut Crawl post to be entered into the contest for the GRAND PRIZE!!!!

Happy Crawling!

Craft: School Bus Card (BITTEN by the BUG Contest: School Theme)

This week's contest on BITTEN by the BUG is to create a project with a school theme. The first day of school is such an exciting time for little ones! I decided a make a school bus card for my daughter (The Mess Maker) who is starting preschool this year...my baby is growing up!!! I thought it'd be a nice little send-off for her first day.

I used the Doodlecharms cartridge to cut the card base and bus layers. I also cut the apple and children's faces with it. The "school" letters were cut with Street Sign. I added a bow with a stick figure brad (I don't know...just seemed school-ish to me!) to attach it. TFL! :)