Fantastic Finds!

I always tell myself that I need to stay out of my local thrift shop.  I realize I spend money there, but I always end up getting such good deals.  I guess the same is true for the Dollar Tree! 

I found these baskets at the Dollar Tree today.  Perfect in color, I only needed 3 but I bought 6 of course (in case of breaking in the future...lol). 

Another great find at the Dollar Tree was this word-find book.  Each page has an historical event and arond the box of letters there is a paragraph explaining something about that event.  All of the words in the word-find are written inside that paragraph in all capital letters.  I bought this for or Social Studies teacher.  It's great!

At my thrift store, I got two great Webster dictionaries for $1.25 each.  I plan to keep collecting them because my middle schoolers need a bigger dictionary than the kind I bought at the dollar store in years past. 

Oh, and I also found two kitchen stools that match perfectly to our butcher block counter tops for jst $25 each (of course, I had a coupon). 

 Perhaps someday my kitchen will be finished and I'll post a picture of that online.  For now, I cannot let anyone see what it looks like, since it's so embarassing. 

Time for a laugh :)

I got some bad news today about my loving doggie, Sasha.  It appears she isn't doing well healthwise and may not be around much longer.

I needed a laugh, so I made a humorous poster to hang in my classroom.  I uploaded it to TeachersPayTeachers (as a freebie). 

How many others also have CDO?  lol 

Click here for your free poster!

A Summer Freebie

I am really spending my summer days relaxing, and it is nice.  I will try my best to start working on school stuff in August, but I'm trying to take it easy. 

Since it's been awhile since I've offered a freebie, I'm offering you an August 2012 - September 2013 black and white polka dotted calendar, for free :)

Click here for calendar!

If you are looking for other calendars, I have plenty.  Some also allow you to type before printing!  Here is a link to my calendar selection:  Mrs. Croak's Calendars

Edit: Thrifty Finds!

I promised myself I wouldn't shop a lot for school this summer, and I would focus as much energy as I could on renovating our home. (Books for my classroom library were, of course, exempt from this rule.)

Yesterday I went to the Dollar Store because my husband needed envelopes.  I found magnifying rulers for $1.00/each that I believe will be great in reading groups for students who need to stay focused on the lines that we are currently reading. 

I also went to the local thrift store to "buy large print books for grandmom" and we found plenty of them for her at $1.25 a piece.  She reads a few books per week and we're pretty sure she's read most of the large print books at her library.  I found some books for my library, but also got nice hardcover dictionaries for my students to use for $1.25 a piece.  REAL dictionaries -- like the kind people get you as a graduation gift before you head off to college.  I've got some dictionaries from the Dollar Tree, but they are built more like quick reference guides.

I also bought this lamp.  I left the shade on the shelf at the store because it was hideous and I felt bad throwing it away.  I covered the area where the bulb goes with a dinner napkin and some tape, then went to town with chrome spray paint from Krylon.  This is the result:

I used a Clorox wipe today to wipe off the spray paint dust -- what is that stuff anyway? -- so all I need is a good lamp shade.  I am DEFINITELY going back for another brass lamp.  There is too much chrome spray paint left in that can...it must be used!

Fourth Freebie!

Happy July 4th! 

Here's a freebie:  Patriotic Labels
*These labels are made using Avery template 5163 (2x4").  There is a text box already, so all you need to do is add your text and PRINT!

Stay safe, everyone!  Much of the country is under a heat warning.  Don't forget that continous hot weather causes dry earth.  Fireworks of any kind can start dangerous fires in your neighborhood.