Frugal Family Fun Blog » workshop http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com Good times on a budget! Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:01:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Money Saving Tips for Teachers http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2011/03/money-saving-tips-for-teachers.html http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2011/03/money-saving-tips-for-teachers.html#comments Thu, 03 Mar 2011 04:17:07 +0000 Valerie http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/?p=4851 ...Read the Rest]]> I was invited to give a hands-on workshop for teachers at the Educator’s Networking Conference held at Cedar Crest College last weekend, and we had LOTS of fun!! The topic was Creative Money Saving Tips for the Classroom, and we were busy, busy, busy with all sorts of super-frugal classroom activities! I felt so lucky to work with such a great group of teachers!!

Here is a quick recap of the session. If you are a teacher or homeschooler, you may want to bookmark this post for future reference!

Finding Free Supplies — adapted from TeacherVision

  • Appliance store: large boxes, cartons, cardboard, styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap
  • Carpet store: carpet squares (great for circle time & indoor games), rug samples
  • Florist: ribbon, plastic ties, foil, tissue paper, empty ribbon spools
  • Newspaper: end rolls of newsprint, old newspapers
  • Paint store: paint samples, empty cans, stirrers, discontinued wallpaper sample books (we use wallpaper AND the covers are made from very strong cardboard, perfect for making into large clipboards!
  • Art supply store: rags, paint, crayons, ink (Be sure to apply for a teacher’s discount card.)
  • Pizza parlor: pizza boxes, cardboard circles
  • Bank: coin wrappers, deposit forms
  • Hospital: x-rays, colored file folders
  • Camera shop: 35mm film canisters
  • Liquor store: cartons, lots and lots of boxes
  • Contractor: leftover wood pieces, plastic tubing, bricks
  • Cleaners: hangers
  • Travel agency: travel brochures, pamphlets, maps
  • Supermarket: egg cartons, boxes, paper bags
  • Doctor/dentist: old magazines (save for use as student rewards)
  • Drug store: empty pill bottles, posters, signs
  • Tennis Club: empty tennis ball tubes, flat tennis balls for attaching to the bottoms of chairs/desks.
  • Letter to Parents: Send a letter home with students asking their parents to save supplies for the classroom. Include a short wish list of items. Later, be sure to tie this in with a Language Arts lesson by having the students write thank you notes to their patrons. Thank you notes help foster a sense of gratitude, and it just may help increase future donations!!

    • 3 Different Projects made from Coffee Filters — We love crafting with coffee filters because they are cheap, they hold up well to students who may tend to use lots of water when they paint, and they can easily be found at any grocery store. Here are three sample projects!

    – Snowflakes

    – Sun Ornaments

    – Pine Tree Forest

    Projects for Pennies — Here are a few projects that literally cost pennies to make!

    – Build a Kite from a Sheet of Paper – Super fun, easy, and they really fly!

    – Rewards Chart (Gumball machine made with brown paper bags & color coding labels)

    – DIY Fabric Wall Decals – Lots of fun possibilities for this!!

    – Decorate a Bulletin Board w/Sticky Notes – Spring Mural, Cityscape

    Super-Cheap Classroom Reward Ideas

    – Free Homework Pass

    – Certificate of Achievement

    – Dollar Store Items

    – Kid magazines collected from pediatrician offices

    Online Resources & Other Tips

    Frugal Family Fun Blog — Hey! That’s me!! You can subscribe to our feed, follow us on Twitter, and/or “Like” us on Facebook! I would love to connect with you!!

    HighlightsTeachers.com — Find out how to earn rewards for your classroom, plus lots of free Highlights printables for fun in the classroom!

    We Teach Group — A highly engaged online forum made up of parents, teachers, homeschoolers, and early childhood educators. Terrific resource for classroom ideas!

    Donorschoose.org — Send in a proposal, and you may have donors fund your classroom project!

    Makedo.com.au — Take your Invention Kit to the next level with Makedo, a set of connectors & hinges for building structures from cardboard. Visit the Makedo website to sign up for teacher’s resources including building sheets with detailed instructions on how to build a specific project & ideas for related classroom discussion topics.

    No Time for Flashcards — Allie has worked hard to create a very accessible online resource for parents and teachers. Her site is filled with learning activities, books, songs, and educational play ideas!

    Getting Messy with Ms. Jessi — If you are in the Phoenix area, Ms. Jessi was kind enough to inform me of a place there called “Treasures 4 Teachers” which collects donated items from companies such as: paper, binders, and other school supplies. A fantastic idea!!

    Raising Leafs — A fun blog by a homeschooling mom, Erika advises to use what you already have on-hand. For example, for math manipulatives, they use Legos, blocks, and barrel o’ monkeys. She also loves finding books at the Salvation Army for a quarter!

    Know When to Shop — Many of our readers said that shopping for supplies during back-to-school sales was FAR cheaper than any other time of the year!

    Audio Books — Instead of buying expensive audio books, try Audacity, a free software program to record your own. Burn files onto audio CDs or download onto an iPod!

    It was a really FUN workshop, and I hope to be invited back for next year’s conference — fingers crossed!

    Do you have a money-saving tip for the classroom that I forgot to add?? Leave a comment and share your ideas with us!

    ]]>     http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2011/03/money-saving-tips-for-teachers.html/feed 22     Sewing in Baby Steps… an Update! http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/sewing-in-baby-steps-update.html http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/sewing-in-baby-steps-update.html#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:08:00 +0000 Valerie http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/29/sewing-in-baby-steps-an-update/ ...Read the Rest]]> Sorry, the free daily emailed version of this workshop is no longer available. You can still, however, download the entire workshop in a Workbook format here for $5.95.
    The first session of the Sewing in Baby Steps Workshop received such great feedback, but so many of you wanted to join in and missed the registration deadline. I think everyone should learn how to sew! Thankfully, we’ve developed a new and improved system for our workshop that allows for simultaneous registrations with no end date! Hurray!
    Feel free to blog/tweet/facebook and tell all your friends who couldn’t make the last session’s deadline that they can now come back to register for this ongoing session.

    The workshop is 13 days long and each day you will receive an emailed “baby step” task to do, along with detailed instructions on how to complete the task. By the end of the workshop, you’ll have sewn a reusable drawstring produce bag and a matching grocery tote! More importantly, you’ll be well on your way to completing other sewing projects on your own. For more information on the workshop, click here.

    Also, the Sewing in Baby Steps Workshop is now available as a downloadable workbook for $5.95. You can choose to download the entire workshop at once, to complete at your own pace, or sign up below for the free version of the same workshop to be emailed to you one “baby step” each day.

    You will also be invited to join our Google Group where you can ask questions, upload photos of your finished projects, and discuss the tasks in further detail — not only with me, but also with each other. Fun, right?

    To sign up, fill in your name and email address in the form below. You will receive a confirmation email to verify your registration, and your first task will be emailed to you the following day. Let’s get ready to sew!
    ]]>     http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/sewing-in-baby-steps-update.html/feed 11     Indoor Herb Garden http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/indoor-herb-garden.html http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/indoor-herb-garden.html#comments Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:42:00 +0000 Valerie http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/24/indoor-herb-garden/ ...Read the Rest]]> Starting this indoor herb garden was such a fun project for Emily and me, and we are especially looking forward to having some fresh basil to add to our homemade pizzas! Thanks to a few items from Target’s $1 section, this was very inexpensive and surprisingly not nearly as messy as I had anticipated.
    The seed packets we chose came with a soil pellet and you could start the seeds right in the bag! We opted for some inexpensive planters (also from the dollar section), and some recycled YoBaby 3-in-1 Meal containers, but Emily did mix the soil pellet with water right in the bag.
    She fluffed the soil with a fork, and remarked that the soil was “light and soft”.
    Next, we transferred the soil to the pots with a small hand shovel (also from Target’s dollar section). This was Emily’s favorite part!
    Then, she added the seeds, and covered them with dirt.
    And gave them a little bit more water.
    I printed out some seed labels on the computer and Emily attached them to some short dowel rods. Of course, you could also use popsicle sticks, but we are all out of those.

    Ta-da!!! Our nifty indoor herb garden!
    By the way, Emily’s garden apron was made from a tea towel. It has a bunch of pockets for all her kid-sized gardening tools.
    Which reminds me… be sure to come back soon for an important update regarding the Sewing in Baby Steps workshop. The second session of the same workshop (slightly improved) is about to begin! You won’t want to miss it!
    ]]>     http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/09/indoor-herb-garden.html/feed 13     Sewing in Baby Steps … the Workbook! http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/sewing-in-baby-steps-workbook.html http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/sewing-in-baby-steps-workbook.html#comments Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:12:00 +0000 Valerie http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/28/sewing-in-baby-steps-the-workbook/ ...Read the Rest]]> If you always wanted to learn how to sew, but were too afraid or intimidated, this is the workshop for you. The Sewing in Baby Steps workbook is designed to teach you how to sew one baby step at a time.
    Add to Cart
    The workbook is divided into 13 days. Each day contains a short baby step assignment with detailed instructions to help you complete the task. By the end of the workbook, you’ll have sewn a reusable drawstring produce bag and matching shopping tote, and you’ll be on your way to sewing other fun projects!
    You can complete one baby step each day, as intended, or one baby step each week. The workbook is designed to be done in your own time and at your own pace.
    Who is the workbook for?
    The workbook is intended for:
    • those who are completely new to sewing.
    • those who have sewn previously, but need a quick refresher on how to get started.
    It is not intended for those with extensive previous sewing experience.

    Add to Cart

    What materials will I need?


    Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

    • Sewing Machine
    • Multipurpose Thread
    • Empty Bobbins
    • Scrap Fabric
    • Scissors
    Here’s what others are saying:

    “I finally took step 1 yesterday, and I have to say I already feel such success. You were spot-on with the need to dust my machine. Thank you so much for encouraging me to actually DO something with the sewing machine I begged my husband for over three years ago!” –Sadia

    “I wanted to thank you so much for the Sewing in Baby Steps Workshop……The information was great, the pacing was perfect, and I really got acquainted with my machine and how it works……Thank you…..” –Kimberlee

    Download Your Copy of Sewing in Baby Steps for $5.95

    That is less than $0.50 per day and it is available for immediate download by clicking the add to cart button below. Are you excited? You’re going to learn how to sew!
    Add to Cart
    ]]>     http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/sewing-in-baby-steps-workbook.html/feed 1     Pillowcase Pajama Pants http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/pillowcase-pajama-pants.html http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/pillowcase-pajama-pants.html#comments Thu, 27 Aug 2009 01:46:00 +0000 Valerie http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/26/pillowcase-pajama-pants/ ...Read the Rest]]> Emily loves that her new pajama pants are so soft and comfy, since I made them from an old pillowcase. I used a technique very similar to the one found in The Creative Family by Amanda Blake Soule. These were made in just a few minutes! By using the existing hem on the pillowcase, I did not have to sew bottom hems for the pants — plus I like the decorative edge. I used a pair of Emily’s elastic pants as a pattern.
    I’ll be making a few more pairs of these!
    If you don’t know how to sew, but would like to learn how, you can sign up for my free online sewing workshop — Sewing in Baby Steps! I can’t believe how many of you have already signed up…Wow! It’s going to be so much fun!!
    ]]>     http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/pillowcase-pajama-pants.html/feed 17     Announcing… Sewing in Baby Steps Workshop! http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/announcing-sewing-in-baby-steps.html http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/announcing-sewing-in-baby-steps.html#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 18:24:00 +0000 Valerie http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/17/announcing-sewing-in-baby-steps-workshop/ ...Read the Rest]]> [Update: The Sewing in Baby Steps Workshop is now available as a downloadable workbook. You can download the entire workshop all at once, to go through at your own pace for $5.95. Otherwise, you can still register for free by signing up below.] Sorry, the free version is no longer available.
    A few days ago I posted that I was thinking of offering a free online sewing workshop and to please leave a comment if it was something that would interest you. Oh, did it interest you! The comments on that post were fascinating. Many of you have sewing machines and simply do not know where to start. Some of you are scared and nervous. (I was too!) Some have fond memories of grandmothers who knew how to sew and wished they had learned from them. One reader said she wants to learn so she can, in turn, teach her girls to sew. Isn’t that sweet?

    About the workshop, this is completely designed for beginners. A sewing machine can be intimidating, and no one was born knowing how to sew. The objective here is to simply get out the machine, dust it off, and sew an easy first project (in this case a reusable produce drawstring bag and matching grocery tote). This, in itself, is a huge accomplishment and hopefully will give you confidence to pursue other projects. The workshop is designed to be done in baby steps. After all, sewing should be fun! Afterwards, I would be delighted if you share photos of projects you’ve made.
    Are you excited? You’re going to learn to sew!!! I know you can do this!
    Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
    Sewing Machine
    Multipurpose Thread
    Empty Bobbins
    Scrap Fabric
    Scissors
    The workshop consists of quick emailed tasks that can be done in your own time and at your own pace, along with detailed instructions for each task.
    You will also be invited to join our Google group to discuss aspects of the workshop with others who are participating.

    To register for the Sewing in Baby Steps workshop, enter your name and email address in the form below:
    ]]>     http://www.frugalfamilyfunblog.com/2009/08/announcing-sewing-in-baby-steps.html/feed 32