Gifts for teacher or Moms
BATH POTPOURRI BAGS
For each bag, combine equal parts dried chamomile, mint,
and lavender. If you don't have access to muslin tea bags,
cut squares of muslin and tie with jute or kite rope.
Toss 1 or 2 bags into warm bath.
Variation -
3 or 4 chamomile tea bags
3 or 4 fresh oranges (sliced)
Equal parts lavender and lemon rind or dried lemon
Add to bath.
How about some roses:
COFFEE FILTER ROSE
1 basket style drip coffee filter
Food coloring
Wooden skewer
Green construction paper
Clear tape
White glue
Green paint or marker
Instructions:
Place 2-3 tablespoons of water in a small dish. Add 3-4 drops of food
coloring. Scrunch the coffee filter up and place it in the colored water.
You can remove it right away for a light color or leave it in for a while
for a darker color. Remove the coffee filter when ready and squeeze
the excess coloring out over a sink. Lay the filter flat to dry on a paper towel.
When the filter is dry, fold the filter in half so you have a half circle.
Fold again to make a quarter pie shape. Cut the point off about 1 inch
from the tip. This will give you a ring shape when unfolded.
Unfold the filter and cut from the center to the outside of the circle.
Cut a wavy line around the outside of the circle making one end narrower than the other.
Paint the skewer green and let dry.
Starting with the narrow end of the filter, wrap and scrunch around the end of the skewer. When finished, take a piece of clear tape and wrap around the bottom of the rose tightly. Cut a small piece of green construction paper and wrap it around the bottom part of the rose. Tape to secure. Cut several leaves from the green construction paper and glue to the
stem.
Teacher's Survival Kit
Mounds: For the mounds of stuff you teach.
Crayon: To color your day.
Peanuts: To get a little nutty.
Band-Aid: For when things get a little rough.
Marbles: To replace those you might lose from time to time.
Sponge: To soak up the overflow, when your brain is too full.
Puzzle Piece: Without you, things wouldn't be complete.
Lifesaver: For when you've had one of those days.
Hugs & Kisses: To make everything all worthwhile.
Bath Salts: "To take you away." You deserve a quiet break.
Cup: For when yours is overflowing.
BURDEN BEARS AND BUNNIES
(make or buy little teddy bears, make small quilt (or blankie for bear)
and copy this poem)
I'm not a very fancy bear
I'm plain and rather small
Even so, someone who likes you
Said I should come to call
Hide me beneath your pillow
Or set me on a nearby shelf
and when you feel discouraged
I will do my best to help
I brought my favorite blanket
That I snuggle when I'm sad
It's a present from my Granny
Made for days when things seem bad
My Granny always told me
"Life's like a patchwork quilt
Just give Jesus all the pieces
And he'll make a pretty quilt"
Sometimes I don't see the pattern
Sometimes He seems far away
Then I clutch my favorite blanket
And I pray...and pray...and pray
Though I don't have all the answers
(For I'm just a "Burden Bear")
I've been sent here on a mission
From someone who really cares
When you see me, please remember
You are in her thoughts and prayers.
Rice Pillow -to ease the stress....
That sounds like a good idea. How do you make them?
For the small ones, we cut two squares of a heavy muslin and sew up three
sides, fill with rice, then sew up the 4th side. [Don't over fill, you want
some give to them.] Then we make a cover out of slightly larger squares,
sewn up on three sides. We turn down the raw ends of the fourth side and
hem. Turn it right side out and tuck the rice filled bag into the cover.
If preferred, you can make a flap on the cover that tucks in.
For the larger ones, it depends on what purpose I am making them. For a
long one, I made a muslin bag that is about three feet long and about 8"
wide. I turned it right side out, then sewed two lines of stitching the
length of the bag. This made three channels for the rice. When I filled
it, I made sure rice got into all three channels. I made it really mushy
[not much rice] because I wanted it to be able to form to the body. Then I
made a cover out of soft and cuddly cloth, just like a pillow case, but with
a drawstring.
You take it out of the cover, nuke it for 2-5 min, slip it back into the
cover and enjoy. :)
Scented Pillow
Get a cloth, two pieces, 5 inches by 9 inches each (scarves are lovely). Pick a pretty fabric that's not too fragile. Sew the pieces together inside out, leaving a one-inch opening on one of the sides. Turn the pouch inside out and fill with 1 cup flax seeds or small grain rice. Add scented flowers like lavender and chamomile or others, and you can also add a drop of your favorite essence or perfume. Sew or glue up the opening. You can vary the size with different sized pieces of cloth, to make it square, really big for a head, round for a seat or back, etc. It's a great way to relax with your favorite scent.
