Picture Perfect Teacher’s Gift


When it comes to the end of the year, every teacher deserves a little token of appreciation to show them just how much we value what they have done for our children. To me, that token isn’t so much about what you give, but more about how you give it.  I think it’s important to take the time to write a nice card (perhaps attach a photo) and give a gift that is more thoughtful than elaborate. Making your gift a personal one can also help you cut down on spending. When you need to purchase gifts for quite a few teachers, assistants, therapists as well as bus drivers and monitors, creativity is key. If you are not the creative type, you can search pinterest for some inspiration, or give a gift card with a handwritten note.

This year, after driving myself kinda crazy, I finally came up with this “picture perfect theme”. I included a set of photo albums and a picture frame, and designed this camera thank you card to top it off. I don’t love my handwriting so I typed up a message thanking the teachers for a picture perfect year.

Last year, I found some super cute ice cream sets, which was so fitting for a pre-summer gift. I printed out thank you notes with pictures of my daughters and glued it to the top of each box, wrapping each one in ribbon. The teachers loved them!

A few years ago, when my daughter was in playgroup, I purchased target gift cards for her teachers and therapist. I included these handwritten poems (which I had time to come up with because she was my only one back then!), as well as photos with each one.

For the teacher:

I want to thank you for everything this year,
for all your attention and tender loving care.
The Parsha and Yomim Tovim I learned so well,
each week at the shabbos table i’d tell.
All of the songs and stories of the week,
then mommy would give me a kiss on my cheek.
Thank you for sitting with me when i ate,
it’s due to your prodding that i put on weight.
You also helped me to eat with utensils,
and color with crayons, pens and pencils.
I know all my diapers were really not pretty,
I wish I’d been trained, it’s really a pity!
All of your dress ups and all of your toys,
were such fun to play with the girls and the boys.
To drink from a cup, this year i did learn,
too bad next year I can’t return.
For I’ll miss you and all of my friends a lot,
it’s time for headstart for this 3 year old tot!
This gift card is just a token to say,
I appreciate the efforts you made every day.
So use it to purchase whatever you wish,
a mop or a top or a pretty new dish.
In this economy we can all use,
a gift card to buy whatever we choose!

For the therapist:

Thank you for everything you’ve done for me this year,
from walking to running to sitting straight in my chair.
I  know some days were hard and I didnt cooperate,
the fact that you pushed me, I really appreciate.
It’s because of your efforts that I’ve mastered the stairs,
now my mommy can shed a few less tears.
Worrying about my progress each day,
she’s happy to see that I’m jumping ok.
I  know I still have a long way to go,
but from where I started, I really did grow.
This token is just a little something to say,
I appreciate the efforts you made every day.
So use it to purchase whatever you wish,
a  mop or a top or a pretty new dish.
In this economy we can all use,
a gift card to buy whatever we choose!

I hope that these ideas have inspired you to create something personal for your children’s teachers. They truly deserve it!

 

What you’ll need:

photo-related gift such as album or picture frame
wrapping paper (that complements the colors of your card)
1 sheet 8.5 x 11 black  cardstock
1 sheet 8.5 x 11 white cardstock
metallic sharpie
scissors
glue or double sided tape
card template
thank you template

How to:

Wrap your gift with wrapping paper. Print the card template onto the black cardstock and the thank you template onto the white cardstock. Cut the black cardstock along the dotted lines, you will have 2 cards, 2 outer lenses, and 2 camera buttons. Cut out the inner lenses and flashes from the white cardstock (you’ll have enough for 6 cards so cut out as much as you need). Fold down the sides of the cards so that the ends meet at the center (see picture). Glue or tape the flash to the upper right corner. Glue or tape the camera button behind the card in the upper left corner. Glue the inner lens onto the outer lens and then glue or tape the top half of the lens onto the center of the card. Place a piece of scrap paper between the fold of the card (so that the marker doesn’t leak through) and using a metallic sharpie, outline the lens so that you have a silver ring around it. Discard the scrap paper. You can hand-write a note inside the card or type one up and attach it. Make sure to include the words “PICTURE PERFECT” in line with the theme. If you’d like, you can add a small piece of double sided tape to the bottom of the camera lens so that it keeps the card closed.

If you do not have a printer, you can still make these cards by hand. Just measure with a ruler and cut with a scissor (or you can eyeball it).  The cards should be 4 1/4″ wide by 7 1/4″ high. The lens rings should be roughly 1 7/8″ and 2 3/8″ wide.

NOTE: As pictured, I cut the lenses using my cuttlebug machine with the nestabilities die cuts. You can cut it by hand, I just like the perfect finish that comes from using a die cutting machine.

1 year ago: tuna salad with a twist

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Kid-Friendly Dirty Rice

First off, let me start by saying that I am posting this as per the facebook vote! I asked my fan page if they prefer a one dish meal, protein, vegetarian dish, muffin, drink or craft and the majority voted for the one dish meal, so here you have it!

Now, onto the recipe. Let me tell you how this happened. I went shopping to my local supermarket and picked up a package of chicken for dinner. Then I got home and opened said package. It wreaked. I’m talking seriously stinky chicken. I quickly called the store, who aptly credited my account and I dumped the chicken in the garbage. It was 4:30 PM, my kids were hungry and I had nothing. So I did what any desperate mother would do: I rummaged through my freezer and found 4 lonely hot dogs in a bag. Then, I scoured the pantry and the fridge and put all my ingredients out on the counter. I twiddled my thumbs while I thought of how I could turn rice, hot dogs and peppers into a satisfying dish with minimal time and effort. And then this happened. This delicious, stick-to-your-ribs kind of dish that is so easy to make, so budget-friendly, and easily customizable! Feel free to load this up with other veggies, beans, or any type of protein. You can also use chicken or turkey hot dogs for a healthier option.

After I fed my kids, I could not resist topping off my plate with a poached egg. The silky egg yolk coated my rice with a creamy layer of heaven and the scallions gave it the perfect bite. Don’t be intimidated, poached eggs are fairly simple and take just a little practice. View my tutorial here.

And by the way, in case you were wondering, dirty rice is a traditional Cajun dish made from white rice cooked with small pieces of chicken liver or giblets, which give it a dark (“dirty”) color and a mild but distinctive flavor (thanks Wikipedia! I couldn’t have said it better myself!). I simplified the traditional recipe by using seasoned salt and hot dogs, making it kid-friendly and super easy!

 

Kid-Friendly Dirty Rice

4 hot dogs or sausages, sliced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp seasoned salt (I prefer Lawry’s)
2 cups rice
4 cups chicken broth

For adults: poached egg and scallions, optional (see my instructions for poaching eggs here)

Method:

Saute hot dogs for a few minutes until it is lightly browned and it has rendered some of its fat. Add onions and peppers and continue to saute until onions are translucent. Add salt and stir to combine. Add rice and saute for a minute or two. Add chicken broth, cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

1 year ago: quick easy & tasty chicken

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MyShtub Guest Post – DIY Teacher’s Gift

I’m so excited to have Sheva from over at MyShtub, guest posting on my blog. With her magnificent photography and fun spirit, Sheva takes you on a journey of life’s trials and triumphs. She is an amazing mom of 3, a talented crafter and an avid do-it-yourselfer. At the forefront of her blog is her adorable daughter Rozie, who just happens to have down syndrome. Her real life photography helps to break the stereotypes of down syndrome, and you can’t help but just fall in love with her rosy little Rozie :)

Hi this is Sheva from MyShtub and I’m so excited to be guest posting here on Busy in Brooklyn. Since the school year is coming to an end, most of us are scrambling to find that perfect gift to say thank you to your child’s teacher. In my son’s school we usually do a group gift from all the parents, but I was a Morah for years, and know how hard they work, so I like to give a little something special just from us. Since I usually don’t want to spend a ton, especially if I contributed to the class gift, I came up with something perfect for most budgets.

What you need to create this summer fun strawberry-lemonade fizz gift package

1. Plastic drink dispenser (I got this one at Target for $5)
2. One bottle of sparkling water
3. One container of strawberry lemonade mix ( Country Time brand was OU)
4. Twine or ribbon
5. Wooden spoon
6. Scrap fabric

The first thing I did was choose a color theme. I’m currently obsessed with the aqua salmon color combo and decided to go with it. I made all my labels first and printed them on cardstock *. I also covered the bottle lid with a scrap piece of fabric and tied it with twine. Next, I poured Strawberry-Lemonade mix into a cellophane goody bag, rolled the top down, and stapled a label to hold the bag shut. Lastly, I made a recipe card with a small thank you note.

Strawberry –Lemonade Recipe:

Mix the fizzy water with the powder mix in the canister. Add fresh lemon and strawberry slices. Enjoy!

Once the items are all ready I put them inside the canister with a couple of lemons. I tied it up with twine, the recipe card, and wooden spoon. Voila! A perfect thank you gift for under $10!

*I designed my labels in Photoshop but they can easily be done with scrapbook paper and hand written labels.

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Loaded Baked Potato Omelette

Potatoes have got to be my all time favorite food. I’ll eat any type of spud, in just about any preparation. I can’t say the same about eggs though. I don’t especially love omelettes, (I prefer sunny side up) but because these have potatoes in them, I kind of forget about it. You can use any type of potatoes in these, or even some leftover french fries. Top it off with your favorite baked potato toppings like sour cream, salsa, chives or cheddar cheese for the authentic baked potato experience!

Loaded Baked Potato Omelette

1 russet potato
2 eggs
salt and pepper, to taste
toppings of choice (chives, sour cream, salsa, cheddar cheese)

Method:

Heat up a frying pan with cooking spray. In the meantime, scrub the potato to remove dirt. Dry the potato and slice into rounds. Beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook until softened and browned. Flip the potatoes over and pour in the eggs. When eggs are browned and set, flip the omelette over and cook on the opposite side. Remove from pan and garnish with desired toppings.

1 year ago: strawberry rhubarb soup

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Spaghettti Squash with Sauteed Spinach & Mushrooms

OK. I admit it. I made pancakes yesterday. That’s right. After 3 days of chowing down on cheesecake, lasagna, and so many other calorie-laden delicacies, I still went ahead and make breakfast pancakes. And now the guilt is setting in.  I haven’t even stepped on the scale but I can only imagine the damage. I think it’s about time for a detox, don’t you?

When I come up with a new recipe, a lot of my inspiration comes from what’s in my fridge. In this case, I had some leftover leeks from this leek soup, plus some spinach and mushrooms. The spaghetti squash had been sitting around for a while so I decided to give it a go. This recipe is extremely light and diet-friendly, yet tasty and satisfying. Try it with a side of baked salmon or grilled chicken for a complete and healthy meal!

 

Spaghettti Squash with Sauteed Spinach & Mushrooms

2 small or 1 large spaghetti squash
1 large leek
3 cloves garlic
1 container mushrooms
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/8 cup dry white wine, optional
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, for sauteeing

Method:

Prepare spaghetti squash according to these directions. In the meantime, slice the leek in half vertically and wash well to remove dirt. Dry on paper towels and and cut crosswise into thin slices. Saute the garlic and leek in olive oil for a few minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to saute until mushrooms are soft and lightly browned. Add spinach (don’t worry if it won’t fit in the pan, it will wilt down into nothing in seconds) and pour in chicken stock. Stir the spinach until wilted and add wine. Season with salt and pepper. Add spaghetti squash and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning, if needed. Saute for a few minutes. Serve immediately.

1 year ago: savory & sweet cheese balls

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