Upcycled Education: paint swatch

Showing posts with label paint swatch. Show all posts

Paint Swatch Flower Garlands

Because paint swatches and garlands bring me absolute joy, these needed to be made. Instead of punching holes and stringing the flowers like I normally do, I decided to break out my sewing machine and have at it. I used a borrowed flower punch to make the happy shape.

Such a lovely way to bring joy and make someone else smile in case you gift them.

xoxo,

Jen

Now, We Are Really Upcycling

If you follow Upcycled Education on Instagram, you know about this special present Mr. UpCyclist brought back for me from a jeep trail. Yes, a trail! He, Lil O and Jedi were hiking along in Colorado and all of a sudden an old bed spring appeared. Now, I have something to confess. I have a thing for old bed springs. I like their lines and their antique-ness. I could have worse fetishes, right?

After some serious brainstorming (say, for 15 minutes), Mr. UpCyclist suggested we incorporate paint swatches within the springs. What? Did I hear you correctly? My FAVORITE free item in the world. Pinch me!

....Then, I feel even more deeply in love with him.

As always, I have a collection of paint swatches on me (or at least nearby). We played around with a few versions of how to incorporate the swatches. Mr. U then ran off to our local hardware store to buy the hardware to hang this lovely sweetness. Ahhh......

As you can see, the swatches are just nestled into the back spring. Mr. U trimmed them to fit (they are more square now compared to their original rectangle shape). The colors are vibrant and fun.

Did I mention this bedspring is gigantic? Which is a great thing as the wall where it hangs is so tall. See what I mean?

And because it hangs right in the loft by a king-sized bed, I thought this detail would be fun. I used my alphabet stamps and Staz-on ink (the best ink for stamping paint swatches, in my opinion.).

I love little details like this.

I know I've mentioned this before, but you can rent our condo in Colorado when we are not there. If you do, you'll see these upcycled bedsprings in all their colorful glory.

Over-the-moon,

Jen

Paint Swatch Heart Garland

After last month's paint swatch flower garland, I knew I would have to use my (borrowed) heart punch to make a Valentine's Day inspired one. I even made a mini heart garland for Professor KP as a thank you gift. Actually, she is a total gift to work with - I heart her. Pun, completely intended :)

For quickie directions how to make your own garland, click here.

Happy "World Happy Day!" What will you do to celebrate happiness today?

Jen

Paint Swatch Bookmarks

I know, I know....two paint swatch posts in a row. Forgive me. What can I say? I'm addicted to free things that are colorful....and pretty....and free....fun....and entertaining....and free. Ok, I'll stop.

Right before the holidays, lil O and I made these easy peasy bookmarks for friends and family. Here's the skinny if you need a winter project (and yes, one day I will blog about something completely unrelated to free paint swatches). Today is not that day. Obviously.

1. Take as many free, large-sized paint swatches as you can from Home Depot, Lowe's or similar. I generally stop when I begin questioning my moral development. For my ed psych students, you know I will never be a sixer in the eyes of Kohlberg if I keep up this kind of behavior. Have your Sharpie markers handy.

2. Cut off any excess paint swatch you don't need for your bookmark.

3. The cut paint swatch now takes shape.

4. Grab your favorite friend or munchkin and let the decorating begin. Word to the wise: Use permanent markers to draw on the paint swatches, like Sharpies, as most other markers smear.

5. Punch a hole, string some ribbon and make someone's day.

Guess whose day was made with this one?

Mr. UpCyclist was very pleased. Lil O proud. And me? Pining for more free paint swatches.

Do you need more, too? Find other swatch ideas here, here and here. And yes, next week, I promise not to post about anything with the initials FPS. Free paint swatches.

Ha!

Jen

PS - Huge thank you to my Saturday students who stuck by me during our six hours class!

Paint Swatch Garland

This weekend, the weather report is calling for mixed snow and rain. I'm all about the winter, as many of you know, remember this collage post here? But, mixed snow and rain? That is not my favorite combo from Mama Nature herself. Good thing, my mama is visiting from TN and brings sunshine with her by just being....her.

Now, it's time to lighten things up myself....I think some paint swatch garland will do the trick.

Join me? Free paint swatches + punched out shapes + holes + string + an industrious six-year-old who likes to faux sew = happiness and a whole lot of color!

If you are looking for more paint swatch ideas that are classroom specific, do check out this one:

Smiling,
Jen

PS - Welcome new college students who are just reading Upcycled Education for the first time. Thanks for joining! Remember when we spoke about "Think Pair Share?" You can read that short post here.

Ideas to pair up students

(Photo by Sporkist; Picniked by Jen)

Just to entertain myself (and my students, sometimes), I pair up partners (or small groups) in the following ways.

Decide if you are peanut butter or jelly. Then, go find a partner who is the other.
Put 0-5 fingers in the air. Find a partner that gives you an odd (or even) total.
Find someone who has the same (or close) thumb size as you. Have you seen my thumbs before? My friends say they look like toes. Proof below.
Find someone who has a different number of siblings than you.
Decide if you are a dog person or a cat person. Then, go find a partner who is the other.
Stand on your left or right foot. Then, go find a partner who is standing on the opposite foot.
Think of your favorite number. Find a partner so that when you add your numbers together you get an even (or odd) number.
Of course, paint swatch partnerships are jazzy and colorful.