Five For Friday

Happy Friday!!  I'm linky up with Kacey at Doodle Bugs Teaching for one of my favorite linky parties around.  I love thinking of the highlights from my week and reading about what my friends are up to!  It was a long week for us.  Because it is spring break around here, my normal tutoring and teaching were cancelled.  While it was nice to have a break, it meant I didn't have any of my "me" time that I normally get to get out of the house.  The girl's storytime was cancelled this week too and between the yucky weather and the fact that I knew all the kid places would be so busy this week, we stayed home a lot which is making for crabby kids and a crabby mommy.

 Easter was a success at our house. We got up, found eggs and baskets, had a quick breakfast and then headed to church.  The girls did really well considering it was an hour and a half long plus we were there a half hour early to make sure we got a seat.  So that was about an hour longer than they normally have to sit each week.  Then we headed home for short naps before my family came over.  We hung out, had dinner and then did an outside easter egg hunt.  My girls were spoiled by my parents and loved having all the extra attention of family around.  This is the closest I got to a picture of them together...I titled it, "We will look in the same direction but we will not smile."


I got the chance to work on some subway art this week.  The first one a friend ordered several weeks ago.  Because she didn't need it until the end of April, I kept putting it off.  So I was glad to get that crossed off of my list.
 I also experimented with a reverse effect for a subway art for our house.  Mackinac Island is one of our favorite places to vacation so I wanted to create something to put with some of our favorite pictures from past trips.  When I first started creating these, I printed on paper and modge podged it onto wood.  Because of that, I was limited to a white background.  Then about a year ago, I switched to using my Silhouette Cameo to cut a template out of vinyl and then painting it.  All of a sudden it dawned on me that it no longer needed to be a white background with gray/black words.  So I tried a black board with white words for a chalkboard effect and I'm kind of in love.  Now I'm realizing the sky is the limit...I could really paint it any color and use white letters on top or even black letters.

 I just booked my room  for the TpT conference.  I am so excited.  I was stressing that the rooms would sell out (does that even happen in Vegas?) and I didn't want that to happen so now I know I am going to the conference and I have a room.  Now I just need to work on flights and I'm good to go.
 I got to meet up with a new local TpT friend, Tricia (@triciasterrificteachingtrinket on Instagram).  She is coordinating a dinner in a few weeks with 10+ local TpT sellers and I can't wait.  She emailed me and asked if we could meet before that so I could answer some blog questions.  We did a spur of the moment meet up because I needed to get out of the house and it was awesome.  It was so nice to meet a new friend that is local and help her navigate through TpT and the blogging world.  I by no means consider myself an expert, but it was nice to be able to help and share what I've learned and not feel like a newbie anymore.  I see several work meetings for us in the future.  I think I might be more productive if I get out of the house to work every once and awhile.
Have you seen this on Instagram??
I've teamed up with over 30 other teachers/TpT sellers/Instafriends for an awesome loop giveaway.  Because there are so many of us we broke up into 2 loops of 15.  You just have to like each post, follow each person and answer their question.  It is open until Sunday and you can win $150 gift card to Target.  But wait, there is more.  Each loop is giving away a gift card so you can actually win $300 to Target if you join both loops.  Crazy right??  I could do some serious damage with $300 at Target.  Click HERE to jump on the loop.   

Special thanks to Jennifer at A Dab of Glue Will Do for setting this up.  She has been working so hard on making this an awesome giveaway.  From collecting money, to creating graphics, to writing amazing directions for everyone to follow, to staying in constant contact with everyone so we know what is going on, she has been AMAZING!!  


Well my girls spent the night at my parents last night so I could get some work done this morning.  I actually got up early, did a quick workout, showered, had breakfast and have blogged already.  More productive than I am most mornings by 9am.  I need to get some more blogging done and work on some products before I have to go get my kiddos.  Have a great weekend!!