Harry Potter Classroom/Library Tour

This will probably be one of my favorite posts because I am a total Potter fanatic! At a district meeting today, we were talking about how everyone has something they "nerd out" about....well that's Harry Potter for me! I wanted to do a fun theme this year and what's more fun than magic broomsticks and silly flavored jellybeans? I have been busy working on getting my room decorated before the kids come to school next week and it is starting to come together. Take a look and see details below!



                       


One of my favorite details is for sure the library doors as the Platform 9 3/4. I used four sheets of butcher paper and hand-stamped the bricks from a mixture of red and brown paint with a sponge. The sign 9 3/4 is from a poster that I ordered off Amazon. 

I didn't feature this cutie in the video, but I took this idea from Pinterest and just sort of made it my own since I wanted to keep the time and expenses low. The stickers I used really made it come to life, and while the directions may not completely be true, it is the perfect detail to the entry of my room. 

This is definitely one of the coolest parts of the library! Every year I have a new quote on the counter and rather than a character's quote, this one by J.K. Rowling set the tone. I couldn't imagine a better thought to inspire young minds to want to read and create!

P.S. PROUD MOMENT - YES, I PAINTED THAT! :)

Since I am doing the first book as a read aloud with my upper grades, 4th - 6th, I wanted to involve them in Hogwarts activities to play along with. Each week, they will get a point to add to one of the Hogwarts houses. Red would mean they did excellent, blue well, yellow average, and green needs improvement. At the end of each quarter, I have a reward for each classroom, depending on how they scored in the houses. If Gryffindor wins, they get to have a "potions lesson" after checkout. I have several ideas brewing, but Pinterest also has many examples that I want to try as well. If Ravenclaw wins, they get to play "Potter Games" which consist of my Harry Potter classroom Kahootz game and the Harry Potter Scholastic site. If Hufflepuff wins, they get to have a "Butterbeer Float Party". You can find the recipe here. If Slytherin wins, they get to bring a treat from home to eat during class. I tried to make it the least fun so that they would be motivated to act responsibly and respectfully to earn the best reward!

In the video, you will see that in my "Potter Shoppe" I have Bertie Botts Beans, licorice wands, plastic Harry Potter glasses, Olivander's wands, soon -to-be-made chocolate frogs, Potter Pins (HP collectors pins), bookmarks and other Hogsmeade items. In the video, you will also see that I have a Gringott's container full of gold coins aka galleons. For perfect behavior, I will give out a galleon to the students and they can purchase those goodies from me. 

Example: Licorice Wand: 2 Galleons - Potter Pin: 5 Galleons, etc. making the less desired items less expensive and the higher interest items must be saved up and worked for.

Lastly, these are just a few fun details that help set the stage for a magical adventure as we set out for Hogwarts next week! 

Summer Patio Preview

Hi everyone! First off, let me apologize for my absence lately. I got distracted and have been pretty busy the last little while and kind of let my blog take the back seat. I've been working on getting my yard cleaned and prettied up and Chris and I are also in the process of replacing the fence in my backyard, so stay tuned! I've been wanting to post about my yard for a while and since I always welcome each changing season, I put together a little patio preview and where you can get the look!

The scallop gardening pot I have on the right hand side, I was not able to find any online but they do have them at anthropology in gold. The pineapple dish on the veggie tray was given to me as a gift so, unfortunately, I was unable to locate that as well. 

Click on an item below to see where you can get these fun pieces to brighten up your living space!

            

             

Fall Housewarming - Home Tour

I finally had my housewarming party this month, officially one year after purchasing the property. It has been an adventure learning about all the taxes, responsibilities, utilities, etc. that come with owning a home. On the other hand, I can not explain the love I have for this little place. I have customized and brought out the personality in every possible square foot in my house and I can't wait to show you! I didn't take many pics of the party since I was running around trying to host and help get everything ready but a friend took a few which turned out just perfect! We'll start in the back yard where we set up dutch ovens and crock pots with soups, chili, and snacks and decadent desserts. 

                     
                   

Isn't Max a total cutie? My cousin's adorable son.

If you want to see what my house looked like before this landscape project, click here!

 I made a few adjustments to my wreath I made last year. A few of the little glitter balls needed some fresh glue and I took off the pumpkins and added the green and purple spiders to the web. You can see how I made this last year by clicking here. Now, let's take a look inside!

-:- Guest Bedroom -:-

-:- Main Bedroom -:-

-:- Bathroom -:- 

-:- Living Room -:- 

This mirror is one of my favorite pieces in my house - isn't it pretty?!

-:- Dining Room - :-

There are hardwood floors under the carpet that I can't wait to uncover and refinish some day!

-:- Kitchen -:-

-:- Laundry Room -:- 

That pretty much does it! I have too much fun decorating and playing around with different ideas for my house but I'm so glad I am able to share it with all of you. I love being asked if I will help friends and family decorate because it is so much fun and it's something that really makes your house become a home. I hope you enjoyed the tour and stay tuned for more! Happy Haunting!