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teacher’s pet {it’s a cinch}

September 10, 2012 By Linda 24 Comments

 

Do you think my “It’s a Cinch” project this month has ulterior motives?

 

pencil-vase-made-with-number-two-pencils-labeled

 

Ulterior motives that would get me and my daughter  … but mostly me … in on good terms with her sixth grade teacher.

 

Smile

 

Can I share a little secret with you?

 

I’m a teacher’s pet.

 

Please don’t hate me.  It’ not like I tried to be a teacher’s pet.  Well, at least not at first …

 

pencil-vase-teachers-gift-idea

 

I think it all started out of pity.  Up until high school I was tiny.  Teeny tiny.  Runt of the class tiny.

 

Oh, and I was blind.  As a bat.  So I wore glasses. Teeny tiny little runt Linda with her big old Coke-bottle-glass-plastic-framed glasses.

 

pencil-vase-teacher-gift

 

So, much like the runt of the litter, there was an underdog vibe enveloping elementary and junior high school me.

 

 pencil-vase-made-with-pencils

 

As I grew older … and bigger … I’d become accustomed to my teacher’s pet status.  And I wasn’t too keen to give it up …

 

So I added in that straight A thing.  What teacher doesn’t like a straight A student?  Especially a straight A student who could do a perfect cartwheel with straight legs and pointed toes?

 

And when I finally worked up the nerve to speak …

 

… I was painfully shy in my early years …

 

… it turned out I had a sense of humor too.

 

Straight A’s. Straight cartwheel legs. Straight man. Or would it be woman? Okay, more like girl …

 

pencil-vase-for-teacher-made-from-pencils

 

I mean what teacher wouldn’t find me irresistible?

 

So now I’ll share a little secret with you …

 

pencil-vase-tutorial-how-to-with-steps

 

… a seriously easy brown-nose-worthy teachers-pet-guaranteed pencil vase.

 

All you need are dollar store pencils.  A soup can.  And a glue gun.  Oh, and for step #4, I put a bead of glue around the pencils along the bottom of the can …

 

… just a little A+ tip from a straight A student to give those pencils a bit more staying power.

 

pencil-vase-made-with-number-two-pencils

 

My daughter loved it and happily presented it to her teacher on the first day of school last Tuesday …

 

… she (and I) are so in …

 

My son, on the other hand, remarked “hey, that would come in handy if I had a large circle I needed to erase.”

 

Yeah, that kind of snark will not win him teacher’s pet status …

 

… though it did crack up his not-quite-so-straight-laced mom.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Once again, I’m not cinching alone.  Be sure to check out my blog friend’s amazing easy peasy projects too …

 

 

Just click on the photos to be cyber-lined to fabulousness …

 

its a cinch Mummy Votives lg (2) its a cinch september andrea's 250x250 (2)

mercury_glass_pumpkin_project_how_to_directions (2) thumbnail 2 its a cinch september. karah's old tray in front yard thumbnail (2)

pencil-vase-thumbnail-250x250-with-overlay

P.S.  As I schedule this post I’m still uncertain about the fate of the school day in Chicago tomorrow morning …  I’m thinking the teachers will be walking the picket line …

 

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Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: easy soup can project, pencil vase, soup can project, teacher gift, teacher gift idea

Comments

  1. laura@Top This Top That says

    September 10, 2012 at 5:15 am

    we didn’t call them teachers pets – we called them kiss up’s!! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Kelly @ Eclectically Vintage says

    September 10, 2012 at 6:42 am

    Teachers pet, brown noser, whatever you call it, your daughter is sure to be a favorite when she presents this to her teacher. All the other kids will be shamed because all they brought were apples!

    Hopefully no strike – that means you gotta do a little homeschooling! That would conflict with your time spent gluing pencils on tin cans!
    Kelly

    Reply
  3. Anne says

    September 10, 2012 at 6:55 am

    Maybe if you made ALL the teachers pencil holders like that, the strike would end! OK maybe not, but at least it would give you & your kids something to do in the mean time…

    Love the pencil holder!!

    Reply
  4. Karah @ thespacebetweenblog says

    September 10, 2012 at 7:04 am

    Soooo, what’s the strike status?!?! Luckily Molly has already presented the pencil vase so she’s on the in no matter what!! Nice strategy, Mom. 😉

    Reply
  5. Ann says

    September 10, 2012 at 7:19 am

    I saw on the news this morning that your teachers have gone on strike. I hope things get settled soon. I cracked up as well at your son’s comment. Both of my kids have been blessed with the smart-aleck gene so now when we all get together it’s quite entertaining. In all my years as a school secretary (and I’ve seen a lot of really bad teacher gifts) I’ve never seen anything like this. I think it’s brilliant. :o)

    Reply
  6. Rita@thissortaoldlife says

    September 10, 2012 at 7:57 am

    Think I should have taught in Chicago all these years–don’t remember ever getting a gift on the first day! I’d certainly have remembered your daughter, moved her to the front of my pet line, and (most importantly) known which mom to call if I needed anything crafty done for the classroom! 🙂

    Hope your strike resolves soon. They are so hard for everyone involved. Cane had to go out on strike last spring. Hope yours goes like his–he walked the picket line for all of half a morning before a settlement was reached. Such a waste of time, resources, and good will, in so many ways. Sometime when you’ve got a spare hour or two, give me a call and I’ll tell you about the time my 2nd graders had their teachers on strike for over a month! The same month we discovered mold through almost the entire first floor of our house…oh, that was a good time!

    Reply
  7. Rita@thissortaoldlife says

    September 10, 2012 at 7:59 am

    Oh, and I have to add: Your son is probably the one who would have been my real teacher’s pet!

    Reply
  8. Marita Poll Images says

    September 10, 2012 at 8:59 am

    Linda- LOVE this! Hopefully the strike will end before the end of the week!

    Reply
  9. Ashley@AttemptsAtDomestication says

    September 10, 2012 at 9:56 am

    That’s so cute! I love it! I was a bit of a teacher’s pet myself in school, couldn’t help it haha.

    Reply
  10. My Little Home and Garden says

    September 10, 2012 at 11:16 am

    That really is adorable!

    Reply
  11. andrea cammarata says

    September 10, 2012 at 11:18 am

    Oh I can spot them!!! I knew you were a teacher’s pet but guess what…so was I : ) Yep…didn’t try…just was…for me it was my Campbell Soup cheeks that did me in : ) LOL!!!! I love this creation and thank goodness she gave it to her last Tuesday right…no school today…sure hope they get that straightened out soon for everyone’s sake…you did a fabulous job and hey — you never know if you have to erase a large circle…could happen and if he has one he will be ready : ) gotta love it. Applause and Appaws for you!!!!! hugs!

    Reply
  12. Nana Diana says

    September 10, 2012 at 2:29 pm

    Cute project for a teacher’s pet or pet-wannabe. I love it- What a great thing for a teacher’s desk- xo Diana

    Reply
  13. Denton says

    September 10, 2012 at 6:14 pm

    Hahaha I am a teacher’s pet as well, so I may have to duplicate this project. May I also suggest clam shells turned into candles? The more unique, the better 🙂

    Reply
  14. cassie says

    September 10, 2012 at 7:22 pm

    these are so cute! love them!

    Reply
  15. Sheila @sZinteriors says

    September 10, 2012 at 9:33 pm

    What a fun idea – do you think my 17 year old will buy in? 😉

    Reply
  16. Marianne says

    September 10, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    I ADORE THIS ONE! I might actually be able to do it!

    The end must be near, right?

    Reply
  17. Kerry says

    September 11, 2012 at 9:09 am

    Thoughtful + cute = perfect

    Your son is a hoot!

    Reply
  18. Amy@BR says

    September 11, 2012 at 9:55 am

    A giant circle to erase! Bahahaa!! It is very cute though, and you definitely passed on your teacher’s pet status. High five!

    Reply
  19. Kadee says

    September 11, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    Don’t you just love living in Chicago??!! It’s always something, right? I have talk radio on but haven’t been listening so I have no clue if the strike is still on. I just feel badly for the students that need the shelter of the school not only for their education but safety (at least in some areas). Anyway…….. love your project! And way to go to keep in good standing even after all those years!!

    Reply
  20. Kelly says

    September 11, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    So adorable! Great teacher’s gift…

    Reply
  21. Kelly @ View Along the Way says

    September 12, 2012 at 2:22 pm

    SO cute! I’d give you – I mean her – straight As!

    Reply
  22. Jessica @ Stay at Home-ista says

    September 12, 2012 at 3:34 pm

    I really want to make this, except that my daughter’s school has a strict “no gifts” policy. It’s as if they could see all of us moms queuing up to craft and bake for them:)

    Reply
  23. shirley@housepitalitydesigns says

    September 12, 2012 at 3:57 pm

    Really, really cute “teacher’s pet” gift!!…teacher’s pets…yep, a great sorority to belong too!!….My daughter in law just started teaching again after spending years working on her Ph.D….so I think I shall make that for her “new classroom”…love it!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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