~ Pearls of Wisdom ~

Teachers impact lives each and every day across our great country.  Some of my fondest childhood memories involve places and events involving special teachers.  I spent countless hours with a tiny easel chalkboard playing school.  The hapless victims...   were rows of stuffed animals...  meticulously placed in what I deemed their proper "seating chart."  I loved school.  So much so, in fact, that I imagined spending my life as an educator.  A few semesters in, I heeded to the call of practicality and chose to pursue a degree in business.  And seventeen years later, I chose to return to school to complete a teaching certificate simply because I needed to prove I could do it.  I love the process of learning.  In fact, I would call myself a lifelong learner...  someone who seeks new learning opportunities.  I admire those who use their God given talents to shape young minds.  It is a difficult and often thankless task.  Scores and standards often take priority over what skills or knowledge a child might need.  Teachers are pushed to educate with little to any originality...  there is only one way...  depending on the current method of the moment.  I say all of that to say...  GOD BLESS THOSE WHO TEACH...  We entrust our children to them each and every day.  And they give EVERYTHING they have.  Sometimes they hurt, sometimes they cry and many times they rejoice!  It is a difficult road and I would encourage you to take a moment...  pray for our teachers...  bless them with words of encouragement and support!  And be willing to donate to help them.  Many of our teachers pay for supplies out of their own pockets because children do not have the means to bring their own.  Offer a gift certificate to a box store for supplies, a special gift card...  or a simple gesture of gratitude.  It goes a long way!  Blessings... 

So in honor of my favorite childhood "chalkboard" I designed a 4.25 x 5.5 inch card stock base and used ODBD's Rectangles Die to cut out the "base" and create legs.  I embossed the sentiment (white embossing powder on black cardstock using the new Seeds of Knowledge stamp set.  ODBD's Squares Die cut the faux chalkboard out perfectly.  I added a simple strip of brown card stock to create a chalk rail.  The image (also from Seeds of Knowledge) colored and die cut with the coordinating Teacher's Apples Die adorns the side.  I also took some time to play with the new A+ Apples Die.  After die cutting several layers, I scored and folded each, gluing similar sides together at a 90 degree angle.  For my dimensional apple, I used 8 of the larger die cut apples.  I glued on the die cut stem and leaves.  Won't this look cute stationed on someone's desk?

Here are the new items  you see...

 and some old favorites...