Back to School Teacher Gifts

Is it back to school time already?  The summer has really flown by!  In two weeks, we will be going to 'Visiting Day' for our oldest.  Sweet boy 1 will meet his First Grade teacher and see where his cubby is!  No morning or afternoon snacks and no napping!  Yikes!

It's so exciting; I can't believe how big he is, really where has the time gone?!  I know he will be nervous meeting his teacher and anxious about all the new information he will be given during Visiting Day.  So, I always think it's a nice icebreaker at the beginning of the school year to give the teachers a cute little gift.  It usually leads to the teachers giving him a hug and that helps put him at ease.  I will also be making a couple of extra Teacher gifts for Sweet Boy 2 when he goes back to his program in the Fall.

If you have read my profile, you probably know that I collect little things along the way for future craft projects.  I call it being prepared, Mr. Sweet (aka my husband) calls it hoarding.  Tomato, tomato.  So, I have been hoarding collecting these cans as we have finished with them to use as containers for gifts.  I just knew they had the potential to be really cute!  If you don't have something like this, I am certain you could substitute a chip container roll, coffee cans or a powdered drink container.  I picked up some cute school themed paper to coordinate with the green lids, filled them up and ta-da! 

These are pretty simple to make, even between feedings, naps, diaper changes, snacks, meal prep and chores!  I found that most of the time spent on this was drying time (Mod Podge and chalkpaint,) so I was able to get other things done in the meantime (like watch the Olympics.)  Here is a tutorial if you would like to make your own gift containers.


Materials:
Container
Paper and Mod Podge and applicator
or Gift Wrap and double sided tape
Rubber bands (optional)

Ribbon (optional)
Hot glue gun (optional)
Wood Tags (optional)
Chalk Paint and chalk/chalk pen (optional)
Twine (optional)
Filler (candy, trail mix, pens/pencils/glue sticks, gift card, homemade goodies, anything that will fit)

Instructions:

1. Cut your paper to fit your container. 
2. If using gift wrap, please use double sided tape. I cannot make MP work with gift wrap, be warned.
3. If using paper, swipe the MP on your applicator and wipe onto back of paper, don't put too much on there. 
4. Wrap around your container.  If you have paper that goes in a certain direction, please be aware when placing onto container.  
5. If your paper isn't flat against the container, use rubber bands.  I had to use some rubber bands (leftover from another project) for the white scrap paper containers.  Remove when dry.
6. Now you could totally be finished right now and fill 'er up with your treats and you are good to go...  
7. But you could make a nice bow and hot glue it on the top of the container or go to step 8.
8. Make some wooden tags like we did here and paint on chalk paint according to package directions. When dry, write the teacher's name on the tag and the year and tie to the container with twine.

Who wouldn't like to receive a special treat like this?!  Just tailor the paper to whatever you are wanting to celebrate, fill it up and give it away!  Instead of food, I like the idea of having a plant in the can, so I guess I will need to start hoarding collecting those now!  How cute would that be, a planted flower in one of these decorated containers?  These can be made for anyone, teachers, neighbors, co-workers, mail carriers, the sky really is the limit.

UPDATE:

This is how they looked for Sweet Boy #2's teachers...  Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to take a pic before Sweet Boy 1 took them to school.

Hope you enjoy this craft!  Let me know who you would make this type of container for...

Take Care,
Morgan

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