Teacher Appreciation

I love my boy's teachers! This is his 6th year there, and with perhaps one exception, we've had great teachers across all the subject areas. Even if I had an unlimited budget (which we all know I do not) there is nothing I could buy or make that would convey how much we appreciate all that's been invested into his life.

One of his teachers this year is a wonderful woman I had the privilege of teaching with (at a different school) four years before he was born; and one of his teachers is a little girl young woman I had as a student many years ago... Our son has grown so much intellectually & spiritually under the tutelage of these men & women who give beyond the hours spent in the classroom.

I digress... The purpose of this post is to show what I created to express a tiny bit of our gratitude to his instructors.

First, I did let the Scrabble board do my talking for me. I personalized one of these for each teacher. Had to get "creative" with my words, because I used only one set of letters. (I could've cheated with the not-as-vintage board & letters, but I figured since it was for school, my dishonesty might be discovered...)

Then I figured embroidering free-standing lace bookmarks would be within my budget ($0!) Problem was, while I found parts of some I liked, I didn't see anything as a whole that would fit the bill. Sooooo... enter my favorite editing program Embird! I "frankenstein-ed" what I wanted.

I found my cross at Sadia's. I love the openness of this "Grace" lace! (I plan on completing my collection, soon.)

The tassel & "chain" is part of a freebie I cannibalized from Criswell. I'm amazed at how realistic it is after the WSS is rinsed out.

Here's a pictorial tutorial illustrating (for those who care) my process:

1st of seven

"Great is my frugalness!" I embroidered 3 per sheet of WSS!

cut out & ready for rinsing

only 4 more to go...

starting on the chain/tassel

ta da!

despite great frugalness, could only get 2 of these per sheet

trimmed & ready to rinse

final rinse with fabric softener to make them soft

after a couple hours they're ready to dry

dries so nice & soft!

ready for the remaining stray threads to be trimmed

back (left side) showing black bobbin

(this shows bobbin contrast better...)

& ready for giving!

Thus ends another project.