end of year teacher gifts

Yesterday was Sutton's last day of preschool for the year. I am excited for the freedom from a schedule that summer brings but I am a little sad too because the end of school also means I won't be thrifting and running errands with ease.

At the end of each school year one of the mothers organizes a group gift for each teacher (there are two). I decided this year to do my own thing. In the May 2010 Martha Stewart Living there is a Mother's Day craft where you iron-on flowers to a store bought tote bag. I thought it would be perfect for the teachers. I made the tote bags myself and instead of iron-on I used Martha's template to make a freezer paper stencil. Sutton even helped paint the flowers. Find the templates here and here.

I finished the purple flower bag yesterday and the blue bag this morning just in time to make it to the 'farewell to school' picnic! This project was super easy and cost about $5/per bag. I even have material leftover.

I am going to make one for Liam's teacher too but he has a couple more weeks of school. How much do you want to bet that I will be finishing it up the night before the last day of school? Ah, procrastination!