Teacher Appreciation Gifts with Jen Gallacher!

Happy Monday SCT friends!  We have such a great week planned for you starting with our friend and guest designer this week Jen Gallacher!  Jen shares some great teacher's gifts today and a sweet mini album you don't want to miss on Wednesday.  Do you know what else Jen is working on?  A series of great videos for the SCT YouTube channel!  In fact, she will be doing a series called "ask Jen" so if you have any questions you need answers too, be sure to email us at ideas@scrapbookandcards.com.   

"Our local schools end for the summer soon, and I've been scrambling a bit trying to think of special, handmade Teacher Appreciation gifts that I can give each of my kids' teachers. After all the hard work, long hours, and dedication to teaching my children, it's the least I can do.

As I thought about what I wanted to created, I wanted something with a "school" theme. To reinforce this theme, I wanted to create tags for the gifts that resemble chalkboards. To achieve this look you will need chalkboard patterned paper (or black cardstock), a white ink pad, a Versmark or embossing ink pad, white embossing powder, and a heat gun.

 

Supplies: Chalkboard Paper (Echo Park Paper); Label Die Cut (Silhouette); Larger Label Die Cut (Sizzix);  Die Cut Machine (Sizzix)

Start by die cutting, hand cutting, or punching special shapes from the chalkboard paper. Gently drag the white ink pad across the cut shape, using your finger to rub some of the ink from the paper. Then stamp the sentiment and images with the Versamark or embossing ink pad onto the paper. Sprinkle white embossing powder on the image and then use the heat gun to set the images. Let the image cool down before finishing decorating each project.

 

Candy Tubes:

For this project I combined both a sentiment and a pencil stamp image on the chalkboard label. I added gingham ribbon bows to each label in contrasting colors. Then I attached the labels to the candy-filled tubes with glue dots.

 

 

Chalkboard Frame:

For this project, I wanted a standing frame that resembled a chalkboard. I stamped three different apple images in a row on the chalkboard rectangle and then added a "thank you" sentiment. I finished off the frame with gingham ribbon and a wood veneer pair of scissors. You could recreate this same project on a craft-sized chalkboard. Simply use a chalk marker on the stamp rather than the ink pads and embossing powder.

 

 

Brown Bag:

For this project, I wanted to decorate a simple brown bag. I started by stamping the bag with a "friend" definition background stamp in brown ink. Then I die cut the label from the chalkboard paper. A special stamped sentiment and a gingham ribbon finish off the bag. I filled the bag with school supplies and white basket filler.

This chalkboard effect can be used on any project, but it looks especially appropriate for Teacher Appreciation gifts. You could create chalkboard cards, tags, bookmarks, and so much more. Tell your favorite teachers how much you care with a handmade project this year."  ~  Jen Gallacher

Comments

[may]

It's May already! Thanks for the inspirations, definitely will get cracking on those TY Teacher's gift!

[Tona]

These are all wonderful projects!

[Michelle Johnson]

Awesome ideas. Thank you so much.

[Dorina D]

Fun ideas that I'm going to make with my nieces for their teachers. thanks for sharing the fun.

[Fran Chopp]

These are great ideas--what white ink pad did you use for the stamped images? I have not been able to find whit ink that comes out as good as your images. Please help? Thanks. Fran

[Fran Chopp]

Oh, I see that you usedHero Arts. Did you do the white embossing powder over all the images on your projects? Fran

[Renee VanEpps]

These are so adorable! Does anyone know where that sentiment stamp comes from on the bag????? Is it from My Favorite Things? Hero Arts? TIA!

[Aly Dosdall]

these are darling jen! so fun to see you here. =)

[Denise Coulter]

Love these ideas for teacher gifts!

[Jen Gallacher]

I used the Hero Arts white ink pad to rub the chalkboard papers. Then I used Versamark ink to stamp the image and white embossing powder to set the image. This gave me a very vibrant white image.

[Nita K.]

Fabulous projects!

[JLBOhio]

Great fun ideas!