Thursday, February 5, 2009

Jar of Joy!

If you need an idea for an inexpensive (almost free) teacher gift for Valentine's Day, this is it! I saw this idea in Family Fun magazine and instantly knew it would be perfect. Not only is it cheap, it's also a meaningful from the heart way to let your teachers know how much they are appreciated. And heaven knows they are surely not appreciated enough! The typed note on the front reads:


"This jar of joy was made especially for you! The families in your class want to give you a little love and happiness each day for the rest of the year. Pick one heart a day and the message should put a little joy in your heart! Thanks for all that you do ~
Happy Valentine's Day!"


I am sending 3 hearts and a note of explanation home with the kids in our class. They are to write a brief note of thanks on each heart with their parents help. I think this is such a neat way to express gratitude to a teacher who we love and adore. And I know that it will warm her heart to pick one of those hearts each day and read how much her class appreciates her.


Here are all 90 hearts that I cut out. Yes...90! I used a cookie cutter to trace them and cut them out with the best scissors on the planet! Do you know the joy of the precision tip Fiskars? If not, it is so worth a trip to the store and the $10 to never get cramped hands from cutting out 567 hearts! I wish I had access to what my friend Megan calls a "whatchamacut" (die cut machine), but alas I do not. I'm old school. I actually enjoy cutting things out by hand. I'm weird like that.
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30 comments:

  1. UnknownFebruary 5, 2009 at 2:16 PM

    you are a warrior, cutting out 90 hearts with those spring-loaded fiskar scissors. However, this is a good idea, if I was a parent and had to give a gift to teachers I would consider re-creating such a thing. I love that jar, where did you get it?

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  2. Amanda@Imperfectly BeautifulFebruary 5, 2009 at 2:21 PM

    Becca, the jar is from Walmart. I think it was 2.99. They also sell similar ones at Hobby Lobby.

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  3. Valarie LeaFebruary 5, 2009 at 2:23 PM

    That is such a great idea!

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  4. Ken and MeagFebruary 5, 2009 at 2:32 PM

    Amanda, I'm adding you to my bloglist! I love your ideas and don't be surprised if I copy a bunch of them!

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  5. SarahJarnaginFebruary 5, 2009 at 2:43 PM

    What a sweet gift! I think I might have to look for those scissors!

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  6. meganFebruary 5, 2009 at 3:03 PM

    TeeHeeHee. I was reading your post, and thinking to myself, "Wow, she needs a die-cut machine at her store too!" and Lo-And-Behold, you say the same thing and mention me! Ha! Great minds right? Although it probably took you just as long to cut those out yourself as it would have to- bundle the baby up, get the toddlers coat on, and buckle all 4 kids in the car after making sure they were presentable enough for public, driving to the store, getting everyone out, making sure they don't break anything while you cut the stuff, loading and buckling them again, and heading home. Right? I'm exhausted just thinking about it. I need a nap now. ;)

    Or some Starbucks. (Wait, I already had some. Good things don't last long enough...)

    Luv ya bloggy friend,
    Megan

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  7. Mandi @ Sweetly HomeFebruary 5, 2009 at 3:06 PM

    What a neat idea for the kiddos to do! I know that I sure would love to get something sweet like that!

    When I was in dental school, our teacher was diagnosed with cancer and we did something similar for her. We each wrote note of encouragement for her and placed them in a pretty jar. She cried when we received the jar.

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  8. LindsayFebruary 5, 2009 at 3:15 PM

    What a cute idea. I wish I was your kids teachers!

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  9. Mitten from SmittenFebruary 5, 2009 at 3:18 PM

    Oh that's fantastic!

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  10. UnknownFebruary 5, 2009 at 3:19 PM

    May I borrow your cookie cutters or can we have a baking day? I want to make some sugar cookies.

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  11. AndreaLeighFebruary 5, 2009 at 5:56 PM

    you are super duper clever! i love this idea, and it is so meaningful. how will you get the hearts to all the kids without the teacher knowing? I'm all about obsessing over unecessary details. :)

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  12. UnknownFebruary 5, 2009 at 6:47 PM

    Wow, what a great idea. I'm going to have to look for those scissors, I would have a permanent hand cramp if I cut those out.

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  13. honeysuckleFebruary 5, 2009 at 6:53 PM

    What a great idea. I'm sure any teacher would love to receive it!

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  14. ShannonFebruary 5, 2009 at 7:21 PM

    Cute idea!! Any teacher would love to have that!

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  15. EmilyFebruary 5, 2009 at 9:28 PM

    Great Idea! I think you could use this for other holidays too. I need me some of those scissors.

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  16. meganFebruary 5, 2009 at 10:57 PM

    DOY! I just left you a really long comment and it got lost in cyberworld somehow!! Grr...

    To Summerize-
    You should live in the Seattle area with me, why do you live so far away? Shame on you.

    Lol about my view, it is nice, I guess you wouldn't believe I live in a little 3 story townhouse in a neighborhood full of the same!

    And finally, crafting with you would be a blast. How fun would our kids that are so close in age have? And we would need a maid or a bulldozer to clean up afterwords.

    There. Not nearly as poetic as the first time around but I think I got it all!

    ;)
    Megan

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  17. CyndiFebruary 6, 2009 at 12:48 AM

    Love your blog...I also love to craft. I have enjoyed reading all you ideas!!

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  18. Mitten from SmittenFebruary 6, 2009 at 7:01 AM

    Thanks for the note on my blog! Yep, as soon as I visited you I knew I had to add you to my reader. I am so glad that I did! :)

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  19. knittingknirvanaFebruary 6, 2009 at 7:17 AM

    What a great idea!!! I'm not a teacher, but I would LOVE to receive this extremely thoughtful gift!!

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  20. A Southern RoseFebruary 6, 2009 at 9:46 AM

    What a sweet idea! I might have to be a copy cat!

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  21. UnknownFebruary 6, 2009 at 1:05 PM

    I love this! What a great idea. My daughter would have a blast doing something like this!

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  22. OH MY #6February 6, 2009 at 2:05 PM

    this is adorable. I want one!

    Lea
    xo

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  23. Tamara DawnFebruary 6, 2009 at 2:22 PM

    I just wanted to thank you for your message to Tuesday's family. Your heart is made up and will be delivered to them with many messages of love & encouragement.

    Please continue to spread the message. I want to fill a whole box for the Whitt family.

    God Bless!

    Tamara

    http://proudtobecheap.blogspot.com/

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  24. RudyFebruary 6, 2009 at 4:10 PM

    I saw this in the magazine also and being class mom this year loved the idea. I have cut out all the hearts and sent them home with the kiddoes, hopefully they will have them back to me by Wed so I can fill my jar.

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  25. KarynFebruary 8, 2009 at 9:34 PM

    I am a Homeroom Mom-I am going to try to make this happen for my son's class.
    Thanks!

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  26. Mandi ShandiFebruary 9, 2009 at 8:22 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  27. Mandi ShandiFebruary 9, 2009 at 8:22 AM

    Girl that is a great idea! I'll be doing that for Walker's preschool teacher. And the stuff you made with your sister, FABULOUS! Thanks for the inspiration!

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  28. UnknownFebruary 17, 2009 at 6:07 PM

    I just did the same thing for my son's teacher! Isn't Family Fun wonderful? I just finished posting pics of my jar, and I do believe we used the exact same Wal-Mart jar! Awesome job!

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  29. Carey-Life in the Carpool LaneMay 5, 2009 at 12:25 AM

    Hi there! Just wanted to let you know that I saw you featured on Tip Junkie and loved this idea. I used your idea for a teacher appreciation gift for my sons' preschool teacher.

    Here is a link to my post:
    http://blog.lifeinthecarpoollane.com/2009/05/jar-of-appreciation.html

    Thanks!

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  30. Katie from ABC&123: A Learning CooperativeMay 3, 2010 at 11:58 PM

    Fabulous idea and great for year round, just change the last line. We've featured this in a post scheduled for this week on teacher appreciation gift ideas. We used your photo, gave a brief description, credited you, and provided a direct link to this post. We hope you don't mind but if you'd prefer we remove it we will, just let us know. Thank you in advance.

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