regali maestre 2012

Questo post è eccezionalmente bilingue perché è espressamente scritto per i genitori dei bimbi di 1a B, che insieme a me condividono questa avventura delle elementari...

This post is exceptionally written in both italian *and* english 'cause it's specifically intended for the parents of the kids in 1B: we've been sharing this first year of the primary school adventure... but I do post here for you all, so I wanted this note to be also for my standard audience :)
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Il pensierino per le maestre è sempre un discorso molto delicato: si ha regolarmente il dubbio che sia troppo o troppo poco e spesso le idee scarseggiano.

Teachers' gifts are always a very delicate issue: you regularly end up doubting it's too much or too little, and often you run out of options. 


Quest'anno (che per noi era il primo) era ancora peggio... ma ho sondato il terreno con gli altri genitori e alla fine ho optato per un pensierino handmade, che fosse un passe-partout: la classica borsina di tela, personalizzata, per portare in giro i quaderni dei puffi.


This year (the first for us) was even worse... but I tested the waters with the other parents and in the end I opted for a handmade gift, a passe-partout: the classic tote bag, personalized, to carry around the Smurfs' notepads.


Così ho preso una bella pezza di lino turchese, due pezze di cotone coordinato, un po' di inchiostro per stoffa, stencil, timbrini e una penna da stoffa e mi sono messa al lavoro. Mi ha dato una mano A., una mia collega che ha adottato l'idea per le "sue" maestre.

So I bought a smooth linen turquoise fabric, two yardage of coordinated cotton, fabric ink, stencil, stamps and a pen for fabric, and I went to work. A., a colleague and friend of mine, helped, since she adopted the idea for "her" teachers.

Il risultato sono state due borse di lino (per la maestra di matematica e per quella di italiano) e una borsa di cotone (per la maestra di inglese). In caso ve lo steste chiedendo, per la maestra di religione abbiamo donato 10 euro (come le altre classi) all'associazione benefica che lei ci ha indicato.

The outcome was two linen totes (one for the math teacher and one for the literature teacher) and a cotton tote (for the english teacher). In case you're wondering, for the religion teacher we contributed with 10 euros to the humanitarian association she indicated.


Purtroppo non ho foto della borsa della maestra di inglese (perché l'ho fatta in un secondo momento), ma qui ci sono le foto delle due borse di lino.

Sadly I don't have photos of the tote for the english teacher, since I made it in another moment, but here are the shots of the two linen totes.

literature tote: a creative shot by Smurfette#1

literature tote: the tote and the attached pouch.

literature tote: detail of the front with the stencil and the Smurfs' names

math tote: detail of the front

math tote: detail

both totes: labels with the school name, year and grade

Entrambe le borse contengono un astuccio coordinato con cerniera.

Both totes include a coordinated zippered pouch.


Il tutto è stato confezionato con una scatola di cartone ondulato (tipo bomboniera) quadrata e bassa, chiusa con un fiocco di rafia bianca.

Everything has been wrapped up in a nice cardboard box with a white raffia bow.

Ho cercato di trovare un momento oggi, durante la festa, in cui consegnare i pensierini finché tutti quanti erano ancora presenti, ma purtroppo le maestre erano impegnate con l'organizzazione della festa e non si sono liberate che alla fine, quando i genitori se ne erano già andati ed eravamo rimasti soltanto noi rappresentanti di classe.

Purtroppo la maestra di inglese non c'era perché se ne è andata presto, ma il pensierino verrà consegnato martedì prossimo, in classe, direttamente dai bambini.

Le maestre di italiano e matematica, invece, hanno molto apprezzato, erano molto contente e hanno ringraziato tutti quanti i genitori per il pensiero.  Che bello quando i regali vengono apprezzati, no?

The teachers really liked their presents, they were very happy and thanked us all for the thoughtful gifts. Isn't it wonderful when gifts hit home? :)

Con l'occasione, vi ringrazio tutti quanti per la partecipazione alla festa di oggi, che è riuscita benissimo!!

new bedroom - before

Let's continue the house tour with the before installments, and here we are in the master bedroom.

Not the best angle, I'm afraid...

Here I used the same dove-grey as the entryway, but painted it full height, with horizontal stripes. You might have noticed I used a stripes pattern which is different for every room. It is not a coincidence, obviously.

For this room, furniture includes:
- two wardrobes;
- one (big) chest of drawers;
- one bed (duh!)
- side tables;
- big rug;
- lights;
- decoration.

This room will also stage three of my most ambitious projects:
- the craft corner
- the headboard made of pallets
- the bed skirt

While I've already planned out everything about the headboard (and I mean planned, down to the last nail) and the bed skirt, I'm still unsure on the outcome for the craft corner. The space is very small and it will have to be highly and perfectly organised to hold everything I have for crafting. This is worrying me, 'cause the current space is *much more* big than the one I have in this new house... I'm probably going to store some things in other places. I hope not, but I might have to. And certainly I'll have to move to another room to actually craft, especially if it's the sewing.

Stay tuned for updates.

new entryway - before

As for the new girls' bedroom, this is more a "during" than a "before". In the before, the walls were all white.

Don't mind the ugly door... I'll sand it and repaint it as soon as I have the time. As you can see, I didn't reach the full height of the wall with the color: the entryway is narrow and long (and high), so I didn't want the "tunnel" effect. I opted for a light and warm dove-grey, with a narrow horizontal stripe at door top level, to add width, and then all the way up to the ceiling with the white. I really like the final effect.

I have a very clear idea of what it has to look like, and some furniture is already in place.

I've been surfing the net for inspiration and organization tips (too much information, by the way... my mind is in overload). Given the small space, I won't have a gorgeous mud room nor a super organized family central... but I'm sure I can come up with something.

Furniture for this space include:
- a shoe rack, in double size;
- a full-length mirror;
- a stool;
- two shelves;
- a bookcase;
- lights;
- decoration.

mother-daughter dialogues on big themes

Dialogues with Smurfette#1 (6 years old)

GEOLOGY SESSION:
Sunday, after a (very) noticeable earth tremor:
"Mom, is it the sleeping volcano (i.e. the Baldo mountain) awakening?"
"No, sweetheart, that was the mountains (i.e. the Alps) growing up."
(a brief lesson on tectonics with paper sheets followed)

THEOLOGY AND RELATIONSHIPS SESSION:
Yesterday evening, during dinner:
"Mom, I think Jesus was nice when He chose you as my mom."
"And why is that?"
"'Cause I like you very much and you're the coolest mom of all."
"Thanks, love. I like you too."
"Ok, then. So you can give me something sweet instead of that, right?" (*that* being her evening meal, obviously untouched).
...

nature wonders

“The earth laughs in flowers.” 
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Really, she does.

That's a poppies field I've been spotting on the route home. I didn't resist and today I stopped the car and took photos while the girls oh-ed and ah-ed over the red beauties (glad they can appreciate simple things).

new girls' bedroom - before

I've started tackling the huge mountain of Ikea flat packs of furniture, and the first room I decided to assemble was the girls' bedroom.

It's the bigger room in the house (4.30mtx3.90mt): that's exactly the reason why it's theirs. Although the window faces the north, the room is bright because in front of the house there's a wide but tranquil street and no high buildings.

Here's a very unflattering "before" (please don't mind the mess):

which actually is not the real "before", 'cause before I painted it in lilac it was completely white. I don't have anything against white, in fact I like it very much, but when you have a 2.95mt floor-to-ceiling wall, you might want to make it look a little less intimidating... especially when the room is in a girls' bedroom.

I was asked to paint it pink (and you can easily imagine who asked), but I compromised with lilac.

For this room I have to assemble:
- 2 beds with storage (one down, one to go)
- 2 wardrobes (one down, one to go)
- 2 chests of drawers (one down, one to go)

But this is not the biggest part: the final touches (curtains, beddings, carpets, lights, ...) are going to take forever to be done and ready.

I'll post news as soon as I can.

working on furniture...

I'm furnishing home with Ikea-ware. That means I have something like 30 flat packs, obviously containing disassembled furniture, waiting for crafty hands (mine) to get to work.

I've been full immersed in the Ikea world, first for planning, then when actually buying and now for assembling, arranging and displaying everything. I'm enjoying every single moment of all this craziness. I know, hopeless. Must have some Mr Ikea's genes in my DNA...

I'm probably going to share some before&after shots, but I need some more time: I'm no fairy and certainly I don't own a magic wand to order things around. Assembling does take time. Bear with me, please. I promise it'll be worthy.