Suspended pearls?....Tried It Tuesday

Well....HELLO there!

It's been one month since my last confession....

I mean...blog post!

Y'all...I didn't fall off the planet, 

but I did fall into some major 

lesson plannin' and weddin' plannin'.

I haven't taken any naps...SHOCKER!

I have been fallin' asleep readin' my Kindle app...early... 

just about every night 

since school started.

I'm not gonna lie...I needed a break.

I can't promise that I will be back on my

bloggin' routine, but I will pop in every now

and then in the next comin' months.

I'd ask for understandin', but I know I don't 

need to explain myself.

Y'all KNOW.

I did want to share a pretty neat-o "tried it", so...

I'm linkin' up with one of my BBB's Holly 

from Fourth Grade Flipper

for her Tried it Tuesday.

I saw this super awesome pin and I wanted to test

it out before the weddin'.

Source

Pearls suspended in water?  

Sign me up!

Except...they aren't really suspended in water.

They are suspended in clear gels...in water.

I wanted.

I NEEDED!

What did I do?  

I got on my trusty friend, Amazon,

 and found these to order...

Transparent Water Gel Vase Fillers 

and 

Unique Elegant Vase Fillers-Black and White Pearls

I did read the reviews and found out that the red

ones look more pink, so I didn't buy red.

My colors are black, red, and white, so I stuck with

just black and white.

I waited patiently for them to arrive to my mailbox.

You know I'm NOT very patient...at all.

They FINALLY came though and

I was so ecstatic when I opened the package.

I read the directions and they were pretty intense.

I made my bestie read them too...to tell me I wasn't crazy.

I ran up to Dollar Tree and got two clear vases.

I stopped at Winn Dixie and got a gallon of Distilled Water.

My supplies...

The little clear things on the left are the gels.

The assorted black and white pearls are on the right.

Distilled water and vases in the back.

I used 8 cups of water and filled up the two vases

with the gels and water.

It takes about 12 hours for them to expand.

Look...you can't even SEE the clear gels. 

It just looks like water.

Why didn't I invent this?

WHY?

You move the pearls wherever you want.

I was impatient and put them in before the gels

were finished expandin'.

This mornin' when I woke up,

I had more gels than fit the

two vases.  

I really could have used three.

Check the clear gels out. 

It's crazy to me that you can't see 

them when they are covered with water.

I still have pearls left to put in a third jar.

 Now all I need are some floatin' candles.

I'm doin' lots of different table decorations,

but I will definitely be purchasin' some 

more supplies on Amazon this week to 

make more of these vases.

These could be used in your house with flowers,

or candles, or whatever...not just for a weddin'.

I'm gettin' giddy because so many things are startin' 

to come together with plannin'.

I've missed you!

Happy Tuesday, friends!

Keep Calm and Teach On...

Just checkin' in...

Have you missed me?

I have been in the land of 

weddin' plans 

and 

lesson plans.

I officially went back to school last week and have

Orientation on Monday.

I'm so excited to meet my new group of 

5th Grade Rockstars!

I've spent all day and most nights up at school

gettin' ready.

I'll do a reveal soon.

I hope you are all well.

I've missed chattin' and readin' blogs, but 

I know you all understand.

Tryin' not to sink and rememberin' to just

Happy Saturday, friends!
Sendin' you all love for a fabulous new school year!

You should probably click on this and read to the bottom...

I'm linkin' up with my friend Lori from

 Mixing it up in Middle

for her 100 Follower Giveaway.

She's got 3 great prize packs just waitin' to be won by

YOU!

Head over to Mixing it up in Middle to enter to win.

Also,  if you missed yesterday's post...

be sure to read HERE to check out the other 

phenomenal giveaway with up to $370 in Amazon vouchers...

A few of my FAVORITE things...

Last, but certainly not least...

I've got my TpT store on sale for 20% off on

August 4th & 5th.

Don't forget to use the code: BTS14 to get an additional

percentage off!

Click on the banner to hit the sale.

Double Trouble is on sale too!

Click on the pic to go to Double Trouble's TpT.

Happy Sunday/Monday friends!

A few of my FAVORITE things...$370 in Amazon vouchers?

I'm linkin' up with my sweet friends

Amy from Learning Lessons with Mrs. Labrasciano

and 

Mary from A Classroom Full of Smiles

 AND 30+ other bloggers for 

 A few of my FAVORITE things linky...

Would you like to win up to

THREE HUNDERED AND SEVENTY DOLLARS

in Amazon vouchers to purchase some of

YOUR favorite things?

I think I heard you yell, "YES!"

Read some of my favorite things to

give you some of ideas of what you might like 

to purchase too!

I love these Uniball Signo 0.7 pens and cannot EVER find them

anywhere in stores anymore.

Drives me batty.

I just happened upon them the other day at Office Depot, but 

I had to buy some Sharpie push top pens to get them.

These pens can always be purchased online from Uniball.

I also love Ticonderoga pencils.

Can't live without them.

Just like the package says...the world's BEST pencils!

Even better...they are already sharpened.

I am quickly fallin' in love with these stools that one of my

teammates ordered for all the 5th grade teachers at my school.

Each class got a different color.

These are Norwood stools and can be found

 at School Outfitters.

The green looks perfect in my room and 

really makes everything pop!

I love this little paint can that a little girl from my school 

made for me at the end of the year.  

I have it sittin' on my desk to hold my pens and markers.

I hit the big Vera Bradley sale this summer on eBay

and got this new Lime's Up messenger bag. 

I'm lovin' that it fits my Macbook Air, iPad mini, chargers,

and teacher binder.

This is goin' to come in so handy to carry back and forth from school.

It's been 7 months since I broke up with Diet Coke.

I can't start my school days without caffeine.

Green tea is my new favorite go-to-drink.

What are some of your favorite things that you would

buy if you are a winner?

Make sure to check out all of the other fabulous bloggers 

in this link-up to see what their favorite things are too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

An InLinkz Link-up

Why'd I buy it?

I'm linkin' up with one of my most awesomeness BBB's,

AMC from Elementary AMC for her new monthly

linky...Why'd I buy it?

It's no secret that I like to shop.

My most favorite form of shoppin' involves the internet.

Why?

I'm lazy.

I can scroll, click, stick it in my cart

and a few days later, 

stuff magically appears at my doorstep.

I can lay on the couch in my jammies,

avoid traffic, long lines...and...people.

Stress free.

The only problem...I spend money.

You can't win them all.

Recently I bought a big purchase, not online...

and I didn't even go to a store.

I won that one.

My dear sweet friend Miss Nelson is 

an amazin' photographer.

She has some awesome cameras and lenses.

I don't know how to use not a one of them, but 

it's pretty neat watchin' her snap shots.

I'm jealous of her talent and I want to be just like her.

So...I begged her to sell me one her cameras..and she DID.

I love her.

Why'd I buy it?

I want to take amazingness pictures for my blog

and to torture my friends and family every chance I get.

Shhh...don't tell them I said that or they will hide.

This is my biggest Back to School purchase and

by far my most favorite.

I can't wait for the kiddos to smile for me on the 

first day of school.

I'm goin' to paparazzi them all year and it's goin'

to be so much fun!

Be on the lookout for some photos.

No judgin' though...I still don't know what I'm doin'!

Happy Wednesday, friends!

Wingding of a Blogiversary with Mrs. Spangler in the Middle

Happy Blogiversary to my sweet friend Lisa from 

Mrs. Spangler in the Middle.

Check out all of these awesome bloggers that 

are helpin' her celebrate with a giveaway.

Be sure to head over to 

Mrs. Spangler in the Middle

from July 28th through August 1st

to enter to win some fabulous prizes.

Happy Monday, friends!

Florida Teacher Blog Hop...Welcome to PCB!

Welcome to the Sunshine State! Enjoy yourself as you take a tour 

around our wonderful {and large!} state! 

Grab some freebies along the way, and 

be sure to enter to win our Bundles of Sunshine!

You can find me in Northwest Florida, in the Panhandle.

I'm located in the Spring Break Capital of the world and the 

most beautiful beach on the Emerald Coast...in

Panama City Beach.

I have lived in PCB since 2006.

Before that...I grew up in Southwest Florida, in Naples.
My favorite thing about PCB...
I wear my flip flops...almost all year long.
That's right...I live where some of you vacation!

Want to know my favorite spot in PCB?

Pineapple Willy's

Yummy food, delicious drinks, colorful t-shirts and a spectacular view!
I used to spend my summers workin' at Pineapple Willy's.
Walkin' on the end of that pier, wind blowin' in my hair,
sun droppin' down in the Gulf...yeah...not a bad gig, right?
I bet some of you have even been right in that spot and I could've
been runnin' circles around you and you didn't even know!
Next time, let me know you're here and we'll grab one of those
awesomeness frozen beverages!

Stickin' with the beachy theme...I've got a summer-y FREEBIE
just for you...well, lots of you (you knew what I meant).
To grab my freebie, just click the image below.
Summer Lovin' Labels

In honor of the hop, I've placed this on sale July 25th-July 27th.
I marked it down 50%.
Rockin' Behavior Beads Part Two

The Florida teachers below have two fantastic giveaways for you! 

You can enter once from each one of our pages. 

All you have to do is follow my blog! 

Hop around to all the blogs listed below, 

and be sure to follow them to get more entries. 

The more entries you have, the more likely you are to win! 

Each pack also includes a Starbucks gift card 

(because, well, a teacher's gotta have a coffee!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come find out more about the beautiful state of Florida by
readin' about these other sweet teachers!

Happy Friday, friends!

An InLinkz Link-up

You asked for it...What I'm Wearing Wednesday

I'm linkin' up with my sweet friend Jivey from 

Ideas by Jivey for 

What I'm Wearing Wednesday!

Jivey might not like glitter, but I bet she'll like this glitter.

You asked for it...here it is!

Thanks for all the beautiful comments from last night's post (here).

You all make my heart smile.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

I said, "YES!"

Guess what!?

Jerm got down on one knee and asked me to marry him.

I said, "YES!"

Just had to get this in writin' on the official day!

I love him to pieces.

Just wanted to share with the rest of the world!

XO

Happy Wednesday, July 22nd, friends!

Monday Made It...canvas, caps, cuteness...

Today I am linkin' up with my super sweet and creative friend 

Tara from 4th Grade Frolics

for Monday Made It.

You guys are probably sick of seein' me make canvases with

scrapbook paper, but I can't help it. 

They are really hard to mess up...translation...

if I can do it, you can do it...

FOR SURE!

I saw this super cute pin.  

My first reaction....I likey...I wanty.

Source

My version: 

I painted a canvas black.

Cut out some scrapbook circles usin' the ribbon 

container as a guide.

Mod Podged them down on the bottom.

Used a silver Sharpie to make the circles and 

write my name.

Pulled out the cute ribbon I scored at 

Hobby Lobby this week.

50% off...love!

Hot glued the green ribbon on the back.

Knotted the other colors of ribbon around the green.

Mod Podged the whole canvas.

 Jerm made somethin' for Monday Made It too.

'Merica!

See...I knew drinkin' those adult beverages would come in handy
one day.

Just kiddin'...he got some most of them from work.

I'm lucky he likes to be crafty with me on rainy days.

Don't mind the deer in the back...it's probably not watchin' you like

I think it watches me.

Cue song in your head...

"I always feel like...somebody's

watchin' me....."

Is it stuck in your head?

Good...keep readin'!

Speakin' of rainy days...we were all set to go out on

the boat the other day

and it was lightnin' and thunderin' again...

it is Florida after all.

So...not a good day for fishin'.

I don't do lightnin'.

Instead, Jerm and I had a lunch date and 

then spent an hour or so cruisin' 

through our new Michael's on the beach.

I ran across a cute lil' wooden owl 

that was on sale for $1.19.

Um...YES!

In the cart it went.

I may or may not have given it a name and 

talked to it in the store.

Yes, I think it's perfectly normal to talk to inanimate objects.

I really wish you could see the glitter paint. 

So sparkly!

That butt. 

Funny!

I don't have an owl theme, 

but keep readin' to see what I plan 

to do with this cuteness!

So...what to do with this lil' guy?

If I catch anyone bein'...let's say...mischievous...

or causin' shenanigans...

I will stick this lil' guy on their table

to...well...STARE AT THEM!

It's my way of sayin' "I'll be watchin' you!"...

only it would be more appropriate to say, 

"OWL BE WATCHING YOU!"

Still singin' the song from earlier?

You might not all have a Michael's...or maybe you 

don't feel like paintin'...or maybe you dislike glitter...

(FYI: I don't trust people that don't like glitter) 

Either way...I made you a FREEBIE!

Owl be watching you

It's not as cute as my lil' guy, 

but...it's FREE.

Who doesn't like free? 

Get ready...something big is comin' your way!

I'm super duper excited for Friday to get here!

Congrats to Lori from Learning by the Seashore

Not only did she get a new blog design this week, she was also the 400th like on  Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin's Facebook page. Lori wins $10 worth of products to my TpT store. You just never know when a surprise might come your way for followin' Rockin' & Lovin' Learnin' on  Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Bloglovin', TpT or Google Friend Connect. (Follow buttons are at the top!)

Happy Monday, friends!