Monday Made It- June 20

Monday Made It is hands down my favorite summer linky party! I absolutely love being inspired by other teachers, and this linky does not disappoint. When you finish here, head on over to Tara's blog 4th Grade Frolics to see what everyone else has been creating this week.

My school is undergoing major renovations this summer. I have been brainstorming ways to re-energize the media center for students and teachers alike. After surfing the web (including many of your blogs) and visiting other elementary schools in my area, I decided to go with this outside of the media center.

I printed out the letter cards on card stock and took the photos outside against the brick of the building. I didn't print in black and white; rather, I used the "Color" option under "Format Picture" in PowerPoint to soften the colors of the t-shirts. I really like the way it turned out!

This was an easy project and very cost effective. The canvases came from Michael's. I got a 10 pack of 8x10 canvases 50% off which equaled $10. The photo paper was $1 for 8 sheets at The Dollar Tree. I also used black paint ($.79), a foam brush ($.59), and Mod Podge. I already had the Mod Podge (matte finish); I would suggest you use a coupon at one of the craft stores for this as it is a little on the expensive side.

Start by painting your edge and onto the canvas about an inch with the black paint (or any color of your choice). You will need to do 2-3 coats of paint.

While your canvases are drying, print out your pictures. I cropped mine first so that there wasn't a lot of extraneous brick on the edge. Apply an even layer of Mod Podge to the canvas and position your picture on top. Do not press it down as you go; it is very difficult to adjust the fit if you do that. Let the picture dry so it adheres to the canvas. Come back and add 1-2 layers of Mod Podge to the top of the picture to protect it. Let the Mod Podge dry completely between layers. You can also paint the black edges if you'd like. I opted not to.

Here is the YouTube video I used for the directions:

If you don't include the Mod Podge which I already had, the 9 canvases cost me $1.28 each for a total of $11.52. Add the Mod Podge and it was around $15 although I have a ton of Mod Podge left for other projects. I couldn't have even printed the pictures at Walgreen's for that amount! #winning #frugalteachersunite

As you are planning for next year, I hope you'll run over to my shop and check out some of my back to school must haves.

Click on any of the pictures to head to my TpT store to check out the products.  Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and prepare to find great projects over at 4th Grade Frolics Monday Made It!