BLUE-EYED BOY MEETS A BROWN-EYED GIRL

Gotta say, I love Pro-D days. Days off for the students, learning time for the teachers, Professional Development Days in reality. We have a couple of pro-d days in the summer so we can take a couple days off during the school year, and I don't even mind going into school during a summer day because I'm actually kinda excited to get back to school... yep, big nerd right here. An eye-opening and hilarious presentation today on strategies for how to teach boys. Not just the inclusion of having more run-around time or talking hockey in class, but ideas like standing side-by-side vs. eye-to-eye (which a girl needs) and just letting them figure out how to do something rather than always talking about it first (which a girl needs as well). Two videos that we watched, on the difference between a man and a woman's brain, and the way we teachers actually teach... (just kidding).

HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS

One-piece: H&M, Shoes: Nine West, Watch: Fossil

Just practicing teacher-mode. This outfit could be too extreme for the first day of school, but I love a first-impression kinda moment, the kind where you judge immediately, little kids are so good for that, first day of school is all about that. Bought this one-piece thinking I'd wear it, but I'll probably wind up wearing something like this... I do have to meet forty parents as well... The heels stay.

Pants & Shirt: Gap

I THROW MY HANDS UP IN THE AIR SOMETIMES

Dress: Adidas, Shoes: Banana Republic, Bag: Kate Spade, Shades: Ray Ban

Think the PNE could be used as good lesson-learnings in class. Like these: Don't eat a corndog before going on the flippy rides. Don't try to take pictures on the fast rides. Don't leave your purse behind. Don't leave a friend behind. Don't choose the squishy side on a ride if you're the littlest person. Don't try to eat more than ten mini donuts. Don't budge in line (not my lesson learned, I'd never do that! But saw four other people get kicked outta the park because they cut in line for the Atmos-fear ride, just don't do it kids). Don't worry about your hair or makeup or how silly you look when you scream on a scary ride. And, have fun.

TALK LIKE AN OPEN BOOK

Scrabble Art

Excited to start from scratch but realizing I'm going to have to spend many days organizing my classroom, my mind barely sleeping at night from thinking up ways to decorate and beautify and add more colour. Want a classroom that I feel good walking into every morning. Want my students to feel happy and respected and comfortable and encouraged and inspired walking into our classroom every morning. Not sure how to do this, collecting ideas from here and here, scouring vintage shops and garage sales and dollar stores for anything unique. Designing a classroom is like choosing an outfit, it says a lot about you. What do I want my classroom to say about me? And on that note, what am I gonna wear the first day of school?

A blank canvas 

 Handmade card garland, to help with counting from one to ten

Travel wall 

Quote by Henry James, handmade, acrylic on canvas 

One of twenty-four Daily Activity cards, handmade, acrylic on bristol board

MY HEART KEEPS BEATING LIKE A HAMMER

Live at Squamish

Great thing about music festivals is what you listen to and what happens to you that always makes up an experience unlike any other, maybe the same festival you went to last year but not the same. Metric and John Butler Trio and Girl Talk and The Stars and Brasstronaut and Portage & Main. And the people you chill with, the beer garden on a hot afternoon, games of cards and crib and Apples to Apples, the upgrade to the honeymoon suite at our cheap hotel, the attire of other festival-goers, the dancing and cheering and singing-along, the music so loud that I thought it couldn't get any louder and then it did, the late-night McDonalds and the late-night talks of our favourite songs on the walk home, the perfect weather the whole weekend.

Shorts: La Vie en Rose, Shirt: Gap, Sandals: Banana Republic

 Emily Haines and James Shaw, Metric acoustic

 Savannah Leigh Wellman of Redbird and John Sponarski of Portage & Main

 Coat: Lucky Brand Jeans

 John Butler Trio

Girl Talk



DARK DAYS ARE THROUGH

Quote by Hafiz. Acrylic paint on white canvas, colorful embellishments to be added later. Will hang this somewhere in my classroom, feel like it's a good quote to look at every day, even if my students are a lil too young to understand, it's a nice idea to think of the whole sky lit up for love...

What next...

ALL THE LIGHTS ARE CHANGING RED TO GREEN

Dress: Banana Republic, Hair pin: H&M, Leaf: Ikea

This huge leaf, sooo necessary for my classroom.

THEY LOVE TO TELL YOU STAY INSIDE THE LINES

Shirt: Garage, Necklace: Lucky Brand Jeans

Got this fringe necklace for four bucks in New York, a little bit ridiculous and out-of-the-ordinary, I like that. The blue ring from the Czech Republic (my mom always tries to find me unique jewelry from places she travels to) and one Aztec-inspired nail that took me forty minutes to paint... which is why only one got done... Have always liked things that go against the grain, just a wee bit different than everyone else. Out-of-the-ordinary style meets career path, spent all day shopping yesterday for my classroom this coming year, which will obviously be decorated a little out-of-the-ordinary, six- & seven-year-old style...

Pencil holder: Ikea (plant pot)

Smelly stickers: Collins Education Store

Plastic bowls: Ikea

Trenta reusable cup: Starbucks

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

Shirt: Joe Fresh, Skirt: Talula, Bag: Kate Spade

Being a lil inspired by this, was out all day yesterday being touristy in Vancouver for a change. Feelin lucky to be able to walk along Robson then down to Gastown then up through Chinatown and over to Yaletown in one afternoon. Leopard-print loafers seemed the best option for my little voyage, paired with an outfit of stripes (didn't realize I was wearing that many). Really into simple jewelry these days too, silver rings and a gold necklace and random bracelets go with everything.

School starts in three weeks, first project with my grade ones and twos is a travel project. Been collecting maps from many places I've been to this summer (even one from Vancouver today, how touristy is that), they'll all be pinned up in a huge collage in the classroom. Then we're gonna add photos or ticket stubs or postcards or whatever treasures each kid collected on his/her holidays and add more and more to the collage. Maybe I'll stick push-pins with each kid's name on them to the places they've been. Doesn't have to be somewhere crazy, they could have visited Stanley Park or Granville Island, every place that is new is pretty darn cool when you're young, and Vancouver is a great city to start with...

Loafers: Forever21, Rings: Stella & Dot, Necklace: street vendor in NYC, Bracelets: vintage, Nail polish: American Apparel

Paris maps: The Cross (Yaletown)

SHE'S ALWAYS BUZZING JUST LIKE NEON NEON

Shoes: Steve Madden, Nail polish: American Apparel

Dinner last night at my folks' place and pictures with the cats, they can't even leave me alone for a couple of shots. I know you can get these here in Vancouver, but the fact that I bought them in New York just makes them extra special to me. Was so so excited to finally get the neon nail polishes from American Apparel in my newly-returned luggage, such perfect shades for summer. New York shoes too, sparkly gold with huge bows I couldn't resist, although they are the most painful shoes ever worn. Haven't quite figured out what to do with them yet, have received blisters on six toes already....

I'm gonna say this once, that sometimes I think I'm an elitist shopper and I avoid certain stores because I think I'm too good for them. Which is the dumbest thing to think because you just never know where you'll find a good deal. This super-light cropped hoodie I found at Garage in Toronto for dirt cheap, so great for summer. But the store is aimed towards thirteen-year-olds, so I had to buy it in an extra large, and it probably wouldn't be cropped on a thirteen-year-old, but I think it kinda works better that way...