Wednesday, June 27, 2012

First Things First


When you move into a new classroom, what is the first thing you do?  Did I hear someone shout, "Paint the bulletin boards!"  Oh, whoops, that was me shouting, wasn't it?!?  Well, the truth is that I am very visual and am so much happier unpacking boxes when the walls look good.  So now that my new classroom is a clean slate ... 

...and before I start moving in boxes, I will tackle the bulletin boards.  Don't get me wrong.  I am not a crazy lady who completely finishes her bulletin boards before she unpacks.  I am just a crazy lady who gets the background color onto her bulletin boards before she even moves her boxes in.


My favorite way to get color onto bulletin boads?  Paint.  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!  Now that I have experienced painted boards, I just can't go back to paper.  Think of all the beautiful colors that are available at paint stores - any of those colors could be on your bulletin board!  Yes, it takes time to paint the boards the first year, but unlike paper, paint doesn't fade and unlike fabric you don't have to wash it.  I use regular old latex paint - any type of finish will work, I used eggshell, but you can use flat paint or get a shinier finish if you want.  How shiny you go is a matter of taste.  My previous boards were all a beautiful shade of blue.  I loved the blue because it can be a backdrop for so many different things - a garden, a forest, an ocean, the list goes on and on.  Paint your boards once and you never have to paint them again (unless you move rooms!!!!!)  If you get bored with the color, you can always cover the paint with paper or repaint, I guess. (I have never been bored with the blue.) The amazing thing about the paint is that it lasts and lasts.  I have not had any chipping at all.  Lots of pinholes, but you have to get really close to notice those (and I am super picky and the pinholes have never bothered me). So ... guess where I am off to now?  Yep, the paint store. What color will I pick?  Blue, of course.  But deciding which shade of blue will keep me occupied for awhile.

Love to all,

Camille

P.S.  You can check out the beauty of my blue boards by looking at these photos.  All that pretty blue is painted on.  : )
(Okay, I am a little embarrassed about this board ... I wanted to leave the handprints up for a later project, but had nowhere else to post these leprechauns so I just stapled the leprechauns on top of the hands.  LAZY!!!!)


6 comments:

  1. Is is just me or is this post overlapping with my sidebar for the rest of you? I can't even read parts of this post because words and picures are on top of each other. If the format is crazy for everyone else, did I do something wrong or has Blogger just gone crazy? Thanks!!!!!

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  2. I never ever thought of painting them. Genius! Why didn't I think of that? I like the handprints showing through under the leprechauns. Those leps are always fooling around, aren't they?

    Yes, it is overlapping a bit.

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  3. Blogger has been know to go a little crazy now and then, but yep, your words are spilling into the sidebar. Great idea about painting the bulletin boards--I'm not sure my district would allow that, though. Did you have to get special permission from anyone to paint them?
    Swersty’s Swap Shop

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    1. Hi Swersty!
      I got permission from my principal. The reason she gave me her okay was that if the next teacher didn't like my colors, that teacher could just cover the boards with paper like usual. I made sure to NOT paint any walls. (I wanted to, but I have been very good about leaving the boring white walls alone.)

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  4. Paint! I hadn't thought of that! I wonder if I should try it. I've been looking around for a fabric I like, and figured I'd need to dye it myself. Thanks, Camille!

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  5. I painted my bulletin board a few weeks ago! I used pink for my birthday candles and blue for the rest of the board! I got my paint FREE from Ace before school was out. They had a free quart of paint day and I used my address, my in laws address and my sister in laws address! I have posted pictures of the before and after (just with the paint done) on my blog.
    Im excited to not have to hang fading paper and I hope I don't have to move anymore either! Paint is def. the way to go!

    Steph
    http://beanutwithmrsmcnutt.blogspot.com/2012/06/its-summer-yay-i-was-so-happy-to-see.html

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