Cheryl from Cheryl Elizabeth Craft is at it again, paying homage to the wonderful teachers who have inspired, encouraged, and motivated us and our children with their own creative ways. This DIY Teacher Appreciation flower pot pyramid craft is so much fun, and is definitely one your favorite teach will never forget (or toss!!!)
DIY Teacher Appreciation Flower Pot Pyramid Craft
Supplies:
-Bowl, pot or container (big enough to hold a small potted plant)- Thrift store or yard sale. My bowl is from Goodwill!
-Potted indoor (low maintence) plant- I got my fern from Trader Joes!
-Student’s idea: start brainstorming!
-Craft paints in various colors- by Apple Barn
-Paint brushes, palette & water glasses
-Card stock for Thank You Note
-Stick & scotch tape, or floral stick if you’re fancy
-Gift card (optional)
I do not have any children yet, and it’s definetly been well over a decade since I’ve had a grade school teacher, and yet-I had a blast putting this project together! I talked with my teacher friends, my friends with kids, and I read a lot of teacher blogs on the subject of receiving gifts. It’s no secret that a lot teachers buy their own supplies for the classroom, so it was no surprise to learn that some teachers put together lists for students and parents with suggestions on what gifts would be most helpful. Basic classroom supplies, gift cards for more supplies, and oh my-all the coffee mugs, were at the top of the list. The item that caught my eye and was confirmed by my teacher friends is the greatness of a Thank You Card. Recieving a small note or letter from a student was the most cherished. Some teachers keep notes from students for the rest of their lives. So, definitely do not skimp on the gift card or supplies, but pairing it with a unique “thank you” gift would make it extra special for your kids teacher.
A thoughtful gift for your favorite teacher will always bring on a smile. They work hard, and and ask for little in return.
For the student: Brainstorm! What was your favorite project this year? Was it an art project? A favorite book? Was it a group activity or field trip? Any idea is a good one! Think about it and come up with an image or two from that project that would be easy to paint on the bowl. I chose to paint a few pyramids.
For my craft, I made a “throwback” piece. My sixth grade teacher was very stern, but she stands out because one of my favorite projects was from her class. The project was making a small pyramid out of sugar cubes for our class Egyptian Museum. All the students made a lot of DIY artifacts to showcase in our museum and I will always remember this because a lot of the craft techniques I use today were learned from Mrs. T’s lessons on early human civilizations. I won’t ever get the chance to thank her in person, so my flower pot bowl will serve as tribute to my memories of Mrs. T.
Estimated completion time: 1-2 days
Instructions: Gather supplies
Pick out a unique flower pot holder from a second hand store or yard sale. For kids, find one that has a smooth surface. Smooth surfaces are easier to paint pictures on. I found a cool, plastic, orange bowl with speckles all over it. Knowing I would be painting pyramids, I thought the pre-existing colors on the bowl would work out well.
Buy a plant! It’s good to have the bowl first so that you can pick a potted plant that will fit nicely inside. Pick a plant that is low maintenance and sensitive for allergies. Ideally, the teacher will keep this plant in the classroom so it will grow over the years, but if there is a no-plant-policy for the classroom, feel free to pick a plant the teacher might like at home.
Use masking tape as a guide for painting the picture on the sides of the bowl. Tape a line for where the picture(s) will go and a line for where the year and teacher’s name will go. Masking tape guides are great for kids because they can paint over the tape and it’s easily removable once the paint dries.
Begin painting your picture! For my bowl, I painted one black pyramid on each side of the bowl where I taped the lines. I also left room to write the project name, “Pyramids of Egypt” on one side and on the opposite side wrote the year I was in sixth grade (1993!) and Mrs. T’s name.
After the first coat of paint has dried, paint the project name, year, and teachers name on the designated areas. Once the first coat of all the paints dry, add details to the picture and additional coats of paint-if needed-until it’s completed. Make sure you leave plenty of time to let paint dry in between layers.
Remove the masking tape! Depending on the bowl matieral and the type of craft paint being used, you will want to carefully peel back the masking tape so that the paint does not come off with it. For plastic bowls like mine, I used my finger to hold the edge of the paint line where it meets the masking tape, and used my other hand to peel the tape back gently.
Paint a clear coat of Mod Podge over the picture and letters to seal the paint.
Make sure the students name is signed on the bottom of the bowl!
Place potted plant in the bowl. Write a Thank You Note to the teacher on a small square of card stock. Be sure to explain why this project was a favorite! Tape the note on top of the gift card (optional) and attach it to a garden stick or flower pick, and stick inside the plant. Taa-daa!
A unique and heartfelt gift, like this flower pot, can remind a teacher why the chose their profession – to change lives and make a difference.
Here is another great DIY gift for teachers:
Matcha and Jalapeno Margarita
