Teacher Gifts - 2013

(Click HERE to see last year's Teacher Appreciation gifts.)

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Before I get into the details of these little totes, here is a little school-related story (Go ahead and skip ahead if you want to get straight to the totes!):

  This past school year was kindof drama for us.  I started the school year with a bad feeling in my gut about their school situation that just weighed on me and never left.  

Without going into boring detail about the reasons why, after the holidays I ended up pulling my twins out of that preschool and placing them in another one that is run by a wonderful lady from our church that I have known since I first moved here to Virginia.

Now, one of my twins has just caught on to everything so quickly and easily that he is pretty much reading and spelling at only 4 years old.  (I might be biased, but personally, I think he's pretty awesome.) 

My other twin (whom I also think is pretty awesome!) has been struggling.  Last year he had a superb teacher who kept him right up with the rest of the class.  That is maybe why I didn't notice him struggling until this past school year started.  He (and I) was getting pretty frustrated at his lack of progress, and I just felt he was being quickly left behind.  

The difference I have seen in him in the last three months since we made the switch has been amazing.  His writing and spelling have blossomed.  I know it is the difference between a teacher who truly loves him and cares, and one who may not have cared as much.  

I am SO happy I listened to that little voice in my head and heart that told me to move my boys.

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So...even though I felt like these new teacher deserved something totally amazing for a teacher appreciation gift this year, time just wasn't on my side (their new school gets out almost a whole month before their old one did, so in my mind I thought I still had more time than I really did).  But these amazing ladies will be my twins teachers again next year for their last year of preschool, so I have a whole year to think of and make something amazing for them next year.

This year, these darling little mini totes (filled with chocolate!) will have to do :)

  

I dug through my scraps and found these apple prints (Apple of my Eye by Riley Blake) which I thought perfectly appropriate, and followed this amazingly simple mini tote tutorial (by Monica Solorio-Snow) to make these adorable little treat bags for my twins teachers.

interior view

They were so fast and easy, I can definitely see making a lot more of these in the future for all kinds of little gifts and favors.

This gives an idea of the size next to a quarter.  These came out to be about 4.5 x 4.5 inches.

Following the pattern, I would say these took about 15 - 20 minutes from start to finish.  You could, of course, take a little more time if you chose to quilt the bags, or add topstitching, or make fabric handles.

However, I really do think they are darling just the way they are.  

 Linking up here:

Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways

Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story