weekend wrapup & a mini-tutorial

Between the oppressive heat (we're on day 36 of 100+ temps...many of those above 110!!  WITH 80-90% humidity.  It's like breathing soup.) and starting back to school last Monday, I'm pretty wiped out. 

That's saying something seeing as this is MONDAY.  Oof.

I did get a tiny bit of quality time with the '78 Bernina this weekend though; no clothes (which I desperately want to work on), just classroom stuff.  I whipped up this cute bunting for my very plain computer lab walls:

We moved into a brand spanking new building last week, so everything is shiny and new.  It's a little overwhelming to tell you the truth!  But I feel very lucky.  I teach the MOST fun classes, and now I have the best space possible to do that in. 

Here are 2 storage cubes I decoupaged this weekend for my room.  This one is for decorative scissors, punches, rulers and interior design templates, etc:

And it's matched mate is for cardstock or construction paper (when the budget gets tight!)

 

I painted stripes along the backside before I built the cube, in pretty, colorful stripes.  You can't really see them until you bend over at eye level (or are a student in a desk facing that cube!) but it's a nice little surprise for those who do!

The cubes are from Hobby Lobby and are those stackables you can "build your own" creative storage center.  I bought white cubes (I think they come in black too), glossy Mod Podge, and white with red polka dot gift tissue.  Cut the tissue to match the outer dimensions of each side and Mod Podge them in place!  I used 3 coats on top for durability.  

I have a 3-drawer storage piece I decopauged using this method several years ago when I first started teaching (zebra tissue!) and it looks amazing still even after sitting on my desk for 7+ years!  The tissue can be a little finicky to place (if you accidentally touch the Mod Podge while placing it, it's a bear to remove and reposition.  But if you take your time, it's a cool "painted" effect without all the work!  Think of all the cool patterned gift tissue there is out there!

I hope to get most of my stuff in place and on the walls today, so I'll take my camera and get some photos of my finished room to share!  You'll have to forgive my Teacher Geek for a few more days...it's that time of year!