I'm taking a minute to give a bloggy shout-out to Home Depot. Every August, the sweet girl at the paint counter gives me plenty of wooden paint stirrers for FREE! And then I use them to make shelf markers that match my library theme. I paint the stirrers with acrylic paint, then Mod Podge a picture from scrapbook paper onto the handle.
Today was August 1, and I went to Home Depot this morning, and brought home my shelf markers for this year.
I'm happy to show my appreciation by shopping at Home Depot all year long. As you know, we buy so many supplies for our libraries and classrooms out of our own pockets. I really appreciate every freebie and bargain!
I'll be making those shelf markers over the next few days (while I watch the Olympics), and I'll post photos of the process. It's fun, easy and cheap!
Thanks, Home Depot, for the paint stir sticks!
I did this during the last Olympics! What I also did is cut up some of the catalogs and book orders and add pictures of covers of books that are in the library. It's a good way for the younger ones to see what we have and it can also be a lesson on using the OPAC (if the title and/or author can be read) and finding the call number etc.
ReplyDeletepcelibrarian, thanks for your comment! I'm intrigued by your idea...did you put the book cover pictures on the shelf markers? And did you put call number info on the shelf markers, too?
DeleteI too love my Home Depot paint lady, she gave me a gigantic box of stirrers last summer. I am set for years to come. I use them for shelf markers, AND patron barcodes for my school of 500 students. The follow the kids through their time at our school and are very handy for grouping students in various ways and selecting one student over another for a popular
ReplyDeleteMrs. B, thanks for sharing! What a super idea! How did you get the barcodes to stay on the stirrers? Who keeps them, you or the teacher? I would love to see a blog post with photos and a description of how you manage the barcode shelf markers. If you write one, let me know, and I'll link up to it!
ReplyDeleteHi Cari,
DeleteHere's what we do, though it is by no means original. We keep the sticks in the library by class in up-cycled Pringle containers. They are distributed at book exchange time. I like to hand them out the beginning of the year, good for learning student names.
For kindergarten we print the barcodes on regular paper, cut them up and affix them on the sticks using one of the aggressive label covers by Demco. We rearrange them each year. 5 years later the sticks are still in pretty good shape, very few have broken or been picked apart by itchy fingers. I confiscate them if they turn into anything resembling a weapon - students do not like this! Below is a video I produced to teach how to use - shown to Kindergarten and 1st grade in the 1st month of school. They are very amused that it is me in the video. Let me know any other questions you may have. I am so appreciative of your blog and bought your book, hoping to get a center or 2 going this year!
http://tiny.cc/sy2giw
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ReplyDeleteSherman-Williams has been my source for years. I haven't asked HD yet. I never did anything special to them. Never thought about it. Now I can't wait to see what you do with them.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bibliocat, for your comment. I haven't tried Sherwin-Williams. I'll post a step-by-step explanation of how I make my shelf markers soon. I've got a day or two left to go on them.
DeleteI am intrigued by these! I have ordered the plastic ones from Highsmith in years past...they are cute and sturdy but get dirty very quickly. Will the paint flake off over time? Do you cover the whole stirrer with Mod Podge? (I am SUCH a crafting newbie and not good at it AT ALL!) thx for any help!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I will post a step-by-step explanation in the next day or two. But, to answer your questions, the paint doesn't flake off. The paint stirrers are raw, unfinished wood, so they soak up the paint.
DeleteAfter I paint the stick on all sides, i put Mod Podge on the handle, stick the picture on, then Mod Podge over the picture to protect it.
I don't use Mod Podge on the stick/stirrer part, only the handle.
Thanks for your comment!