Movie Themed Bulletin Boards + Secret to Adhering Items to School Walls

3D Cinema sign that extended out over the "stage" below it.  The painted concrete blocks in the school are notoriously difficult to adhere anything to, and don't even say "3M?" It doesn't work either. But double-sided duck tape can work miracles!  We've been able to make things stay without issue with the double-sided duck tape.  The blue protective peel on both sides can be frustrating to separate from the tape, but I've found that using my nail to scratch a corner can actually work much better than trying to separate it from the beginning.

Ombre 3D tree and a backyard movie party. 

Here was my first 3D tree from my Polar Express hallway, and while we saved it and used it for 3 years, it was time for a new tree.  The new one isn't "winterized" so we can use it for other themes as well!

Peanuts Themed Halloween Bulletin Board

Y'all, I have to confess...I created this bulletin board scene 3 or 4 years ago. Everyone loved it so much that we laminated it and have reused most of the pieces year after year. Given the way 2020 has gone, I thought it was only appropriate to share a little bit of the "happy" that was inspired by our favorite Peanuts gang. 

I made the gnarly tree with the face even longer ago than that, but he's come in SO HANDY for so many boards, that we keep saving him for reuse.  I mean...it's FALL!  We needed a tree for all of those leaves.

Some of these were cut with a Cricut, Silhouette, or VariQuest machine, but others were free-handed.  If you think you just *cannot* free-hand (which I think you might do better than you think), find a projector, grab some painter's tape, and hang your paper on the wall to trace it out!  Even if you're not artistic, you can still create great scenes.  If you really just don't have the time (which I GET!), there are some options on Amazon, too.

It was actually such a HUGE HIT with children, teachers, and parents, alike, that I followed it up with a Thanksgiving Peanuts scene and a Christmas/Holiday Peanuts scene. I'll try to find those images and share them to close out our 2020 with more warm and fuzzies.

Camper Trailer Bulletin Board

Our elementary school counselor had asked for a vehicle with a camper trailer for a "Life is a Journey - Travel Drug Free!" themed bulletin board. The kids each created suitcases to add to the board. Once we had it on display, our 4th grade teaching team asked for us to save it to re-use in a "Camp Write-Along" themed set of bulletin boards for their "Writing Camp" as they prepared for state testing.

Instant Pot Beef Tips

Instant Pot Beef Tips

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C olive oil
• 3 lbs. Beef tips or beef stew meat, cubed
• 1/4 C flour (or GF flour)
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 C beef broth
• 1/2 C red wine
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• Cornstarch & cold water
• Parsley to garnish
• Serve over mashed potatoes or rice

Directions:

1. Set Instant Pot to saute and add olive oil.  Once hot, add cubed beef (tossed in flour), onions, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Stir to brown.
3. Add beef broth, red wine, soy sauce, and bay leaves.
4. Set IP to manual high pressure for 30 minutes, and use natural release to maintain moisture and tenderness.
5. Add the cornstarch and cold water mixture and add to pot to thicken sauce.

It smelled so good, that it disappeared before I even took a picture of it plated!