How to Make Your Own Backgrounds

So I really like my activities to be fun and appealing in their looks so my students are more attracted to what they have to do. It may sound weird, but think about an activity. Would you rather have to do this one...

...or this one?

Exactly!

There are lots of different programs and ways to do this. Here is how I make cute quick backgrounds for my activities.

First, I start in Publisher with a  shape or clip that I like. This one is a raindrop. I place them on the page in a random yet patterned way. I make some different sizes, too.

Once I have everything where I want it, I save the page as a .png with 300 dpi for better resolution.

Now I open it up in a photo editing program like Adobe Photoshop Elements. Paint on the basic PC Accessories can work, too, but the resolution and options aren't nearly as helpful.. I make all of my raindrops black and then save it again as a .png file.

Now I can reopen it and change the colors in the background and the raindrops. Elements lets me do this by changing the 2 colors I am working with and using the stamp tool.

Then this is what I get.

I can also back it up and switch my colors around for this effect.

Save the file as a new name like RaindropsBlue.png and keep them in an easy to find folder.

Now you can try and make a new cute background for any of your classroom activities, too! Enjoy these backgrounds for free personal or commercial use with a link back to my blog or TpT store.

Robots!

I am so excited! We spent all night at the fireworks, and had a blast. Sweet Charley giggled after every single one :) Then we woke up today to go see the parade and go out with our favorite family. When I came home, a little exhausted and full, I check my blogs and yea! Melonheadz, my favorite clip art illustrator, has posted the robot clip art I requested! It is so cute and matches my room decor perfectly! I cannot wait to make so many things with this clip art. If you are in the need of some cute clip art for anything, this is the place to go.

This is the robot decor I sent:

This is Melonheadz's adorable creation:

As soon as I get some things made, I will share! Also, as soon as we can get back in the classroom, I will post pictures of my new cute decor up in the classroom. Summer school is in there all this month, so it will have to be August.

Want to see more? Check out Melonheadz Illustrating and all of her stores!

File Folders!

I recently played around with making some new clip art. I usually hand draw all of my clips, but I thought I would take a chance at using some software to make some. I tried making file folders and used glitter (everything is better with glitter!). It didn't take too long once I got my file folders how I wanted them. Making clip art is really fun, and as I make it, all sorts of ideas pop into my head of how to use them.

I was thinking use them as labels for think tank boxes or folders, use them at the start of different flipcharts to categorize which area of science it covers, use them as kids personal file labels, etc.,... all sorts of ideas!

Here they are!
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Glitter-File-Folders-750217

New Avatar and a Freebie!

I stayed up waaay too late last night creating resources. I made a new avatar stamp.

 Clip art is still new to me, but I am excited to learn it and try. I ended up drawing so much for my classroom when I couldn't find the clip art I needed that I just ended up creating whole sets for my own use. If I share them, maybe others will enjoy them, too.

Here is an Earth and Moon clip art freebie I made. It is part of a solar system set.

Click here to download it free from my store.

What do you think? I got so excited the other day when I saw my clip art being used in another teacher's resource for the first time. It was such a cool feeling!