Blogger Tip: Scroll to Top Button

You know that wonderful "Scroll to Top" button that appears in the lower right corner of Pinterest? You know, the one that allows to you quickly and easily navigate back to the top of the page without manually scrolling back up? Now you can easily install a similar button on your blog!

I did some some serious searching on the internet to find a good code for installing a scroll to top button. I really wanted something like the Pinterest button that takes you gently back to the top and I was thrilled to find the perfect code. Want to install one yourself? Here's all you need to do:

Design Your Scroll Button

First off, you have to create a button. It doesn't have to be anything fancy. You can use PowerPoint, Publisher, or any other word processing/design program. Use the words "Scroll to Top", "Back to Top" or any other phrase that will signal to readers that a click of the button will launch you back to the top of the screen. You can incorporate an image, but it's not necessary. Just try to make the scroll button  match the overall design of your blog. Once your creation is complete, save it as a JPG or PNG file and make sure it is a small size (my button is 75x75 pixels).

Upload the Image for Your Button

Once your scroll button is complete, you need to upload it to the internet. I know a lot of people use PhotoBucket and that's a great option. I just posted in a blog post and pulled my image link from there. Not sure how? Don't worry- I've got you covered with a video tutorial!

 

Installing the Scroll Button

Now that the hard work is out of the way, all that's left is installing the Scroll button! I did some searching and found a really great code at My Blogger Tricks for a beautiful scroll effect that didn't require me to mess with my blog's template! Yay! I'm sure that the guy who created the code worked REALLY hard to develop it and I do not want to steal his hard work, so hop on over to grab the code. Make sure you grab it all- I know it's a lot of text, but it's SO worth it! Instructions are also included on his page. You just need to copy and paste his code into a gadget in your Blogger Layout, then add your image link to the code. That's all there is to it! Such a simple addition to my blog, but a wonderful little button to help blog visitors find their way back to the top!

Happy Blogging!

Ditch the Robot Box (Please!)

Hello to all of my friends that are new to blogging and eager to pick up a few tricks. Today I have three important words to share with you:
Disable. Word. Verification. 

You know that pesky box that pops up when you leave a comment on another blog? It's called Word Verification and guess what: that same annoying box is probably popping up when people want to comment on YOUR blog. It is a default setting on Blogger so unless you turned it off already, it is currently irritating your internet audience. Fortunately, this is a very easy tool to disable and this will make your followers very happy.

I posted instructions for disabling Word Verification a few months ago, but since then I have learned a new method for turning this feature off that's even faster and more convenient.

Today I'm thrilled to share 2 new video tutorials with you! The first video provides a quick demo for disabling Word Verification. The second video shows how to check your blog's Spam folder (which you should do occasionally) and delete any spam comments it may contain.

How to Disable Word Verification

How to Check Your Blog's Spam Folder

And there you have it! Simple right?

And on a tiny tangent... 

If you are a new blogger that's eager to generate more traffic to your bog (and earn a little extra income), I highly recommend joining Teaching Blog Traffic School. Initially, the $60 membership fee may sound a little steep, but it is a very small investment in the incredible growth that your blog or seller account with Teachers Pay Teachers could generate for you with a little kick-start from Charity Preston's marketing wisdom. I'm proud to be a TBTS affiliate and if you do decide to join, I would love for you to use my membership link.

Happy Blogging!

JD's Rockin' Readers Dog Days of Summer Giveaway

I'm proud to participate in the Dog Days of Summer Giveaway at JD's Rockin' Readers .You could win any item from my store at Teachers Pay Teachers as well as other great goodies from my fellow teacher-bloggers.

What are you waiting for? Go check out the fun!

And the Winner is...

Congratulations to Heidi from My (Not So) Elementary Life -she was lucky number 10 and the lucky winner of my 14-page Comparing Numbers and Quantities set!

Check your email I will be in touch! Thanks to everyone who participated. If you missed out on the fun, download a FREEBIE from the set. You can also purchase my Comparing Numbers set in the Kinder-Craze Store.

DIY Scrabble Board Classrom Sign

These days, it seems as though the whole world loves to play Words with Friends and Scrabble. What better way to capitalize on students' interest than by incorporating a fun theme into the classroom decor!

This fun and easy DIY project is a Scrabble board with the letters arranged into school-themed words and permanently glued into place. With the addition of some ribbon, the completed board can be mounted on a wall to provide a personal touch in a very trendy way.

Now I know what you're thinking - "Scrabble isn't exactly an age-appropriate game for Kindergarten." And you are correct. Which is why I didn't make a Scrabble board for myself. Instead, I crafted a board as a gift for an 8th Grade teacher at my school. Her students actually have Scrabble tournaments in class, so I knew this would be a perfect addition to her classroom. So, if you're an early elementary teacher (like me) you may need to pass this idea along to all your friends in the upper grades. Now that we have that cleared up, are you ready for the directions? Me too! Ok, here goes...

Gather Supplies

For this project you will need:

• Scrabble board and letter tiles
• Scissors
• Ribbon (I used approximately 35" of 1 1/2" width)
• Cordless drill with 1/4" bit 
• Craft Glue (I jused Quick Dry tacky glue by Aleene's and was pleasantly surprised by the fast setting time and strong hold)

Step 1: Plan

Make a list of potential words to include in the project and begin to arrange them on the board. If you only use the letters provided in one scrabble game, careful planning is essential. You only receive 2 Fs and 2 Cs. You'd be surprised at how important those letters can be!  I kept my board in harmony with Scrabble rules by connecting each word and making sure one of my words occupied the center square of the board where the pink star is located. Just an FYI - I teach in a Catholic school so many faith-based words have been included in this classroom sign - not all of these words would not be appropriate for a public school classroom. 

As you plan, be mindful of balance (it looks best if your words span across the entire board without too many gathered in one little section). It's also important that you place a word with several letters across the center seam of the book. Later, when the letters are glued down, it will be the ones in the center that keep the board firmly opened without wobbling.

Step 2: Glue Letters

This is the fun part!  Use durable craft glue to glue each letter into place. Place a small dot of glue onto the back of the pieces or onto the squares they will occupy on the board. I used Aleene's Quck Dry Tacky Glue and it was great. It provided enough time for me to fuss with any crooked tiles and began to firm up within 5 minutes. It also provided a very firm bond without any of the strings that hot glue leaves behind. Once all tiles are glued, allow several hours for the glue to set.

Step 3: Drill Holes

Use a cordless drill with a 1/4" drill bit to drill two holes into the top of the board (for hanging) after the letters have dried completely. I placed my holes 5" in from each side along the top of the playing area.

Step 4: Attach and Arrange Ribbon

You will need 2 pieces of ribbon to put the finishing touches on this project. I started by using a piece that was 15" long. Push each end of the ribbon through the front of the two drilled holes along the top of the game board. It's a bit of a tight fit, but I twisted each end was able to pull them through without a problem.

This creates a hanging loop on the front side of the board and allows you to glue the ribbon ends to the back of the board where they will be out out of sight. Gluing the ends is easy. Just place a generous amount of glue on each ribbon tab, then affix the tabs to the back of the board.

As a final touch, place a 30" piece of ribbon through the hanging loop you created and tie it into a bow. Trim the ends to an attractive length. Allow the glue to dry completely before displaying your new classroom sign.

Need some supplies?

 

A quick note about Scrabble tiles: 

I decorated my board using only the letter tiles included in the Scrabble board. If you need extra tiles, they can be purchased directly from Hasbro or through Amazon. The Hasbro tiles are cheaper (only about $5.00) and will include the exact same quantity of each letter that you would find in a Scrabble game. Unfortunately, you need to allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Letter tiles can also be purchased through Amazon. They cost more ($10.00) but ship much sooner. Please note that tiles stocked at Amazon are for craft purposes - basically the same tiles but not the same quantities of each tile that would be found in an official Scrabble game (for example, you may get fewer Es but more Ns.)

Do you think you'll make a classroom sign using the new Scrabble board style or the old-school style with tans, teal, and red?

PS- As much as I would love to take credit for this fun DIY classroom decoration, it wasn't all my idea. My best friend gave a similar board to me as a birthday gift several years ago. I recently stumbled upon her creation and thought that it would be a fun touch to the classroom.

PS again- I'm linking up with Monday Made It at 4th Grade Frolics.  Today's linky already has 115 fabulous DIY project ideas. Come check it out!

Comparing Numbers Giveaway

New to Kinder-Craze: Comparing Numbers & Quantities Set. This is a set of 14 pages for students to develop number sense using the vocabulary "more, less, same as, greater, fewer, and equal." It has been aligned to Common Core State Standard K.CC.6, and also works toward developing K.CC.4, K.CC.5 and K.NBT.1! Some worksheets in the packet ask students to count picture sets and circle the set that matches the math vocabulary on the page (such as more or fewer). On other pages, students need to count the pictures in a given set and draw their own picture set with more or less objects. The download also includes pages for students to count two picture sets and label the pictures themselves. I created these materials for my own classroom and they were perfect for my students to develop these essential concepts.

This item sells for $3.50 on Teachers Pay Teachers and Teachers Notebook. Click the store name of your choice to start shopping!

Did Someone Say Giveaway?

I am so excited about this product, that I have decided to give away a free download of Comparing Numbers & Quantities to one lucky blog follower. All you have to do to enter is follow the blog using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect (both widgets can be found on the left sidebar). Once you're a follower, simply leave a comment with your email address. The winner will be selected on Friday, July 13 at 5:00pm EST. 

Previous Winners!

My Number Order Giveaway closed this afternoon. Congrats to the winners! Both are named Heather -how funny is that? Heather & Heather - check your email for your gift from me!

Thanks everyone, and best of luck in the giveaway!

Sterlite Drawers Revisited: A Follow-Up to Help You Fancy Up

At the end of May, I shared my post on how to Fancy Up Your Sterlite Drawers and the comments and questions keep rolling in. Apparently, people just LOVE fancy Sterlite Bins.

The big question from visitors was "would it work if you used Mod Podge?" I did not have an answer to this question at the time. In fact, I deliberately chose not to use it the first time around because I had my doubts about how well the Mod Podge would seal to the slick plastic surface of the drawers. But, since everyone was dying to know about the Mod Podge, I decided to decorate another set of bins and give it a try!

This time I made some helpful videos to guide you through the process (including easy template instructions!) You will also want to check my FAQs at the bottom of this post for any additional questions you may have.

 

Video Tutorial: Using a Template to Mod Podge

 This video is the biggie. It answers all of your Mod Podge questions, guides you through the process of decorating the bins, and includes instructions for creating an easy template out of wax paper!

So... Tape or Mod Podge?

Now that you are well-informed on how to decorate your Sterlite drawers, you may still be debating between tape or Mod Podge. Each medium has it's own set of advantages and disadvantages. Tape is great for the inexperienced. Mod Podge is trickier but more durable. This video offers a bit more insight as you consider how to proceed.

  

A few new tips:

For Mod Podging: I recently decided to coat the inside of my Mod Podge drawers with clear acrylic spray.  It will help to ensure a better seal so those papers don't pop up later. It should also help those bins to tolerate the humidity better. 

For Taping: Here's a great idea from a Facebook follower: laminate your scrapbook paper first, then trim and tape it into the bins. It's the best of both worlds!

 

Frequent Questions about my Fancy Drawers:

Where did you get that pink chair? 

Lol- I never thought my pink chair would be this popular! I purchased it from Big Lots last August during the Back to School frenzy. I have no idea if they will stock something similar this year, but if they do, you will probably find it here. 

What kind of paper did you use to line the drawers?
I always uses scrapbook paper. All of my papers (the bright polka dots & stripes as well as the fun purple papers) came from the same collection of scrapbook papers from Hobby Lobby. They sell the product online with a different cover but the same SKU# as my paper set.

Can you please provide a template online to print and download?
As much as I would love to do this for you, there are simply too many styles and sizes of Sterlite bins on the market for me to meet this need. Fortunately, a viewer provided a great tip for making templates using wax paper. It is so much easier than creating a template by awkwardly trying to trace the old-fashioned way (the way I did for my original blog post!) You'll want to watch the video to see how much easier it is with wax paper.

So, what adhesive do you think YOU will use to Fancy Up your Sterlite drawers?

PS-I decided to Link up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It. There are hundreds of great DIY ideas in this weekly Linky. Stop by and check it out!

How to Install a Favicon in Blogger

Are you a new blogger? Have you installed a favicon yet? Are you wondering what the heck a favicon is? Have no fear! I have all of the answers you need. 

The word favicon is short for "favorite icon". It's the little picture you see next to the name of your favorite blog or website. And, just like your blog button, a favicon is super-important for helping visitors recognize and identify your blog because it is displayed frequently in web browsers. As you can see from the photo above, the favicon image is shown on the page tab when someone views your blog, in the address bar beside your web address, and on the bookmarks toolbar (or menu) when someone adds your blog to their list of website "favorites."

Your blog's default favicon is the orange and white Blogger logo that looks like this. I think we can all agree that the Blogger logo doesn't really project the image or fun of your blog and it needs to be changed.

Designing your Favicon

Before you can install a favicon, you need to CREATE one! I made mine in Pages for Mac, but you can use Publisher or PowerPoint to create your image. As you create your image, it is important to keep in mind that the favicon must be shrunk to 16x16 pixels. That's really small! Don't include too many details because you won't be able to see them. Many bloggers have success shrinking their blog button down to 16 pixels, but this did not work well for me at all. Here is my attempt at shrinking my blog button. The image is not distinct and my colors just sort of run together. See what I mean?

So, I chose to create a simple favicon using the cream dot and pink motif from my blog. The final favicon is much easier to identify.

Once your favicon image has been created,  save the file as a jpeg or png.  Crop any unwanted edges from the image, and resize the final image to 16x16 pixels.

Installing your Favicon

Now that you have a favicon, you can easily install it using your Blogger Dashboard. I made a quick video tutorial to demonstrate the process. The installation doesn't require you to use any HTML code and you won't believe how simple it is!
 

Can't see your newly installed favicon?

You probably just need to clear your browser cache, then just reload the page. It should work for you. If you need instructions for clearing your cache, Google has all the answers! They provided easy instructions for clearing the cache of any browser.


If you are a blogger you may want to consider joining Teaching Blog Traffic School. And it's not just bloggers - sellers on Teachers Pay Teachers can also benefit a LOT from the tips and networking opportunities that Charity Preston has to offer. I have only been a member for a few months and the knowledge I have gained has had a HUGE impact on my blog's traffic and my online presence. Click the button to learn more!

Have you installed a favicon yet? What image did YOU use?

Number Order Pages and a Giveaway!

My newest product has just landed in the Kinder-Craze store! It is a set of 6 worksheets to help develop the concept of number order in Kindergarten.These were designed to provide students with an opportunity to apply the math vocabulary of before, between, and after. Each page features clean formatting to eliminate distractions and a number line across the top of the page for easy student reference. The complete set sells for $1.25 in the Kinder-Craze store, but I am giving this product away to 2 lucky blog followers! 

All you have to do to enter is follow the Kinder-Craze blog - either using Networked Blogs or Google Friend Connect (both widgets can be found on the left sidebar.) Once you're a follower, simply leave a comment with your email address. The winners will be selected Monday, July 9 at 5:00pm Eastern Time.

Really want the set and can't stand the suspense of waiting?
You can purchase it right now for $1.50 on Teachers Notebook or Teachers Pay Teachers. 

May the odds be ever in your favor!

Pretty Table Bins for Back to School

What is it about brand new school supplies that gets me so excited? Especially new school supplies in bright colors that perfectly accent my classroom color scheme!
I recently snagged these beautiful caddies at Michael's for only $3.00 each!

I always use this type of bin as table boxes to hold my student's markers, glue bottles, and scissors but my current caddies are traditional colors (red, dark blue, yellow, and green). I love that these boxes came in neon/tropical colors. I have big plans for incorporating more bright colors into my classroom this year and these bins will be PERFECT! Eek! I am so thrilled about the changes in store for my classroom this year that I am practically jumping out of my seat as I type.

What school new classroom supply are you most excited about this summer?

Celebrating with a Sale!

Happy 4th of July everyone! To celebrate our nation's birthday, I'm throwing a 3-day sale in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. All products can be purchased for a 20% discount, now until Friday.

Not sure what to purchase? 

Here are a few of my top-selling items
(Click an image for a link to the item at TpT)

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Video Tutorial: How to Make an Image Background Transparent (Mac)

One of my (many) summer projects has been to fancy up the blog a bit and add some personalization to make it feel more like home. My most recent development in this project has been the addition of social media buttons. The process was relatively simple, but once I created and installed the new buttons, the white background of the images on top of my pink blog template looked tacky and drove me crazy. Fortunately, there was an easy fix to my problem. I just used the "Instant Alpha" feature of Preview on my Mac. As you can see, it make a huge difference!

To share this simple photo editing method with you, I made quick video tutorial. Please note that I used the Mac application of Preview to make these picture edits. If you are a PC user, this tutorial will not be helpful to you.

And there you have it - an easy way to remove the white background from images. I hope this tutorial was helpful to you. You can find my complete collection of video tutorials by clicking Techie Tutorials on the top menu. 

How do you plan to use this photo editing technique in your classroom or blog? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

DIY Magnetic Flower Clips

Only one month into my summer vacation and I am already getting excited for school to resume in the fall. My newest addition to the classroom is an adorable set of DIY magnetic flower clips. They were cheap and easy to create and these colorful magnets make such a fun statement in my classroom.

Want the details? Here we go...

Supplies: All you need is a hot glue gun, artificial flowers, & magnet man clips.

Step 1:
To begin, remove the stem from an artificial flower. Turn the flower upside down and apply a generous dollop of hot glue to the plastic area where the stem used to be. Set the flower into the round head of the magnet man (do this quickly while the glue is still hot and before it sets).

Step 2:
Next, apply a small amount of hot glue onto the front of the magnet man's legs and gently push the bottom layer of petals onto the glue (this helps to disguise the legs). Then you're done! It's SO easy!

 

 A side profile of a magnetic flower clip. As you can see, the lower petals still need a bit of glue applied to the front of the legs.

I love how fun and cheerful the finished clips look on my classroom whiteboard.

 What fun classroom projects are you working on this summer?