Save Monies and Paint a Pot

Next week in Schwarm, we're hosting a "Paint-a-Pot" event.  Because nobody could possibly understand what I mean by that, I will explain further...

Here is what we mean by "pot":

Yes, I did a photo shoot with the pot.

They are basically white clay pots with cork in them... the idea is that you decide on something you want to save up for (like a trip or a new computer, etc.) and dedicate this "pot" for that purpose.  You see these things all over Hallmark stores, but this is your opportunity to make your very own.   We ordered several dozen of the pots from Oriental Trading, and we have lots of paint and other supplies that you can use to make your pot.  

I wanted to give you all an example of what a completed pot would look like before the event next week, so I put my student worker, Emily on the task.  Here's Emily:

She is quite crafty, so I knew she would be up to the task.  First, she gathered her paint supplies.  Acrylic Paint from any craft store works perfectly.

Then... wait for it.... she painted:

 After waiting a few minutes for the pink paint to dry (doesn't take long at all), she painted polka dots:

 Then got out the office bedazzling jewels:

 And super glued those suckers on.  Hot glue would probably also work.  She switched out the twine for some pretty white ribbon and wrote "Pennies... for Pinterest," a nod to our very favorite website these days and a fantastic place to go for inspiration, projects, fashion, recipes, and more.   Here's the link: Link to Pinterest

It's officially adorable.   So if you are around next week, we'll be doing this activity (for free, including the pot and all of the supplies) in Schwarm Commons on Tuesday, October 4, 2011 from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm.  Join us!

How to Make Your Own Dry Erase Board

The Campus Activities Committee has committed this year to providing at least one event per month in which people can bring in something that they no longer want and re-purpose it creatively into something useful.  It's our way of educating and promoting a more environmentally-friendly attitude. 

I alluded to this concept  in last week's post, but I wanted to elaborate and share some of our ideas for upcoming repurposing events.

We're kind of going with a "Make & Take" theme, cause it's catchy and we like to be cute.  Our first event revolved around taking old picture frames and turning them into Dry Erase Boards.  Here's how it works:

1.  Take an old photo frame and remove the picture / artwork inside.

 2.  Pick out a festive colored scrapbook paper and cut it down to size. In this case, I used 12x12 scrapbook paper and cut it down to 8x10 inches.

3.  Place the scrapbook paper in the frame and close it back up.  If you are making a menu-planning board, here is where you add stickers or letters for each day, Monday through Friday or Monday through Sunday. 

4.  I decided to leave my board unpainted, but this is the point that you can paint your frame (just use any acrylic paint and a foam brush).

5.  Embellish your frame however you want it.  I used felt flowers.  Then grab a dry erase marker and you're done!

Bonus hint:  We purchased some frames from Goodwill to repurpose for this event and found that Goodwill is in the habit of marking "99 cents" in PERMANENT Marker on the glass of the frame.

Good news is, it's super easy to get permanent marker off of glass or dry-erase board.  Just write over the permanent marker with dry-erase marker.  It'll wipe right off.  I don't know how it works.  Magic, probably.

Here are some other examples of fabulous Dry-Erase Boards:

There you have it.  Virtually a free way to create something you need out of a few things you don't want!

Finished Products

We have been quite busy in the Office of Student Activities in the past week!  I realized today that it's the first non-Friday since classes started (we're on week four, p.s.) that we haven't had an event. That explains why I have so many e-mails piling up....

But before getting to the e-mails, I wanted to share some of the awesome finished products from our recent events.  We recently hosted Pottery Painting and a September 11 quilt project, and I think students came up with some pretty awesome stuff. 

Here are some of the pottery tiles that students created:

And some of the bowls:

And some of the mugs:

Me, modeling the mustache mug

Student Government Association, Campus Activities Committee and the Office of Student Activities teamed up last week to host quilt square making for the remembrance of the 10th anniversary of September 11.  Then, they put together a really amazing quilt and hung it up in Schwarm Commons this week.  The quilt squares themselves represent the two towers and the blue fabric in the middle (with 5 sides) represents the pentagon.  I think the students did an outstanding job of creating this piece. 

Tomorrow, we're hosting our first "Make and Take" event, during which we'll repurpose an old item that we no longer use into something that we need and can use now.  This month, we're taking old picture frames and repurposing them into Dry-Erase Boards and Menu Planning Boards.  Here's a preview of some of the samples we have already created:

 A menu-planning board:

If you want one of your own, stop by Schwarm Commons tomorrow (Wednesday, 9/14/11), with an old picture frame, and make it!  We'll be there at 11:30 am until things fizzle out (probably 1:30 pm). 

10th Anniversary of September 11

I can hardly believe that it's been nearly 10 years since September 11, 2001.  It seems like so long ago, but also like it was just yesterday.

Today (and yesterday), we are decorating quilt squares with our memories and tributes to September 11.  Stop by if you are around between 12 pm and 2 pm.  Here's one from yesterday:

In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment on this post about where you were when you first learned about September 11, 2001.  It's amazing that ten years have past, but we still remember those few moments so vividly.  I'll even leave a comment of my own experiences!

You're Fired! & Fall Fest

Phew, I'm exhausted.  While it was an abnormally hot day (forecast said 97 degrees when I looked this morning), I think we can safely say Fall Fest was a success.  We gave away lots of freebies, ate lots of candy and all got a little too much sun. 

Check out some of the tables:

Campus Crusade for Life group

The new Family & Social Work group

CAC!

Complete a ticket, get a spin on the prize wheel!

Friends!

 

CAC Table

Rowing Table

Lovely ladies of the Offices of Learning Assistance and Academic Advising

This week we also had Pottery Painting by the "You're Fired!" studio in Oxford. They delivered 35 blank coasters, 35 bowls, and 35 mugs in the morning yesterday.  Then students painted them during the day and turned them back in, and You're Fired picked them up this morning. They're going to glaze the pottery and bring it back to us in a week all shiny and bright looking.  And of course, this is all free for the students!  Not a bad gig, right?

I'll have to take some pictures of the best and most original pieces when they come back from You're Fired.  

 Next week, we have a "Design Your Own Lanyard" event on Tuesday and a "Remembering September 11" event on Wednesday and Thursday. 

More on those later.  Right now, the whole office feels like this: