Teacher Tuesday: Plurals BANG

As you may or may not have noticed my little bio up the top says 'teacher in training'. I'm currently in my final semester of my Graduate Diploma of Education (Early Childhood Studies) and have enjoyed every minute of my teaching journey so far. One of my favourite teacher related things to do is read all the amazing blogs that teachers all over the world have written. These bloggers offer advice, generously provide free resources, and form a wonderful tight knit community online. As I have gained so much from the online teaching community I have decided I would love to give a little back through 'Teacher Tuesday'. Now I can't promise this will be a weekly thing, however I will do my best to share any resources I have created, ideas I have or anything else teacher related. Check back here weekly or follow my teaching pinterest board for updates. So without further ado lets get the ball rolling on the inaugural Teacher Tuesday...

CLICK HERE to get the game at my TPT store

First up I'm sharing a game you can use for your literacy centres/rotations while teaching plurals. I created Plurals BANG for my prac students (year one) while I was teaching them plurals last term. We played it during their literacy rotations and they loved it! If you've never played bang before the basic idea is this: the students sit in a circle and in turn pick up the top card on the deck. They read the word on the card and then tell the group what the plural would be, then they keep the card. If a student picks up the purple bang card all the students put their cards at the bottom of the deck and they start again. My prac kiddos loved the anticipation of not knowing when a bang card was going to be picked up, and as they made their way further and further down the pile their excitement grew. 

The game offers 23 's' plurals and 4 'es' plurals. There is also a variety of CVC words as well as longer words to allow differentiation for your students. If you do decide to download the game please let me know what you thought and how I could improve it in the comments below as I'm always looking out for ways to make better resources. 

x Stacey 

Sally Hansen Salon Effects French Mani Review

Hi I'm Stacey and I'm a nail polish addict. I love nail polish and having colourful nails, I swear I have more polish than I could ever use in a life time and I rarely have plain nails. Personally I blame going through a school system where nail polish was not allowed so ever since I turned 18 I have rarely rocked bare nails. I had always been curious about Sally Hansen Salon Effects strips however at $14.95 for a one time application I could never justify the price, especially when a whole bottle of Essie or OPI polish is only $18-$19. However on a recent trip to priceline I noticed that Sally Hansen had come out with a french mani version of the nail strips. Well this changes the game a little, I have always struggled with french manis, and even when I do succeed the polish chips within a day which is always frustrating!! My curiosity (and 20% off) got the better of me and into my basket they went.

I got home and let them sit there for a while, contemplating when I should give them a go, I decided that last night would be the perfect opportunity since I had nothing else to do. Before I continue my review I would like to mention that while I have never used Sally Hansen strips before I have used Kit Cosmetic nail strips so I did have some knowledge of how these things should work. So please keep reading about my experience of taking my nails from this...

To this...

When I first opened the box I was greeted with 1 little nail file, 1 little cuticle stick, 1 set of instructions, 1 set of white tips, and 2 sets of nail strips....WAIT WHAT!! 1 set of white tips and 2 sets of nail strips that can't add up. Don't worry as I soon found out it does you have to carefully (and I do mean carefully) separate the white tips apart as they are two to a sheet. 

After I had prepped my nails and wiped them over with polish remover to get rid of any remaining oils I set about applying the strips. My first thought was how hard the little pouches were to open, I would pull off the silver backing only to find a plastic membrane had remained which I would have to hack into with nail scissors to retrieve my strips. After I did get the packets opened I was overcome with the familiar smell of nail polish, this ruled out my plans of ever being able to apply these strips in a shared living area. 

Next it was time to apply the white tips, this was a little tricky as 1) it was really hard to guess where my nail line is 2) the sheets are really flimsy and thin 3) the white tabs don't really stick well no matter how much I buffed my nails and 4)I found many of the white tabs to be just a little bit too wide for my nails (I ended up having to trim the sides off). Please note that this did get easier as I went along, but my first thumb has a massive white part to it that looks a little too big. After you get the white strip where you want it its time to file off the excess white part, be very very careful when doing this as it is really easy to rip them.

After this you have to apply the top strip, this is a sheer pink or beige colour depending on the set you get. I found getting these to not sit all over my cuticle and sit centred was a little tricky. They are a little stretchy so you can pull them a little to cover your whole nail but not too much otherwise they will rip (as I found out). When you get it centred you have to push it down with the cuticle stick to there are no air bubbles and once again file it off at the end. I found it a little harder to file this off than the white strips but eventually I got all 10 fingers done.

Afterwards I finished with a layer of clear top coat just to seal the strips onto my nails for longevity. They say these will last for 10 days, so I'll see how I go and report back with how they held up in 10 days time. 

Some initial thoughts

• These were a lot more fiddly than I thought they would be and the whole process took about an hour
• I feel that these weren't the most user friendly strips and that the Kit Cosmetics ones were much easier to use
• Even though I got these 20% off, I'm still a little bitter about paying $11.96 on nails that I will only get to use once. Again to compare to the Kit Cosmetics ones which are $9.90 for 20 strips which gives you 2 wears out of them (4 if your nails are shorter as you can cut them easily and they don't dry up).

x Stacey

Winter Bucket List

Winter has well and truly hit with the storms we have been having over the last few days. Everywhere I look on pinterest I see pictures of peoples summer activities and it makes me long for warmer weather. I started creating my spring bucket list but then thought to myself 'stop being so silly, winter is a wonderful time of year', and even though winter is half over I decided to make a winter bucket list.

Watch a Christmas In July Movie

I love Christmas movies so any excuse to watch them is good enough for me. I have a feeling after this post goes up I'll find myself snuggled up on the couch with a blanket and one of my favourite holiday movies National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

Snuggle up at the movies

I love going to the movies all year, but there is something extra special about going in winter (maybe it evokes memories of my Gran taking all us cousins every school holidays). One movie I'm dying to see is The Great Gatsby. It's closing here on Monday and one of the theatres has a $12.50 movie and malteasers deal. Comparing that price to the regular ticket only price of $19.00 I'd be crazy to pass this opportunity up. 

Visit the Art Gallery

I love spending lazy days at galleries and museums (I actually completed a Graduate Diploma of Museum Studies before realising my love of teaching). Right now the Art Gallery of Western Australia has a fantastic exhibition from MoMA called Van Goh, Dali and Beyond. I've always loved the work of Van Goh and hope to see this exhibition before it closes. 

Hot Chocolate Date

Winter and hot chocolate, there was never a better pair since Batman and Robbin. I love hot chocolate in any form, real, powdered, milo (although it's technically not chocolate), the only thing better than drinking hot chocolate is drinking hot chocolate with someone you love. I think one weekend I will recruit Chris and go sip some hot chocolate while people watching.

Go to the Ballet

Mum, my sister and myself are all season ticket holders to the WA Ballet. We love it and there is nothing better than getting all dressed up for a night at the theatre. This winter the St Petersburg Ballet is coming and performing one of my favourite ballets Swan Lake. Obviously Mum jumped on tickets as soon as humanly possible, and I'm counting down the days until I can see this wonderful ballet in all its Russian glory.

Go to a winter Sunday Session

Sunday Sessions are something you usually associate with summer; beer gardens, live music and cotton dresses. However one of my friends runs a winter Sunday Session and Chris and I have promised to swing by at least one of them. 

Crochet a scarf

Technically this should read finish crocheting a scarf, however that didn't sound as nice. I started crocheting a scarf at the start of July and got halfway through before putting it down and leaving it. Now with winter half over I am determined to finish the project so it can be worn.

So there you have it, my winter bucket list. What is on your winter bucket list (or summer one if you're in the northern hemisphere), do you think I have missed anything?

x Stacey

Winter Hand Care

Winter Hand Superheroes

Winter, you say the word and you mind conjures up images of grey skies, snow, rain, chunky knits, hot chocolate and warm fireplaces. However for many people it also means dull, dry, and for some unlucky people painfully cracked hands.

My skin is dry all year round, however it intensifies in the winter months. While I managed to control my skin and face early on, I never realised that proper hand care can help to alleviate the discomfort caused by dry hands. I now religiously follow a quick and easy hand care routine a few times a week which has left my skin glowing and feeling all baby soft. 

While the products I use are pretty pricy I justify the cost because a) I spend way more on my face care, and b) just like your face and neck, your hands are one of the first body parts to start ageing if you don't look after them properly. 

The easiest way to combat dry winter skin is to hydrate it. L'Occitane's Dry Skin Hand Cream with 20% Shea Butter is a cult favourite and a beauty award winner many times over, just try it and you'll understand why. At first I was very very hesitant to drop a whopping $39.00 on a hand cream, even though I knew this was a good one I spent years looking around trying to find something cheaper that would be just as good. While there are many fantastic hand creams out there that did hydrate my hands nothing would ever keep them hydrated as long as this one, so in the end after using up and loving a little sample size one I bit the bullet and purchased this bad boy. Well let me tell you what a difference it has made! I have gone from having to moisturise my hands every few hours to only twice a day (morning and night), my skin is smoother and the blotchiness and discolouration has evened itself out. 

If moisturising your hands is the Batman in the fight against dry hands then this little guy is the Robin. L'Occitane's Shea Ultra Rich One Minute Hand Scrub is a divine hand scrub that contains 15% shea oil. I use this scrub twice a week, massaging it into my hands and cuticles. The brown sugar softly removes any dead skin, while the shea oil moisturises my hands so well that I don't always need to use hand cream afterwards. This exfoliation of my hands not only brightens the skin and makes my hands all glowy looking, but it also creates a smooth surface for my hand cream to sink into allowing it to absorb quicker and hydrate longer. 

Nails and cuticles should never be forgotten when looking after your hands, why put in all the hard work for the rest of your hands if you're going to have ragged cuticles and dry nails? OPI's Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go is a quick and convenient solution to caring for your cuticles. Not only does it smell divine, but this little tube of oil makes your cuticles super soft. I apply this to my finger tips every second night and massage it in to my cuticles and nails before finishing up with hand cream. I find that this not only helps to keep my crazy out of control cuticles neat and tidy, but it also helps to strengthen my nails (which is always an added bonus).

So there you have it, my quick and easy method for beautiful hands all through the cold winter; moisturise morning and night, massage your cuticles every two days, and exfoliate twice a week. Obviously there are other ways to to keep your hands in tip top shape, like maintaining your nails...but that's a whole 'nother post for a whole 'nother day.

Have you tried any of these products, do you love them or loathe them, or do you other products you could recommend? Let me know in the comments below.

x Stacey

Products Mentioned 
L'Occitane Shea Ultra Rich One Minute Hand Scrub - $29 online here
L'Occitaine Shea Butter Hand Cream - $39 online here
OPI Avoplex Cuticle Oil to Go - $26.95 online here
*Note all prices in AUD, may be found cheaper elsewhere online :)

Princesses and Heroes

Under the Sea

Growing up I loved going to see Disney on Ice shows. If memory serves me correct I saw three of them during the 1990's; Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and World on Ice: 10th Anniversary (or something similar). Every winter during this period of time, Disney would be back in my corner of the world with a new ice show to see. Going along, eating a snow cone, and getting some ridiculously overpriced light up toy make up some of my favourite childhood memories. However the arena where Disney on Ice was housed was sadly closed its doors in 2002 (and was later demolished in 2011) and so for 11 long winters Disney on Ice did not come back. All of this changed this winter when the new Perth Arena hosted Princesses and Heroes. 

My real life Prince Charming and myself bought tickets for his younger sisters third birthday, however since she ended up on a overseas holiday we ended up taking my sister instead.

Doesn't he just look thrilled to be there

Sunday came and off we headed to the arena to battle the massive lines of people, both nostalgic adults, and excited children. We met up with one of my best friends and her boyfriend before the show (he was just as equally thrilled to be there as my boy was). We had decided to 'disneybound' for the show (as all good Disney fans should), her as Minnie Mouse and myself as Snow White, as I am always told I look like her (or my personal favourite 'you're whiter than Snow White').

The show was everything I remember Disney on Ice being and more (and by more I mean more special effects...technology has come a long way since 1997 you know). It was overly romantic and all the songs sent goosebumps up my spine, even though some of the songs have been redone for a more modern appeal. Apparently they will be back next winter with a show featuring Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan (amongst others) and I'm already figuring out how to get my name on a wait list. 

If you are heading off to a Disney on Ice show, or perhaps even to a Disney Park (lucky duck) I have created a little Snow White outfit for you below (click the caption to find the link). My favourite part about this outfit is that all the items can easily transition to your non-Disney side of life.

Fairest of Them All

Just make sure you don't forget the lips as red as a rose.

x Stacey

A Visit To The Three Broomsticks

Note: I've stolen this post from my other blog as I am about to shut it down and don't want to loose this recipe...

As we approach the middle of Winter here in Australia and the weather gets colder and colder it's nice to find a simple and yummy way to warm our cockles. Practically anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the past 10 years knows about Harry Potter. One of my favourite parts of the books and movies was always the amazing food that the students of Hogwarts got to eat every day (way better than the food at my school canteen). The beverage that I always always wanted to try was butterbeer from The Three Broomsticks. In my head butterbeer was always a warm butterscotch flavoured drink, so the following is only my interpretation of what it should taste like.

Owl Post mug optional

Butterbeer, Serves 1

• 1 cup milk (or however much your mug will hold)
• 1 tablespoon powdered milk (to make it frothy)
• 6 butterscotch lollies such as Werther's Originals, crushed
• 1 teaspoon sugar (if you are a super sweet tooth like me)
• 1 dash vanilla essence

Combine milk and powdered milk together in a saucepan. Heat the mixture until it is warm. Add crushed lollies, sugar and vanilla. Stir until melted together. Serve in your favourite mug and settle down with either a Harry Potter book or movie.

I find this recipe takes about 10 minutes to do as you don't want to cook the milk too quickly and burn it.

Of course this is just one of many recipes floating around on the web. If you have any other butterbeer recommendations please let me know in the comments, or let me know if you tried my version.

x Stacey

An Everyday Fairy Tale??

Gosh I miss Disneyland

"Every once in a while, in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives us a fairy tale" - anonymous.

This has to be without a doubt on of the most beautiful quotes floating around out there. Growing up I always believed in once upon a times, happily every afters, miracles, fairy tales, and that one day my prince would come. I personally blame a diet of way too many Disney movies growing up, however looking back there are worse things to believe in. 

The reality is that, while I will never dance away on a cloud in a magical dress that changes from pink to blue, life is full of ordinary miracles and everyday fairy tales. This blog is purely here to document my every day fairy tale, from things that make me smile, products I love, and bits and bobs from my everyday life, this blog will cover it all. Over time this blog may change and grow, as I myself change and grow, I invite you to share the journey with me, and discover your own everyday fairy tale.

x Stacey