School starts here on Monday, and I thought it would be fun to decorate our front door with a little school spirit!  I love how this wreath combines their school colors and photos of my boys with the grade they will be attending this year.  While there are a few separate steps to the project, it is very easy and can be completed in an evening.

Here are the supplies you will need:

• Wreath form (I used a grapevine wreath)
• Unfinished wood frame 4×6 or 5×7 size
• Chalkboard Vinyl
• Chalk
• Small unfinished wood frames
• Printout of bus (can be located in word clipart)
• Chipboard
• Letter stickers or 3D scrapbook letters
• Modge Podge
• Twine
• Card stock in school colors
• Hot Glue
• Tacky Glue (optional)
• Clear Packing Tape (optional)
• Ruler
• Hole punch
• Notebook paper
• Pencil
• Sharpie
• Ribbon

We are going to start with the chalkboard frame.  Remove the frame back and glass.

Paint the frame yellow and allow to dry.

Use your ruler and pencil to make a mark at every half inch and one inch space.  Use a black permanent marker to finish the lines and write in the numbers.

Isn’t that cute?  Looks like an old school ruler.  Love it!  Now grab the frame back and your chalkboard vinyl.  Trim the vinyl to the size of the frame back.  Remove the protective backing from your vinyl and attach the vinyl to the frame back.

Write a message such a “Back To School” (clever I know) and insert the glass and chalkboard back into the frame.

Whew!  We are done with the first (and lengthiest part of the project).  Are you still with me?  Take a little break if you like…go on, go get a snack.  You deserve it!  I’ll wait…..

Ok glad you are back!  Next step:  Picture frames.

Remove the back from your frame and trace it on to the notebook paper so that the red margin line will be visible on your frame.  This will make it look like a notebook when we are all done!

Cut out the paper and adhere it to your frame with a thin layer of Modge Podge.  Do not use a lot of the Modge Podge because the notebook paper is thin and could tear.  Smooth out any air bubbles and allow to dry for a few minutes.  Apply a thin layer of Modge Podge over the top to seal the paper.  Add a school photo of your child and embellish with the grade they are entering in school.  Replace the frame back.

Yay! You did it.  Now on to the final step creating the bus and pennant banner.

We are going to start with the banner.  Decide what you would like the pennant to say so that you can determine how many triangles to cut from your colored card stock.  My wreath says “Go Hawks” because that is our school’s mascot.

Ok now this is where you may need to humor me a bit.  I am going to have my wreath hanging on our front door, and I do not want rain, wind, etc. to ruin the paper pennants therefore I have “laminated” them.  (Note: this step is optional based on where you will hang your wreath).  

I REALLY want a laminating machine but have yet to receive one despite repeated hints I keep dropping around my house (hint, hint hubby!).  Anyway, until I get one I have to use my old bystander which is clear packing tape.  It works like a charm especially for small things like this!

Cut out the “laminated” triangles, punch holes in two of the corners, and attach the letters.

Thread the twine through the holes in each pennant to create your banner.

Time for the bus!  We are almost done.  Hang in there, it will all be worth it.  I promise!

Grab your printout of the bus.  You can also use a di-cut of a bus, or a foam bus shape, but I just used a bus picture that found in Microsoft Word Clip Art.

I glued the bus onto a piece of chipboard and then cut it out.  This helps the shape to be stiff enough to glue onto the wreath.  I also “laminated” it using the same method as I did for the pennants.

So now the fun part!  Putting it all together!  Use a hot glue gun to attach all of the components to your wreath form.  My wreath looked kind of bare in spots so I added a few apples to embellish it a bit more.

And here it is all put together!  I think it makes for a cheery way to send the kids off to school!

Thanks again for joining me for Back to School week.  A HUGE thanks goes to the guests who made this week so much fun!  Darla, Bev, Jen and Heather, you guys are amazing!  Thanks for all of your great tutorials and back to school tips!

I am linking up to the following parties:

Tickled Pink Fridays with 504 Main

Feature You Fridays at Fingerprints on the Fridge

Fireflies and Jellybeans

Tatertots and Jello Weekend Wrap-Up

Flamingo Toes Think Pink Sundays