Writing Center caddy!

Happy Monday friends!
I'm super excited about this week's Made it! Tara, I'm linking up first thing in the morning so you won't miss me! ;)
Remember when I went to IKEA a month ago and found all these goodies?!

I finally made that writing center caddy I've had my eye on for..oh, a good 4 months!
First I started out with this lazy susan I got at IKEA for $7 - and that was the total cost for everything! (because I always have tons of craft paint, hot glue, ribbon, paper, etc on hand) if you had to go out and buy those materials it would obviously be a little more.

I dug through my recyclables and pulled out 6 cans - one was a little bit larger for the middle, the other 5 were all the same size to go around the outside.
Apparently we have a bean thing going on at our house! Talk about brand loyalty, no? ;)
I painted the lazy susan with craft paint. I didn't take a picture of it after I painted the edges but you'll see in the next picture! This was after the first coat - I did two coats and it covered it well!
I washed my cans really well and pealed the labels off - I definitely don't want my colored pencils smelling like Bush's baked beans! ha! I used wrapping paper (from Hobby Lobby!) to wrap the cans. If I were closer to my school I might have laminated the paper before I wrapped it around the can and glued them, but eh, if it starts to rip, no biggie - easy to fix! Because I'm more of an eyeball-it kind of girl, of course, the edges were definitely not straight! LOL So I just covered it up with a little bit of ribbon!
Last, I just put a huge gob of hot glue onto the bottom and edges of the cans (not sure if it will stay...might have to find something a little more kid-durable!) and attached the cans to the lazy susan!
I'm in love!! And in my new room I have a PERFECT little spot for a writing center (I had no room for one in my old class!)

OK - I made a version with labels, also but I'm not sure if I like them! Of course - I would laminate before attaching because there is NO way those little buggers would stay nice and neat as they are now! (oh, and I don't have all my materials at home, hence the scissors in colored pencils can, etc. don't judge :) Also, I would have each label facing the outside so they could read as they spin - this was just for the sake of taking a picture!
Which one do you like best?!

If you'd like the labels, here they are! (in 3 different colors)
{click on the picture}
Photobucket

52 comments

  1. I love this! I wanted to make one but I had no idea where I could find a Lazy Susan. Thank you for sharing! It turned out great!

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    1. I know! I kept on seeing "oh.. I found it at a garage sale" or at some store we don't have! I'm sure if you realllllly wanted one you could find one online!

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  2. Wow! Looks great. This is bound to motivate the kids to want to write - makes me want to write just looking at it! :)

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  3. Love how the writing cady turned out! Very useful and colorful! Great job!!

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  4. I pinned this one on Pinterest, too! Yours turned out fantastic. Now I want one. I like the cups with the labels best.
    Thanks for the inspiration,
    ~Andi

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  5. Yeah!!!! There you are, nice and early!!! I'm happy now:) Ok, loving the writing caddy!!!! SOOOOO much!!!! Love your "gob of glue" comment.....thinking maybe velcro under the cans and on the caddy would maybe work???? Maybe??? LOVE IT! Thanks for linking up:))) Can't wait to see what you do next!!!!

    4th Grade Frolics

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    1. I thought of that too!! My friend Erica suggested liquid nails! I think that one is smart!!

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  6. Love your writing center caddy! Thanks for sharing the adorable labels:-)

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  7. This looks GREAT! You are SO creative! Thanks for sharing the Labels!

    Thanks,

    Karmen

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  8. That's such a brilliant idea!! I love it Nicole and I'm pinning it so I can make it for when I make it down to IKEA! Great job!
    Lisa
    Learning Is Something to Treasure

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    1. Thanks Lisa! I know, I already have a list running in my mind for when I visit Dallas next!

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  9. Love how those turned out! I love it with the labels!

    Brandi
    Success in Second Grade

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  10. Your writing center is so cute! I love the lazy susan idea.

    Kara
    Spedventures

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  11. Love this idea! I will probably use the ones with the red around the edges. I am going to use the theme Super Heroes this year, so that will look great.

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  12. Oh my goodness! This is so stinkin cute! And it doesn't look too difficult! Thanks for sharing!

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  13. I love how you said you wanted to post early. I wrote my post last night and had it all ready to post. When I woke up at 8:30, I told myself okay you should be one of the first ones, but there were already 50 in front of me! I'm going to have to wake up at like 5 next Monday! Ha! I've been wanting to make one of these for a long time and I just love yours. Great job! I'm a follower now!

    Courtney
    3rd Grade Sprinkles

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    1. haha I did the same thing Courtney! I had it scheduled for 7:00 but then I didn't link up until a little bit later and I'm number 23 or something! haha! I guess I will have to be more on top of it next week if I want to be one of the first ones!

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  14. A few years back I created something similar using an old white plastic lazy susan from my kitchen cupboard and recycled white frosting containers for the supplies. Last summer I added some simple labels to the containers. It was minimalistic, but it worked.

    Now after seeing your post, I know it's time to revamp. I love, love, love the colors! Gorgeous! Thanks so very much for the labels.

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  15. HI Nicole,
    I made one of these last summer to hold markeres. Here is the link to see it if you want to.

    http://sprinklestokindergarten.blogspot.com/2012/03/show-and-tell.html

    I used liquid nails from Home Depot to hold them on the lazy susan. They have not come off yet. Also the label are cute. I think they would be nice on the cans.

    It turned out great, by the way!

    Erica
    Sprinkles to Kindergarten
    erica_crowder0612@yahoo.com

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    1. ahh! So smart Erica!! I'm going to have to get some liquid nails now! I'm pretty sure the hot glue won't hold up :)

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  16. I love the lazy susan idea!! I cannot wait to make my own!! Thanks for sharing!! It looks great :)
    Michelle
    Kindergarten Stars

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  17. That would be so nice just to set down in a counter for the kinders to use! Great idea--and it turned out super cute! I am one of your newest followers. I would love to have you come by and visit!

    www.ateacherwithoutaclass.com

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    1. Thanks for following me! I know - my 4 year old has been enjoying it a lot since I made it! :)

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  18. Super cute! I think I need a lazy susan!
    ❤Teri
    A Cupcake for the Teacher

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  19. Very cool idea! They turned out great! If the hot glue doesn't work and somehow isn't kid proof...use GORILLA GLUE! The stuff is amazing...:) Thanks for sharing!

    ~Sara~
    Ramblings of a Deaf Ed Teacher's Mind...

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  20. That looks great! And not too difficult to make! Thanks for sharing...

    Swersty’s Swap Shop

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  21. Very cute!! Just found your blog through the linky and am your newest follower!


    Amanda
    Teaching Maddeness
    Come join my linky party!

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  22. I bought this same lazy susan at Ikea for the same purpose!! I have yet to make mine because I have been searching for the perfect cups.. I like how the cans wrapped in cute scrapbook paper look! You may have inspired me to work on mine tomorrow.. I have all the supplies.. I just need the inspiration!

    Also, random.. but could you tell me how to make it so I can click on a picture and have it take me to the google docs (Okay, that didn't make sense.. how do I do this in my own blog posts.. like you did with your labels)? Any help would be appreciated! I have been searching for over an hour for how to do this!

    Ashley
    That's So Second Grade

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    1. Hi Ashley! Yes- super easy! Do you know how to take a screen shot? Google it- super easy, it should be under your start toolbar if you're on windows. Just take a "picture" of the page (like I did mine...had to zoom it out so that you can see the whole page on your screen) and then save as a picture in your pictures folder. Import it into your blogger post and click the "link" button just like you would to link words. Sometimes your picture might automatically have a link, so you have to click the link button twice, does that make sense?! Let me know if it helped! If not I can probably email you better directions!

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  23. This is great, you did a great job on your caddy. I absolutely love the colors.

    Thanks for sharing.

    Jill
    Bubbalulu.blogspot.com

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  24. Such a neat idea to use the lazy susan! I love it!


    Jennifer @ Herding Kats In Kindergarten

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  25. I never would have thought of bringing in a lazy susan into class! So creative!
    Thank you for stopping by and becoming a follower. I'm your newest follower now:)
    Also, the cartridge that I got my owl from is from "Hoot N' Holler." One of the cutest cartridges ever!

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    1. ahh! YES it is super cute! I think mine is called something else.. hoot something but not hoot and holler I don't think!

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  26. Super cute! Thanks so much for sharing this! Now I'm going to be looking for a lazy susan. Amazon here I come!

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  27. I totally want a lazy susan now.
    ~April
    The Idea Backpack
    ideabackpack@gmail.com

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  28. This looks sooooo good!! I like it with the labels!!

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  29. Wow! Beautiful...I love it with the labels, too!

    I found you through the giveaway. I am hosting a giveaway too, come and check it out if you have a minute

    Teach~Play~Smile 200 Follower Giveaway!

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  30. I am a new teacher about to start teaching 7th / 8th grade English, Creative Writing and Bible. I am jealous of you younger grades that can make your room so cute! I hope i can do a little bit just to make my room cheery!

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  31. I reallly wanted to make this but couldn't find a lazy susan. I found the greatest thing at Hobby Lobby yesterday! It is a table organizer that spins (lazy susan on the bottom.) It is black with great sections for pens,highlighters,word cards, etc. It even has drawers along the bottom! I just LOVE it! It is very neat looking! The bonus is I didn't have to create anything AND it was 40% off at Hobby Lobby! SCORE!! I wish I had a blog to share a picture of it!! Check it out at H.L. in the scrapbooking section!
    tjulch@mpsomaha.org

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Thanks for taking the time to chat with me!

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