(A) The first week of school.
(B) A headache coming on.
(C) An apple outfit.
(D) All of the above.
Here's my initial sketch. |
And here's the finished product. |
When did I come up with this idea, and how? I'm not sure, exactly. Could it have been inspired by a teacher I know, Mr. Brady? He has a wonderful apple shirt. I saw the shirt a year ago, but it only occurred to me a few weeks ago to make an apple outfit. Interesting how the seeds of an idea sometimes take a long time to grow. Yesterday I asked Mr. Brady if he’d wear the apple shirt today and he did. We’re twins!
Are
you wondering why it’s a tradition to give a teacher an apple? I thought so. I
poked around online and decided that Smithsonian Magazine’s website seemed a
reliable source. Here’s what the site had to say about apples for teachers:
Long
ago it was the common for students and their families to give teachers food (but
never rotten apples, even after a bad grade!). On the frontier families housed
and fed teachers. And eventually the apple became a symbol of teachers.
This
blogger thinks a B-12 shot and a pot of strong coffee would be an even more
helpful/relevant/accurate symbol of what teachers need, but hey—traditions can
be hard to de-establish. And I have nothing against apples. I like them!
They’re colorful and delicious and every Kindergarten and first grade classroom
in America has a picture of an apple next to the Aa leading the alphabet around
the top of the walls. So why mess with tradition?!
Total
cost for this outfit:
Fabric
and dye from stash $ 0
Red,
yellow, green felt $ 1.20
Hot
glue sticks $ .60
Red fabric for apple hat $ 1.50
TOTAL $
3.30
I made
my dress from fabric I had, which I dyed red (which faded to pink once I rinsed
the fabric the requisite million times). Then I painted apples on my dress and
hot glued fabric apples onto it, too. My apple hat I made from fabric and felt,
and it is filled with bubble wrap I already had.
Even
if I’m not mentally ready to jump back into the school year, at least my outfit
is. And regardless of whether I feel ready for school, I’m always ready to give
a teacher a high five. They work so hard and give so much. Call me preachy, but
I’m going to urge you to give a teacher a hug or a smile today. Teachers, you
are amazing. Thank you for all that you do. Let’s give these teachers a bushel
of apples. And a gold star!