#4 Holiday Gifts Under $5

I found the cutest little trinkets at Pier 1 Imports.  It's been quite a week and I'm so excited to be back on the blog writing about something fun.  Don't get me wrong, teaching fifth grade is often fun, but there is something about taking the time to write about organizing, shopping, and holidays that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  

The first on the list is a lollipop pen that lights up when you write!  

I spent the entire day cleaning and organizing...washing floors, raking the lawn, and rearranging furniture.  My hands have taken a beating.  Looks like a glove mask tonight...

The only bad news about these cute lollipop pens is that I don't want to give them away as gifts.  My students would go crazy if I whipped one of these out and began grading papers.  At $4 each, I may have to get a few to give as prizes to some of my teacher-created BINGO games.

There were some other fab finds at Pier 1 for my "under $5 hunt". 

The top, round bottle is anti-bacterial hand gel.  It's made with vitamin e and it smells so festive.  The piece of "wrapped candy" is lip gloss and the "mittens" are bubble bath.  So cute to add to the top of a gift, droop from a Christmas stocking, or tie around a wine glass stem as a party favor.  The ideas are endless! 

Remember... you don't have to go bankrupt to be jolly and festive.

Cheers!

Favorite Marking Pens

My favorite writing instruments are the felt tip, Paper Mate medium point pens which are kind of really expensive. So, I hunt for sales and get thoroughly excited when these pens are reduced at back-to-school time.

My grade level team was grading reading & math benchmarks last May and nobody had a pen. So, I had to lend out my favorite felt tips to my friends, or so I thought they were my friends! Not one of the six people returned the pens.  Later I happened to see two of my teammates using the pens to grade papers!  Ha!  Caught!

Guess what?  They now have a new favorite marking pen. Being the team player that I am, I went out and purchased a package for each of two ladies on my team. 

Staples seems to be the most expensive.  An 8-pack costs $16.49.  

It was like the greatest day of my life (almost) when I stumbled upon a 6-pack for $2.99 at Christmas Tree Shops.  

I also purchased a new, pink Swingline 3-hole punch (seen underneath the pens) for only $3.99.

I love to find bargains of things I use/need anyway. This was a super day.

Now off to finish my reading area and paint my clipboards.  August is a crazy month filled with many to-do's.