After the great ideas for teacher appreciation gifts posted in the comments here I got all inspired. I was going to do whip up some wing-dinger gifts for the teachers we love so much.

But then life got in the way: I needed to be in one classroom or another I swear every single day. Lucy spilled our whole syrup dispenser full of syrup all over the kitchen. My sister-in-law came to town. And so did one of my best friends from high school. (Both visits were so fun…more on that later.) I stayed up for two nights in a row trying to finish my book club book, and then proceeded to walk around in a fog because I could hardly see straight I was so tired. (In case you can’t tell, I’m hanging by a thread.)

So, we opted for our usual gift cards. But this year we added an extra touch a few people suggested: a personalized note from each of our kids to their teachers telling them specific things they loved about them. For this year that’ll have to do (and I do think gift cards are a great gift).

Next year I’m want to do this idea from Mirien:

We have an annual teacher appreciation dinner at our house. Each child invites their teacher (and spouse if they have one). We have a nice dinner and we usually play a fun group game. The teachers always seem to appreciate it and we have many good memories. Next week we’re hosting our 10th dinner!

…although that’s a LOT of teachers if you count Lu’s three, Claire’s two, Max’s seven, etc….hmmmm. We’ll see, but I love that idea.

Anyway, I digress.

The reason I’m posting this is because sweet Jacquelyn from The Silver Maple who sent me this beautiful necklace here a while back suggested necklaces for teacher gifts…and is even willing to do a give-away for it!

I’m thinking that’s a pretty nice plan.

Even if it’s too late for you (like it is for me) to order something for teachers before school gets out in your neck of the woods, I’m sure YOU deserve a necklace for making it to the end of the year too.

I personally think I need this one:

And this is one that she made for my friend for Mother’s Day except that she substituted the word “runner” for “teacher,” which, yeah, makes a great teacher gift.
And I love this one: Jacquelin will let the winner basically choose and customize their necklace choice once she knows who it is. (I’ll announce the winner on Saturday morning.) I am SO excited for whoever wins!

So, whether it’s for you or some wonderful teacher in your life, leave a comment to be in the drawing to win one of these beauties.

Love, Shawni

200 Comments

  2. absolutely beautiful necklaces! I have three wonderful teachers in my life and I know that they would love one of these for an end of the year appreciation gift!

    Laura G

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  4. LOVE those necklaces, especially the first one. Thanks for the cool giveaway. And I read your blog everyday and love the way you write and tell your family's story. Thanks for sharing it.

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  5. What beautiful necklaces! School will be over tomorrow for us, but I would love one for myself, especially for those days when, like you, I feel like I am hanging by a thread! Thank you for an inspiring blog!

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  7. That would be a fantastic giveaway to win! Thanks for sharing it =))) I just love opening my reader in the a.m. {or anytime} and seeing a post from you! I loved your guest post on Sarah's blog— it was so very good.
    Have a great day!

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  10. Ooooooh….Pick me! Pick me!

    I love my kids' teachers this year and am sad to let them go. Sometimes I wish I could hire one of them to just come home school my kids for the rest of their school years!

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  11. what a great idea for a teacher gift….and one for me too!!! thanks for the giveaway!!! keeping my fingers crossed!!! i love the first one!

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  15. I would love one of those for my son's teacher. Their little school closed this year and we're all so sad and will miss having them being a part of our lives.

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  16. I would love to have any of those necklaces… and since my only elementary school teacher is a man this year, I would have to keep it for myself : )

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  20. Lovely necklaces. By the end of the school year I need the reminder to "Keep calm and carry on." Thanks for your inspirational writing.

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  25. They are all so beautiful and each has its own special meaning! I love them. I would love to win one for my mother who is enduring one of the most difficult periods of her life, watching her eternal companion die.

    Good luck with the teacher appreciation gifts…I {heart} gift cards! You are a most amazingly thoughtful woman and mother. Thank you for your amazing imspiration!
    ~Mary

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  26. VERY cool. It really would make a great teacher gift…but I want one for ME with my 3 babies names on them. So sweet.

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  36. I was talking to my kids about visual reminders of what is important to us in our lives. This fit perfectly. A visual reminder that is beautiful and stylish!

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  45. Oh, perfect for my sons teacher who has been his dual language teacher for three years in a row and is like a mother to him, not to mention practically a saint! Hope I win one for Sra. Valdovinos!!

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  53. I was hoping to get these for teacher gifts, but it just wasn't in the budget for all the kiddos. lol Then I was secretly hoping to get one for Mother's Day, now I'll just hold onto that hope for the next holiday! lol

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  56. what a great teacher gift… I love it!!

    P.S. We do the annual teacher dinner at our house and LOVE the tradition. Because we have so many teachers as well… last year we opted for a dessert bar! And we found that it was best to do it about three weeks before the last week of school.

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  68. shawni–thanks for all the teacher ideas. I stole the fortune cookie pei wei one for all my girls dance teachers. I think it will be so cute and they will love it. Good luck with a dinner next year…I can barely feed my own brood.

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  80. My first grader's (Max) teacher is retiring to take care of her first grand child. I would love to give her one. She would love the last one.

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  89. beautiful necklaces!! when i was teaching i LOVED getting gift cards, and special notes from students were the best. one year (after having a VERY difficult student) i bought myself my own teacher appreciation gift (i knew he wouldn't be getting me one!!)!!!

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  100. For the record, Shawni, as a former teacher myself, gift cards are VERY much appreciated! 🙂 I also think necklaces are an AMAZING gift – seriously love that! Thanks for a fabulous giveaway! 🙂

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  103. My daughter has a teacher this year who would think she died and went to heaven if she got anyone of those darling necklaces! What fun!!!

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  112. Is it selfish to want the necklace for myself, not a teacher?

    I love "Keep Calm and Carry On." Sounds like a great Brit-inspired theme for my life.

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  114. What an awesome idea. Both of my girls have amazing teachers. One of them tragically lost her husband two years ago. She is actually getting remarried tomorrow. It is so nice to see her happy again after so much sorrow and she continued to do so much for the kids. Luckily, my daughter will be blessed to have her again next year for first grade. I would love to win a necklace for her. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed.

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  135. What a great idea…! We have school until June 22nd (ugh!)…but your blog got me in the mindset…so I have sometime to get something together. Thank you! I love that 3rd necklace!

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  139. I've loved these necklaces since I first saw them, what a beautiful idea. I love creative people because I'm not one! Thank you for writing such an inspiring blog, and book!

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  142. cute necklaces especially the runner one! We are a homeschool family so maybe I could qualify for a teacher gift though to be honest having my kids with me everyday is the sweetest gift ever.

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  145. I stumbled across your blog somehow (honestly cannot even remember) about 4 months ago and I must tell you that I am hooked which is quite strange because we have never met. First of all I love your photographs they are beautiful and your writing is very inspiring, so thank you for that. These necklaces are very unique and I would love to know how to place an order for myself, my daughter and my Mom and maybe a teacher in the future (school is out tomorrow- Hallelujah!)

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  146. I blog hopped over here two days ago (have stayed up way too late reading your archives), by way of another blog that was linked by a Facebook friend, and it seems to me that I've gotten here just in time! So if new readers have a chance at this, please count me in! 🙂

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  163. I always sit and ponder what I could possibly give to my childrens teachers at the end of the year. Nothing seems to say thank you enough. One of these necklaces would be awesome! There is nothing I love getting more than jewelry!

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  170. Beautiful necklaces! I want to know where people come up with these ideas. So creative and fun! I would have a hard time deciding whether to give one to my sons teacher or keep one for me. 🙂
    MegJill at
    he4rken(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  178. Shawni,
    Today is the second day of summer vacation for our kids. I was envisioning relaxing days with them, but it's been a bit crazy. I guess that's what we get with 5 kids and their own schedules. We plan on having fun, though. Hang in there,and then you'll have lots of fun with them throughout the summer!
    Thanks for the give away. The necklaces are cool!
    Tami

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  188. I love those necklaces! They are so cute. It would take me awhile to decide what I wanted though, since they are all so cute! 🙂

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  189. These are really neat. And, as a side note – as a teacher, the handwritten note would move me to tears – it's not the gift, it's knowing you made a difference. Love how you're teaching your children to appreciate.

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  196. We have the large teacher count again this year (we have our OT/PT/vision/speech folks in the list, plus some amazing music and art teachers)! But the 5th grade teacher this year really went above and beyond – I'd love to give her something this special.

    christina.dreyer.1@gmail.com

    Reply

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