The 3am Teacher: July 2012

Clip Art Resources, jQuery for your blog & Some Goodies

Hi Everyone in Blog-land!!As usual, I have been quite a busy lady - minus many compulsive hours on the Top Teachers Facebook Page...I can't seem to pry myself away from that puppy because I keep thinking that I will miss something. Darn Facebook. Despite the setback, I have still managed to complete several new clip art sets that I would LOVE for you to add to your collections...(wink, wink)

This set features pre-teens doing what they love best...just hanging out of course!! Actually, now that I think of it, if I did a graphic of my daughter, it would have a cell phone glued to it's face...LOL

Click the girls below to get this set.

This next set is a fun one and at a great price - only $2.50 for 36 images; however, I can't get it uploaded onto TPT yet...wish I had my new store ready to publish...

Click the chihuahua to get some background freebies from my Photobucket page (-;

How cute and fun are those tacos??!!! Hahaha...they make me laugh!!
With TPT down the last few days, my sales have been pathetically low & I hope Paul gets it fixed soon. I do not typically post in the TPT forum because I tend to forget about it, but I visited it today and there were tons of topics on clipart....even an entire thread devoted to the topic (-; We even have a collaborative TPT clip art Pinterest Board...there is quite a selection (including my own of course) to choose from. This board has not made it to popular demand, but I would love for all of you to spread the word for the following Pinterest boards:
Mine (of course): http://pinterest.com/3amteacher/the-3am-teacher-graphics/
TPT Clip Art Board: http://pinterest.com/litata/tpt-clipart/
And I also have a collaborative board where those of you using my graphics in your products can showcase your stuff.. Send me your Pinterest Link and I will add you as an admin to the board...Rules (there must be rules)
1. The product must contain my graphics on the fron page (as I do not want to deceive people into thinking that someone else's beautiful work is my own)2. Must be something awesome...hahaha!! Have fun pinning away on this board because I LOVE to see how many different things can be created with my images.
http://pinterest.com/3amteacher/education-products-using-3am-graphics/
Continuing on...while posting a response, I noticed that I had moved up in TPT collaborative status..woo hoo...

P.S. Did you notice the snazzy effect when you scroll over the image??? Huh, did ya?? Visit Spice up Your Blog to get the Jquery code...Once you add the code to your HTML blog template, all you have to do is add a picture like you normally would, switch to html and where it says, <div class Separator...you will replace the word separator with effect1 (there are 5 effects to choose from). Pretty Awesome, right??

I have also done a little sprucing up to my blog as well!! Do you notice any subtle changes?? Do ya??? I will be changing my header soon, but if you have not already noticed, I have a more difficult time designing my own site...ugh! Isn't is funny how choices seem so permanent...until that is, you want to change them..hehehe I would love to know what you think...

On some good news (not that I had any bad news), I was asked to team up with Carson-Dellosa for a chance to be "The best blog of the Week!!" My turn will be featured around the first week of August on their FB page...so excited!!

Also...

They have some new features available that they would like to share with everyone...

(I know, this sounds like a commercial, but I promise, it is actually very good news if you order products from them or are interested in ordering some products from them)

Check out the NEW Carson-Dellosa website! www.carsondellosa.com

Carson-Dellosa asked hundreds of teachers and parents how they wanted to shop online. Based on their feedback, their new and improved website now features:

· $5.95 flat rate shipping on all online orders!
· A powerful new search function that makes it easy to browse more than 4,200 items by keyword, grade, age, subject, learning need, product type and brand
· Faster checkout
· Wish Lists to create and organize the stuff you want the most!
· Social sharing so you can quickly share product information on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google+

You should definitely take a look at their new site!!

Here are a couple of free backgrounds for you to use!! As always, please read my TOU located on the right sidebar and give credit to whom credit is due (-; These can be used for personal and/or commercial use (single user - no mass production)
I will be MIA for a couple of days because I am finishing up my Greek Graphics set...So excited about this one....I may be a little hard to reach as I have to really focus to get these finished (-;
These are ice-cream themed striped patterns...enjoy!!These will also be available on my Photobucket Album in a few days, so be on the look-out. Click on the Chihuahua head at the beginning of this post to link to my Photobucket album with freebies.

Peace, Love & Happy Thoughts...Thank you for stopping by my blog!!

NEW...If you love my graphics and would like to support my artistic habit you can add a donation by clicking the Paypal donation button at the top left sidebar of my blog!! As Always, thank you!!

New Clip Art Sets, Must Have Linky & A few FREEBIES!!

Good Morning!! And I mean...morning....I have not done a post this early in the day for quite some time. Actually, I typically do my posts between the hours of 2am and 4am, but I consider anytime before I go to sleep to be late (-; I have posted two new sets on TPT and I hope you all like them (-; Look for a couple of freebies at the end of this post from these sets (-;

Free Flower Graphic to grab...Please read my TOU before using (-;

Working like a dog & Playing like a puppy...FREE BACKGROUNDS 2

Wow! I can't believe it has been almost a week since my last post!! I feel so out of the blog loop. Plus also (in my best Junie B. voice), ever since I joined the TT group on Facebook, I have lagged in reading all of your blogs!!

Today is a new day; however, and I can set new goals....starting with some heavy blogging (-;My TPT sales have been low (very low) and I have a feeling it has a lot to do with my lack of blogging...eeks! Does anyone else notice this relationship between blogging frequency and sales?? Just wondering...Like my title states, I have been working like a dog lately. I have taken on quite a few custom graphics orders, but I am having a lot of fun. I have met some great peeps in the blogosphere.I do not typically do custom blog designs because it just takes a lot of time away from my graphic sets, but I just had to on this one...I made Sarah a button and a header for her blog that needed to match the existing background...what do you think???

I noticed that her code does not work properly, which I hadn't done for her. I will send her proper code - but for the meantime, this pic is linked! Definitely check out her blog & send her some love if possible...you are all so wonderful!!

I actually had fun creating the button and header... mostly because I loved the colors I had to work with (-;

So Much to Tell!! (free frame & glue stick)

The Arizona blog meet up was a SUCCESS!!! I had so much fun with all of these lovely ladies!! I have to admit that it is a little strange meeting someone you have only met online...in person for the first time... I had butterflies the entire drive to The Cheesecake Factory in Phoenix.

I agreed to meet up with Linda Kamp from Around the Kampfire an hour early & when I arrived she was sitting at the bar drinking a cocktail & I knew we would be great friends (-;

Me & Linda

REWIND...

Before I walked into the CF, actually, before I even parked...I ran right into a yellow cement pole while turning into the parking area!!!!! What did I do...you might ask?? Well, I made sure NO ONE WAS LOOKING of course!!!! I was so glad the small group of police officers were already out of sight. I checked around and saw no witnesses...because, you know - the most important thing right after you run into something is not to check out the damage...but to act like you're not the idiot that just hit a cement pole turning in because you should be sitting on a booster seat...HAHAHA

My shortness often blinds me...but this will be the first for me-running into something while driving a car.

Yes, I have tripped, dropped things, accidentally called my bank (M&I) MIA, and walked around a school campus with my skirt tucked into my thong panties...(YES, I SAID THONG)!! A bunch of high school kids saw my rear end & the boys seemed to really like me...but luckily I was still in high school and my rear end was not so bad, but my ego will be forever traumatized...LOL! I did the same then as I did when I ran into the pole...looked at everyone as if they were the wackos!! hahaha

After I parked (now, completely afraid to drive) I assessed the damages...HOLY BLOGGER!!!! I won't scare you with the details, but I will say that it was pretty bad.

Onto the AZ Blog Meet-up...Look as us lovely ladies...I will call us the Teaching-Cat Dolls (Mostly because I do not like that P word that rhymes with...hmmm...what does it rhyme with).

Left to right:

Nichole, Sandra, ME, Jennifer, & Linda... Where the heck was Teresa ???

Good (well, okay) food, great conversation & Excellent Company!! Thank you ladies for such a fun afternoon!! I will have to add blog links later (my ipad is dead).

One of the waiters took this, but I don't think he heard me when I said, "Don't make me look fat!" I don't know what his issue is, but he widened my hips (how dare he) and gave us all scary eyes!! Maybe he felt we were competition, considering our awesome fuzzy mustaches we were rockin'. You did't hear this from me, but Jennifer almost did NOT rock a mustache...I guess she didn't want to embarrass her unborn child...hahaha...Mine are in 5th and 10th grade...the perfect time to take any opportunities to embarrass my kids...LOL...JK...

Nicole & Sandra sporting their mob staches...LOL

Sandra & Teresa!!! Aren't they just lovely!!!

This post is a bit short considering I have not posted for a few days, but I have surprises in store for tomorrow!! Go visit these lovely AZ blogs (-;

Here are a few FREEBIES!!

All of my graphics are for personal and/or commercial use. Please read my TOU before using them.

Good Night (to me) & Good Morning (to you),

Thank you so much for your loveliness - ENJOY!!

This glue stick will be in a Back 2 School Clip Art Set: Part 2

Just right click & save the image (on a PC..not sure about the MAC).

SCORE!!! SUNDAY AUCTION FINDS...

Okay, I have like a G-A-ZILLION pics!! We left for the auction site to pick up the lot yesterday and I told most of you that I would be back online if a couple of hours......apparently not.

Winner, Confessions of a Shopaholic, and FREE BACKGROUNDS!!

And the Winner is............Drum Roll Please.........

Congrats to Mrs. Lindsey!!!! You should get an email shortly (-;

In Loving Wisdom Linky & AZ Blog Meet up Reminder!!!

I am linking up with Deb Thomas @

The first year teaching is the most difficult. I would have to say that it really wasn't until my 4th year teaching that I began to feel like I had it down...(-; In this profession, you will often feel overworked, underpaid, and under appreciated. It sort of comes with the territory. You will work long hours, you will work on your own time and it will not be easy. You might get attitude from your spouse, who may not understand the responsibility you have chosen to take on, but do not give up hope and do not stop working hard. Do not expect people to give you recognition...it is rare! The way to know that you are doing a great job is through your students and their families.

I am so excited to tell you that I have reached 1000 followers!!! I started my blog in October of 2011 not really quite sure what I was doing. I didn't have a clue what to write about and I think I changed my blog name about 10 times before deciding on the first name, "Cheezy Toes & Crooked Rows". Yes, that was the first blog name I published on this blog!! I named it to resemble my quirky rhyming tendencies and pet-peeves while teaching.
Cheezy toes was what I used to call Cheetos. Whenever the kids ate Cheetos, I asked why they would ever eat Cheezy Toes (-; They would have fun correcting me... Crooked rows were my buggest pet peeve. I did not have carpet on my classroom floor while I taught Kinder and I constantly had to fix and straighten the rows. It was like the desks and chairs were in the ocean while I stood on the beach...and I would have to round them up and bring them back as the tide moved them further away from their starting point.
After two days with this name, I canned it and I came up with 3AM Teacher...mostly because my husband said...well, you never sleep...it is 3AM and you are still up working on a blog name...well, that stuck with me and I loved the idea. My first two blog posts were pitiful; however, it is a strange feeling not knowing who you are writing to or where your words go once you click publish.
I have met so many wonderful people over the last few months and I am really excited that I will get an opportunity to meet a few of them next week!! I don't know what I would have done without all of your support and friendships...being able to sit down at my desk and immediately feel like I am in a room full of people..makes not teaching this year not so bad. There are no words to describe how wonderful this environment is. We encourage each other,Help one another,listen to one another,laugh with each other & cry with each other!You are all my daily inspiration and instead of having all of you complete a bunch of tasks, I am giving you a colorful clip art set...
Thank you for bringing so much color to my life!!!Grab your gift....
but that is not all...Kathi, Stephany & Stephanie from

contacted me a couple of days ago (after seeing that I was trying to figure out what I would do to celebrate 1000 followers) and asked if I needed anything to add to a giveaway for reaching 1000. I thought it was very kind of her, so I thought...well, I can have a little giveaway too...SOOO...
They have three stores combined between them and they will allow 1 lucky winner to choose one item from each of their three stores!!!
Check out their stores to browse through what you could win...remember, you get 3 items!! Rules: 1. Follow Stephany's TPT Store 2. Follow Stephanie's TPT Store3. Follow Kelli's TPT Store4. Leave ONE comment after following the stores listed above (include your first name and email in the comment)
5. For an extra chance to win...you can blog about this post; using my picture at the beginning of this post to link back to my blog. Once you blog about this celebration, you can leave an extra comment below with the link back to the post about this celebration (This is not required to win)
I will use the "Old School" number generator to choose a winner on Friday @ Midnight (AZ time). I will notify Kathiof the winner and she will get in contact with you to pick your 3 free resources (-;
Stephany's TPT Store