Well, I have a little secret to confess…
Did you know that I can see all of your comments when you pin one of my images? I bet you didn’t! Yep…I can see all of them! I check my pins on a daily basis to see what people are saying about the content I am posting on my blog, what images they are pinning the most and how people feel about my site!
For the most part, people are saying such nice things! Seriously warms my heart when I know that all of you like my rooms that I’ve designed! I also LOVE it when you refer my site to a friend or colleague – THANK YOU SO MUCH!
There are a few comments that some of you have made that I am dying to talk about!
1. People question the amount of paper that I used in my classroom.
These are the photos that I usually see pinned when they are making that comment.
The top is a bulletin board, so putting paper there is natural. The brown paper with “Welcome First Grade Friends” was a NECESSITY! I would normally never think of adding paper to that area, but I had a problem…
The teacher that had my classroom before had written all over the wood with permanent marker. She also used an obscene amount of Velcro that couldn’t come off. You can imagine how upset I was when I walked into the classroom and had an absolute mess! I tried covering it with cutouts, but it didn’t work. This was true for my doors and every piece of exposed wood in my classroom. UGH!!! Not to mention, all of the permanent shelves were removed from the bathrooms. Not nice.
The curtain created out of paper and border is used to pin student’s work. Originally, there was a large bulletin board that could be lifted for storage. The bulletin board was missing too. Maybe she took that as well? Ha! Just kidding! My room actually has very little space for displaying student work.
I asked my principal if I could paint the doors to make them look more attractive. I found a magnetic, non-toxic paint that I was hoping I could use, but it was turned down. Wouldn’t that have been wonderful to have a ton of magnetic surfaces all over your classroom?!? The possibilities would have been endless…(sigh).
So, ladies, I do love me some fadeless paper…but NOT that much! I just came up with a creative solution to make my room presentable!
OKAY…HERE IS THE OTHER COMMENT A FEW PEOPLE HAVE MADE…
I see this image pinned quite a bit. People LOVE this room. I do too. When I created this room, I went back and forth and asked myself if it was too “over the top.” I wondered if it was too busy. Ultimately, I thought it was gorgeous and decided to keep it.
Most of you love it, but I have noticed a few people have written that it was too much for children or that it was too “over the top.”
Well, here is my chance to explain…
First off, these rooms are for INSPIRATION purposes only! Remember, this is my kid’s playroom and all of their toys are shoved into the other half of the room. I have a very small space to work with. This room wouldn’t look nearly as busy if it were staged in a large classroom!
Next, think of a store display window. This is staged for a display. Don’t feel like you need to use EVERYTHING in my photos! Use what you like. Get ideas. Put your own spin on your classroom. My designs are just ideas.
Are my designs “over the top?” Absolutely! I AM “over the top!” Always have been. I never do anything half way. I want my rooms to stand out. I am a firm believer that your room reflects who you are!
So, keep those comments coming! I LOVE to find out what you are thinking!
Happy Decorating!
~Melanie~
Thanks, Melanie, for all you do to inspire us! I have taken a year off of teaching and am so happy to get back to decorate my room!! 🙂 I am wanting to do a fishing theme–I can tell you my ideas if you wanna hear…
Janet
Thanks so much, Janet! Absolutely! Send me pics when you are done! 🙂
Melanie,
I LOVE everything you have done!! It is fabulous! You are over the top and don’t stop! I like it that way!! Can’t wait to see some more things coming…although I am not sure if I will be able to use any…I am taking a year’s leave of absence next year and will take the year to relax, recuperate and decide if I am retiring early or going back for a couple years before it is officially time to retire. I will be volunteering at my school so hopefully someone will let me decorate their classroom!!
Thanks so much, Teresa! You are so sweet! If you get to decorate someone’s classroom, take some pictures for me! 🙂
Melanie,
Thanks for continuing to inspire so many teachers! Your designs are so creative and gorgeous. I had know idea that you could read the comments people attach to your photos! I would be obsessed with finding out what people are saying! Can’t wait to check out your new rainbow and seuss themes. Gearing up for summer when I have time to give my entire classroom a makeover!
Well, I am a little obsessed, I have to admit! Thanks for the kind words! xoxo
Melanie,
I LOVE the polka dot room and all of your rooms!!!. As a matter of fact, I was going to redo my classroom this summer, so I started purchasing polka dot items and putting them under my cabinet. The more I bought the more excited I got. So I couldn’t wait until summer. So for two weeks, every day after school, I would change one or two things in my room. Now it is completed and I love it. I have sooooooo many people compliment me on my room and I always let them know your website and that you were my inspiration. We are on spring break this coming week, but when I get back I will take some pics and share them with you. Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas!!!!
Oh Carol…I can’t wait to see pictures! Yes, please send them to me!!! 🙂
OMG. I am the same way. I was also planning on summer polka dot madness but have been changing one thing a day for the past couple of weeks. Thank goodness my current theme is just by color not print so the clash is not too bad. (but enough to bug me and make me want to change it all now). I am going to hold out so that I can spend the rest of my time this year on what needs to get done now. I also look forward to that extra excitement that will come with a new room and new year. Happy polka dotting.
Melanie! YOU ARE AMAZING! Your post reminds me of the quote, “DARE TO BE REMARKABLE”. YOU are remarkable! I am glad that you are proud of being over the top. The negative comments are jealous people who could never create the beautiful things that you do. That’s what I think anyway. I think that your use of paper is BRILLIANT. The environments that you create inspire teachers to create beautiful spaces for their students. Beautiful spaces inspire students. By the way, I get to share your blog at our PLC meeting on April 16th. Happy Weekend!
Your biggest fan,
Jodi
Oh Jodi…you are the BEST!!! Thank you for sharing my blog too! xoxo
Oh my Gosh! Over the top?! Yeah baby! Man, if only I could decorate my classroom like this. My head is spinning around with ideas from your blog. I want my room to be like this. Please don’t ever stop being over the top. People are just jealous. 😀 I can’t wait to see more wonderful ideas from you.
Awwww! Thanks, Mailee! Thanks so much for the kind words! xoxo
Melanie..please continue to be over the top! I am in awe of everything you do! You are so talented, and creative!
You are so sweet! Thank you so much! 🙂
Melanie,
Don’t pay any attention to anyone’s negative comments. They’re just jealous. Besides, I am a firm believer that children need to be taught that there are some things in the classroom you can’t touch. I teach first grade. I have a section of my room devoted to all of our art supplies. They know that I am the only one allowed to get things off of those shelves. They are always organized and neat because my kids know not to touch them. I think your rooms are beautiful. My question is this. It seems that everything I have bought for my room is one of the primary colors. I am interested in doing a black/white scheme with one color for an accent (maybe red?). Won’t all of my pocket charts and other primary-colored items clash if I try to do this type of scheme??? What do you suggest???
Hi Nicole!
Well, it probably would clash. My suggestion would be to either spray paint your primary colored tubs and baskets, then only stick with a red pocket chart. My other suggestion would be to use Creative Teaching Press’ Poppin Patterns line. It is black with primary colors. This might give you the sophistication and contrast you are looking for, but it would also incorporate all of your primary colors! I used that line a couple years ago and love it! Hope that helps! 🙂
I can’t believe that people DISLIKE what you are doing….!!!! I LOVE to see your “visions” and wish I had your ENERGY, girlfriend!!!!!!!!! Keep those photos coming! You are truly an inspiration to many of us!!!!!!!!
Cheri
Awwww! Thanks, dear! 🙂
I’m glad you could explain the thinking behind your decisions. Hopefully, this post will help those understand.
As for me, keep on styling! 🙂
Thanks for giving us the “behind the scene” info. I absolutely love your ideas and
love sharing them!
Great ideas for solving classroom deco problems. As an educator that has moved to many different classrooms, I can relate to the obstacles you disscoverd and overcame. Your students, parents, and followers appreciate your thinking out of the box!!!!
Ha! I know this little secret too and I love seeing comments on pins from my blog! I adore each and every little thing you do, especially how you stage all of your new designs. I think it is just beyond brilliant!!
Kristen 🙂
Hi Kristen!
Thank you so much! I love your stuff too! 🙂
I have never been one for a themed classroom, but colors I love! I have been inspired by the blue and green color scheme and have started collecting stuff already in excitement for next year! I am so thrilled to finally have a classroom that will be coordinated, which I am sure will make for a happier place to work in too! Thanks for your dedication to prettier rooms!
Awwww! Thanks Joyce!
You’re ideas are over the top and that what is so great about them. You have inspired me to share your ideas with my colleagues. Keep doing what you are doing! I love it.
I love your ideas, and I hope that you keep doing what you are doing! Sure, it’s risky to put yourself out there. You are an example of thinking outside the box and challenging the “way” things are done in a classroom. It’s easier to pick out the negatives rather than think, how can I take this and help our class? Keep being you! Thank you so much for sharing and having this site!
Awwww! Crystal, that was really sweet! Thank you so much!
I love all of your rooms and inspirations! I found your website last night and have already shared this with three other people/teachers!
I just got my first teaching job as a teacher and I start in August. I cannot wait to use either the bird theme or the owl theme. I am leaning more towards the owl theme and I cannot wait to purchase it when it’s available! Keep up the amazing work! 🙂
Hi Katelyn!
Thank you SO much! How sweet of you to email me! Good luck – teaching is the best job EVER! I can remember how excited I was when I got my first job – you must be ecstatic! If you use my themes, send me pics and I would love to post them on my site! If you need anything, just let me know…~Melanie
Melanie, I wouldn’t waste your time responding to negative comments. You are amazing and very talented! Spend your time creating new and wonderful things for me to look at! I can’t get enough of all your amazing creation! I am having a hard time deciding which room I want to copy next year for my classroom! I am so glad I found your web-site! You are brillant!
Kerry!
Thank you so much for the kind words! You just made my day! 🙂
You are Amazing. Wish you could come and decorate my room. I have trouble staying organized and would love the black and white themed room. It is so fabulous!!! You have great taste. I love to create but hate to put it back after I create. Therefore I am messy. Any advice? I start out great but it never lasts.
Keep up the inspiring photos of your creations.
Margie
Melanie,
I came across your website as I was playing around on my computer! What a blessing it was. As for you being “over the top”, I love your style and energy in all of your designs. I am crazy about the new owl theme but I love the others too. Guess I will have to take some time to think about which one I want for new school year. Definitely will be purchasing items from you from now on!
Cheryl,
What a sweet email! Thank you so so much! 🙂
Thanks for all the great ideas. I love what you do for the kids in school.
I do have a question.. how do you see what people comment on your pins? Either no one ever comments on mine or I am looking in the wrong place.
Thanks
Hi there! I just found your blog, and LOVE LOVE LOVE your originality. I did have a question, as to why you would worry about what people comment on your pins? You obviously put a lot of time, thought, and creative style into your classroom. Shouldn’t the test be whether the children are learning something from you, in the environment? Through my experience, I’ve found that having a creatively decorated classroom that is rotated and updated OFTEN (use of paper or not) actually promotes learning and curiosity. I’m over the top too – I believe fully in 3’d displays and thinking outside of the box! You’ve done a beautiful job and should be proud of your efforts! Keep up the good work, School Girl! :))
I love your style. The black and white polka dots are awesome. I will be moving from 2nd grade to middle grades next year. I’m thinking my drab middle school room will really pop with a black and white theme. Thanks for your inspiration…teachers should be over the top!
I love, love, love this room! I am in so many classrooms throughout the year doing observations and would love to see some of your ideas in those rooms. Other ideas that I have seen that maybe ideas for you as well include M & M’s, frogs, just primary colors, bubbles….just to name a few!
I am a psychologist and I am going to use some of your ideas to redo my office with quotes that I love in dusty purple, light lime green and cornflower blue. I am so excited to see how it turns out! Thank you for inspiring me, I can’t wait to see more!
I love your rooms! I was wondering if you are planning on doing a red and aqua room or a beach theme. I love your “over the top” style!!
Thanks for all of the inspiration.
I am doing a luau theme in July, it will look a little “beachy”…
I LOVE everything you do! I just popped by for some ideas for my new classroom in our brand new school (moving over Christmas break BLAH). I finally have all of my stuff over there, so now comes the fun part, decorating and organizing. I keep saying to myself I wish Melanie from Schoolgirl Style would come direct me. LOL! My heart sinks every time I sit down to think about decorating my classroom, but I think I have come to the right place! Thanks for the amazing inspiration!
I know that decorating is extremely overwhelming. My e-book might be able to help you if you get stuck. Please send me photos when you are finished. 🙂
Your talent and and excitement toward decorating the classroom so students feel safe, secure and very comfortable should be CELEBRATED! Please, please keep the ideas flowing our way!