Have You Hugged a Computer Today?

The New Year is almost here!  What?  "Are you serious, Clark?"  2012 has flown right by, and I am still in awe of everything that has happened this past year!  To celebrate the ending of a fantastic year, and to give (and get) some inspiration for 2013, I am linking up with my friend Kathleen at one my favorite blogs, Growing Kinders, to share some of my technology "treats" and resolutions with you!

Um, resolution #1...be a better blogger in the upcoming year!  Thank you to everyone who still reads (and comments) on my poor neglected blog!  Please bear with me as I get back to blogging regularly! Life this year has been a whirlwind of crazy (a good kind of crazy)--just so busy, and trying to balance many things at once!

Anyway, moving right along...

Technology "treats" that I just love:

I am so lucky to have a SmartBoard in my classroom.  It has been a long journey to finally get to feeling comfortable using it, and I would eventually love to learn to create charts for lessons.  It seems so super tricky, though! (Hey!  That can be my technology resolution #2!)  My lack of knowledge in creating lessons to use with my SmartBoard brings me to some of my favorite SmartBoard resources--already created-- and looking as precious as can be:

Jessica Meacham has been an inspiration to me since I started teaching.  Her website is literally a treasure box full of amazing ideas and resources.  She also has incredibly CUTE SmartBoard files for any topic or subject!

I absolutely LOVE SmartBoard calendars from Smart Lesson Stop!  The graphics in the products they create are incredible, and the daily math that the calendar pages cover are some of the best I have seen yet.  My kids love doing calendar, and I love it because it makes teaching hard concepts easy and engaging for my students.

In other news...let's talk about my favorite technology products:

1.  APPLE anything.  Looking for a new laptop?  Make it a MacBook Pro.  I've had mine for a little over a year now, and can't live without it.  Just make sure to purchase the Office Suite to go with it.  :) 

My Christmas present from the hubs was a GLORIOUS new Apple iMac!  STOP. it. RIGHT now!!!  I could have cried.  Really, I almost did.  I gave the box a tiny hug.  I can't wait to start creating new things with this rocking cool computer!

2.  The Bamboo tablet (kind of).  Many of you have asked how I create my clipart, and it started with purchasing the tablet.  I tried drawing only on the tablet, and it was really HARD!!!  So, I decided to hand draw my art, scan it, and then digitally color it using the software that came with the tablet.  So, really, I like the Photoshop Elements program that came with the tablet!  (Technology resolution #3...to learn more about creating clipart in Photoshop!)  I am really just teaching myself as I go, so I would love to take a class or something.  Please check out some of my newest clipart creations on TpT!  These are my two most recent ones:

        

Join in on the fun, and win some cool prizes--link up with Kathleen to share YOUR technology favorites and resolutions!  

And again, thanks for reading, dear friends.