2013 download Bulletin Board Help!!!

So, summer is winding down - WAAAA!!!!! I have to admit that I am always kind of torn at this time of year. I LOVE summer and the flexibility it allows me with my children. There are days we don't eat dinner until 9p.m. and that's ok because.....it's summer!!

I love not knowing what day or time it is! One of the reasons I think I love not paying attention to time is because so much of our lives as teachers revolve around the time (down to the minute)..... It's such a sharp contrast to the school year..... It's simply refreshing!

However, as any good teacher.....I also love the newness that each August carries.... One of my favorite things to do is create a new bulletin board.

The very first thing I usually do when I get back into my class each year is the hallway bulletin board (I know most people leave that for the end, but to me that signal that they new year has begun so I do it first).......

Here is my bulletin board from last year. Our school theme was Space and Stars. In Texas, our students started taking a new high stakes test called STAAR and so the theme was in support of this FABULOUS new test (can you detect the sarcasm there?). Anyways, I wasn't really excited about the space theme so I played up on stars and came up with "Swinging on a Star".....you know......"Would you like to swing on a star? Carry moonbeams home in a jar?" You're right - I can't sing! But you get my drift, right?!

I loved the bulletin board and spent a long time making the swings. They were meant to frame the students' writing (since we are limited in what we can post in the hallway (long story).....

So, fast forward to May at Kindergarten graduation........oh it's so hectic!!! Parents were told they could take all their child's work......

Well, as I was still in the classroom taking pictures with kids and talking to parents - other parents began leaving.... Before I knew it - I had swings missing......you know kinder parents......they want as much as they can get to remember their child's kindergarten year......They took the swings :0( Oh no! I spent so much time making those swings........

Oh well!! I'm over that now (2 months later:0) But, my wonderful school has decided to continue the Space/Stars theme......uggghh!! I still don't like that theme so I want to continue on with my "Swinging on a Star" theme for my bulletin board --it still fits what we are doing, yet can be more geared to beginning kinders.......

Last year, I cut a meter stick in half - glued the 2 pieces together, painted it, and stapled a rope around to create the swing......It cost me a pretty penny. I am not willing to spend a ton this year......but I love the idea.....

So, my question for you creative teachers out there --

How can I create my swings this year?

Please help me! :0)