DIY Crayon Pencil Holder For Teachers

I actually made this project about 2 years ago, way before crayon projects and Pinterest.  One thing I have a lot of around the house are crayons, tin cans, and ribbon (care of my wedding business).  What I like about this one that sets it apart is using a large size can and the addition of the satin ribbon.  My kids teachers' absolutely loved them!

Here's what you'll need:

1 large tin can (rinsed, cleaned, dried)

Crayons (I used new ones and bought a 48 count box)

1.5 inch wide satin ribbon, about 1 1/2 feet long (I used a bright orange....craft stores usually sell this by the yard, so you don't have to commit to a full roll)

Hot glue gun

Copyright: Happy Kids, Inc

1.  Apply a zig zag strip of hot glue across the top of your tin can.  Carefully wrap and press the satin ribbon around the top of the can and tie in a bow.  

2. Place a thin strip of hot glue on the back side of each crayon and align straight around the can. Alternate amongst all colors, or if you bought enough crayons, you can re-create a rainbow!

3.  Have your child use a Sharpie and write a short note (or just sign their name and the date) to the bottom of the can.

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Quick Tip: Drawer Organizer

Do you shop at Costco? Do you buy fresh fruit there? At the very least, I recycle the plastic outer wrap that the apples and pears come in.  But I had a great idea on how to re-use them.  Cut the container down the middle and you instantly have a drawer organizer!  

Get creative and think of other uses, too.  I think it would be great for kid's paints, in the garage for small items like nails and screws, in a craft room for small items, and so much more.  

Upcycled Christmas Cards: Garland!

I have hundreds of Christmas cards from years gone by.  I just can't recycle them, yet they are clogging up drawers, desks, and bags here and there in my house.  I was brainstorming ideas on how to use them in a craft project.  So, I came up with garland.  

Grab a pencil and a round item that you can use to trace the area you want to cut out.  I used the top of a small round plastic to go container.  A lid or rim of a cup would work, too.  Outline the area to be cut.  I had my kids do the cutting; although not perfectly straight, it adds a cute touch knowing that they helped with the project.  

Select some beautiful ribbon.  I had some pretty red satin ribbon with gold snowflakes on it, so I used that.  I did not pre-cut, I just unrolled a bit and started gluing.  Put a spot of hot glue directly on one side of the ribbon and adhere one of the card cut-outs.  Leave about a 2-3 inch space between each one.  I glued 3 and then reversed the ribbon and glued 3 more on the backsides, too.  That way, when you hang the garland, you won't have to worry about hanging it just right so the back doesn't show.  

Continue this process until you have used all your cutouts.  I ended up gluing 42 circles, or 21 two-sided sections.  I added it to our tree, but I think it would look equally cute across the top of a window or on the wall.  You could even mount it and use clothespins to hold cards from this year!

                           

Craft Spotlight: Upcycled Christmas Light Ornaments

By Meg Hodson

I am an avid recycler and try to be a good role model for my children when it comes to conserving and recycling.  So, when we were recently decorating our Christmas tree, we were testing our lights and inevitably, many needed replacing.  I gazed at the pile of colored bulbs on our counter, not wanting to just throw them away.  Then a great idea struck me.

I have always loved to tie ornaments or other small trinkets to presents.  I will usually buy a package of small bulbs strictly for this purpose.  But looking at these old bulbs, I decided to play with the idea of using them instead.  I am very excited about the results!

To make them sparkle (and to get the kids involved with this project), I had them coat each bulb heavily with a glue stick.  (The bulbs I had are the C7 old-fashioned bulbs, but the C9's should work equally as well) Then, I gently rolled them in small cups of glitter.  I found, through experimentation, that matching bulb to glitter color worked best, in case there were microscopic areas that were missed by glitter. So, I chose green on green, red on red, and used white with silver.  To let them dry, I used a cookie cooling rack and set them upright in the holes.  I did not use a craft sealant of any kind on these, but they are a little delicate and I think it would be a good idea.

Once dry, have your hot glue gun ready and ribbon of your choice (I used 1/4 inch wide single face satin).  First, cut off a strand and glue the ends on opposites side of the end of the bulb (see photo below).  Let dry for a minute and cut another strand to tie a bow across the end of the bulb.

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And you're done!  They look positively adorable on gifts and equally adorable hanging on the tree. Have fun!