Back to School Pencil Vase

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

No, not Christmas.

No, not Thanksgiving.

No, No not Halloween,or Easter.

Nope, not even New Years,4th of July, Spring or Winter.

 OK, OK quit guessing,  I will tell you.

I forgot that there were so many wonderful times of the year I love.

It's "Back to School"!

Back to school is exciting for so many reasons!

Let me just name a few of my favorites;

 Earlier bedtimes

  Schedules & Routines

 Fall

 Sports

 Quiet afternoons

and last but not least

Cheap Craft Supplies!

I love buying a notebook for a dime, or a box of crayons (or 10) for a quarter. Not only

 do I try to stock up for the whole school year, but I try to replenish my craft supplies also.

This year was no different, but when I went out shopping,  I had a few projects on my

mind. So I picked up a few supplies, and hurried home to get started on a few projects that

I can't wait to show you!

Today  I want to show you how to make this quick and easy Pencil Vase! (and cheap)

First lets start with a list of supplies, so you can make this right along with me.

1. The only tools you will need are a hot glue gun and a pair of scissors. 4 glue sticks for the whole project, a clear glass cylinder vase that I purchased at the dollar store, about 34 pencils, and a decorative ribbon to finish it off.

2. I like to do one strip of hot glue all the way down the pencil. I also prefer to glue over the writing so that part of the pencil will face in. I think it gives a cleaner finish when it is complete.

3. The glue dries pretty fast so once you get the glue on the pencil, position it on the glass right away. The best part is that it is glass, so it is pretty forgiving with mistakes. The first time I made one, I had to remove a pencil or two to get it lined up straight.

4. Continue gluing pencils around making sure to keep them lined up straight.

 ( I just did it by eye, but you could get technical and pull out a level if you like) 

5.Here are a few tips to help you... (They would have been useful to me when i started)  Because the metal on the top of the pencil is a little thicker you need to leave a little space at the bottom, but keep the top nice and tight. It also helps to work both directions, and meet around the back. (If you are going to have a little gap, which I did, it is best to be hidden in the back.) 



6. You are almost finished! Its just the little details now... On this particular one, I used a piece of red tulle I had leftover from 4th of July.

Optional:  I have made a few of these for teachers gifts, and this next step is something I just added.  The others I made for teacher's gifts, but I made this one to use in my own home. I didn't want to scratch our mantle, and I also wanted to protect the pencils, I think this will make it last longer.





7. So I found  a piece of scrap felt that fit just perfect on the bottom. I used a dark color marker to trace around the base.

8. When I cut the circle out I stayed right inside the line to cut it just a little smaller. I want the felt to protect, but not be seen. See Picture 9. for example

YOU'RE FINISHED!

The possibilities are endless for uses with this vase. A few things that I have put in to give

 as teachers gifts are bubblegum, mints, pens, and flowers.

 Today I filled it with something a little different.  I wanted to make a centerpiece or a focal point.  

Which you will see more in a couple days!

To be Continued...

Deena