Five Back to School Ideas/Cool and Creative (Part 1)

I finished school some time ago, but I remember that every year before it would start, I really enjoyed going shopping and getting prepared  and I used to personalize my school supplies to get more excited about it.
I invested a lot of time in finding the perfect ideas, and creating this tutorial, and because I thought so much about it, I will even make a part 2 ! that will be out on my Youtube channel next week. So stay tuned!

Before we begin here is something to pin:

Idea number 1 : Pencil Toppers

Supplies:
-pom-poms (big and small)


-pencils
-felt (black and white)
-glue (gel type)
-scissors
-double sided tape and some printed paper or washi tape (optional for decoration)

Steps:
1.Stick together big and small pom poms to recreate bunny or bear shapes
2. Cut out eyes and noses from the felt and stick them on the faces
3.Remove the eraser from the pencils and stick the animal pom poms in there, by applying pressure with circular moves
4. For decoration cover the pencils with washi tape or create your own washi tape using the printed images


Idea number 2: Panda lunch box

 

Supplies:

 -A lunch box

-White and Black felt

-A glue gun

-Some fabric of your choice

-2 liter plastic bottle

-sticky tape

-scissors

-double sided tape

Steps:

For the panda figure:

1.Draw a rough panda sketch on a piece of paper to figure out what you will need

2.Based on my sketch I cut out 2 semi-circle shaped ears, 2 black egg shaped eye circles, 2 white circles, an oval shaped nose, and an upside down "Y" shaped black mouth.

3.I glued the ears on the top and the ears,nose and mouth on the front using the glue gun.

For the handle:

1. Cover the plastic bottle with one row of sticky tape and cut around it.

2.Leave a semicircle shape and bend the edges.

3.Create a fabric tape like here, and cover the handle in it. 

4.Stick the handle on top with your glue gun and you're done

Idea number 3 : Apple pencil holder

Supplies:

-a round jar

-red acrylic paint

-white string

-some leaves from some fake flowers

-glue

Steps:

1.Paint the jar inside with red.

2. Add glue on the top edge

3.Wrap around some string, along with the leaves

4.Leave everything to dry and you are done!

Idea number 4 : Puzzle Notebook

Supplies:

-a notebook

-a printed table, you can download this table for free here 

(You can also create your own table if you don't have a printer. Just mark the middle of the edges of a white sheet of paper . Then mark from that point ,towards right and left half a inch in steps until you get to the corners. Join points from opposite sides .)

-you will also need some double sided tape.

Steps:

1.Stick on the edges of the notebook and in the center stripes of tape. 

2.Reveal the sticky sides and place on top the printed table.

3.Complete the boxes with letters and form words of your chose like "science is cool" . 

4.Color those words with crayons or markers so you won't lose them

5.Complete the rest of the boxes with letters ,randomly or hide some secret words 

6.You can also decorate the edges of the table with washi tape if you like

Idea number 5 : Vintage Camera Sharpener / Crayon Box

Supplies:
-a big match box
-a sharpener
-very strong glue
-2 bottle caps
-acrylic paint (black and silver)
-marker
-x-acto knife

Steps:
1.Glue the sharpener to an inside corner of the matchbox
2.Using the x-acto knife, create two holes on the outside corner , to match the holes of the sharpener.
3.Applying pressure with circular moves, enlarge the holes with a crayon, until you are apple to sharpen it.
4.Draw two lines parallel with the longer edges 
5. Glue the bigger cap on the front of the box and the smaller one on the top.
6.Paint the middle with black and the margins with silver
7.Add details to make it look more realistic : like painting the edge of the bigger cap with silver and tapping a little paint in the middle with your finger. You can also draw some rectangles in the left top corner with a black marker

And you're done
Add in there some crayons and you're ready to draw some photos :)


If some of the steps above are not clear enough watch video bellow to understand better all the details:

How to Make an Owl Planter

I saw once on Etsy.com  these cute animal planters made of felt, and I thought I should make my own. Since I don't know how to work with felt, I made them from air drying clay, and chose to go with an owl representation, because it is easy to recreate. I  incorporated all the process in a video, so you can make your own planter as well. See video at the bottom of this page.

Let's begin! But first here is something for you to pin :

Supplies:
When you buy little plants, they come in these plastic containers, so look for a jar or cup that is a little bigger than the container.
You will also need some air drying clay.Here is a suggestion :
-A knife
-Some tin foil
-A non sticky surface, to work your clay on it
-Something to roll the clay with- I used a bottle spray
-And a cup of water ( to help you smooth the surface of the clay )

 Steps:
1.Cover the bottom of the jar with tin foil and press it until it's smooth
2.Take a ball of clay and roll it until you obtain a round piece of about 0.5 cm thickness.
3.Place the round piece of clay on top of the jar and press it until it gains the shape of the jar.
4. Roll an other piece of clay until you obtain a cylinder shape, then press it and roll it until you obtain a rectangular shape, long enough to embrace the jar
5.Wrap around that piece around the jar, and using your fingers dipped in water, combine the 2 parts of  clay together until you obtain a cup shape that sits on top of the jar.
6.Turn over the jar, and using a stick or a pen , roll out the edge, and smooth it with your hands.
7. For the owl look, place 2 flat circles of clay on front , and smooth the center of them with your finger., creating the eyes.
8.Create also a conical shape and place it between the eyes , creating this way the beak.
9.Using a stick ,make some long marks on the back , resembling some feathers.
10.Remove the jar from the clay form. It will easily come out, but the tin foil will be stuck on the clay.
11. Leave it to dry for about 24 h or over night. After it's dried the tin foil pops out easily.
12.You can place your plant in there, or optional you can paint the owl, on the eyes and beak to look more funny.

And you are done!
Here is the video I promised: