Pencils are a staple back-to-school supply – but they are also equally fabulous as a craft supply!  At Curly Made, Daniela used some pencils to make an assortment of coordinating jewelry, and we think they’re absolutely adorable!  There are lots of options for customizing this project, since pencils come in so many varieties.  (And this is a great excuse to buy some with pretty or funky patterns!)  [how to make pencil jewelry]

Project estimate:

• Pencils, on hand or $1
• Glue, on hand
• Jewelry findings, on hand or $1 and up
• Clear nail polish, on hand or $1

Total: Free and up!

The post Make Pencil Jewelry appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Today is National No. 2 Pencil Day!  In honor of the occasion, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite pencil-related crafts.  With back-to-school sales in full swing, now is the perfect time to stock up on a bunch of pencils and tackle some of the projects on this list!

Crafts made out of pencils

Washi Flower Pencil Bouquet by Morena’s Corner

Anthropologie-Inspired Pencils by Homework

Sleek Pencil Wreath by Crafts ‘n Coffee

Back to School Pencil Frame by Stir the Wonder

DIY Custom Photo Pencils by Morena’s Corner

Pencil Cube Photo/Memo Holder by Crafts ‘n Coffee

Crafts that look like pencils

Candy Covered Pretzel Pencils by The Country Chic Cottage

Craft Stick Pencil Bookmarks by Crafts by Amanda

Accessories for your pencils

Write Start Teacher Gift Tags for Pencils by Sweet Rose Studio

Pencil Gift Bag by The Country Chic Cottage

DIY Pencil Toppers by 100 Directions

Easy DIY Pencil Case by How Does Your Garden Grow?

Felt Heart Pencil Toppers by Kids Activities Blog

School Bus Pencil Holder by Playtivities

The post 14 Crafts for No. 2 Pencil Day appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Do you have an excess of ribbon that you need to tame?  See how I used materials that I had laying around to create super easy, really quick racks to contain my collection!

Ribbon, ribbon and more ribbon!  I have so many spools that they were starting to take over my craft studio. It’s much more organized now, with everything in plain view on my shelves so I can always see exactly what I have on hand.

Watch the video below to see how I made it, or keep scrolling for written directions!

Project estimate:

• Scrap board, on hand
• Drill, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand
• Pencils, on hand or $1
• Ribbon, on hand

Total:  Free and up!

Drill holes in a board where you would like each stack of ribbon spools to go.  A 5/16 inch drill bit will make a hole that is just the right size!

Squirt a little hot glue into the holes, the firmly press a pencil into each hole.

I added some ribbon to trim the edges of mine to make it a wee bit prettier.  This is an optional step, but since you’ve got all that ribbon on hand anyway, why not?

Slide your spools of ribbon onto the pencils, then sit back and enjoy your handiwork!

The post Tutorial: Cheap and Easy DIY Ribbon Organizer appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Less than two weeks to go util Halloween!  If you still have crafting to do, the clock is ticking, but luckily you still have plenty of time left to make these adorable pencil toppers from Nina at Waffle Flower!   You can run with this idea in so many different directions, because there are a ton of ways you could dress these up with different faces and embellishments.  Which one is your favorite?  [how to make Halloween pencil toppers]

Project estimate:

• Pencils, on hand or $1
• Foam balls, $1
• Felt, on hand or $1
• Googly eyes, on hand or $1
• String, on hand or $1
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make Halloween Pencil Toppers appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We love back-to-school time.  It’s always sad to see summer end, but fall makes up for it with some of our favorite things:  fun school supplies!  Over at The Crafted Life, Rachel used a simple color blocking technique to dress up plain pencils.  You don’t have to be a kid to appreciate this project – even adults need some fun office supplies every once in a while!  Who wants a boring cup of regular ol’ pencils when you could quickly, easily, and cheaply whip up a set with some personality?   [how to make color blocked pencils]

Project estimate:

• Pencils, on hand or $1
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Tape, on hand

Total:  Free and up!

The post Make Color Blocked Pencils appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

My favorite thing about spring is the return of flowers!  I’ve had flowers on my mind a lot lately, so when I saw this cupcake liner flower project from Lia Griffith I was immediately smitten.  Mounted on washi-covered pencils, a bouquet of these lovelies would make a great gift.  If you want to use these as a teacher appreciation gift, the tutorial also includes a tag you can attach; it’s even personalizable so you can add the names of teacher and student!  [how to make cupcake liner and pencil flowers]

Project estimate:

• Cupcake liners, on hand or $1
• Pencils, $1
• Washi tape, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make Cupcake Liner and Pencil Flowers appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

Keeping kids who are cooped up indoors entertained is a perennial parenting challenge. Luckily you only need to look as far as your recycling bin for hours of entertainment! Heather wrote a great post on Home Made Simple teaching us how to make a drum, rain stick, tambourine and more from items you already have on hand! [how to make DIY Musical Instruments]

Project estimate (for drum):

• Large can, on hand
• Newspaper, on hand
• Craft paint, on hand
• Paintbrush, on hand
• Scissors, on hand
• Craft felt, on hand
• Rubber bands, on hand
• Pencils, on hand

Total: Free!

The post Make Recycling Bin Musical Instruments appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

It’s that time of year again.  If you haven’t already, you’ll soon be taking those traditional first-day-of-school pictures of your kids.  Want a cute way to display them?  Michelle at A Little Tipsy used pencils to give a basic frame a simple, scholarly makeover.  This would also make a great way to display school or class photos, or to give as a teacher gift!  [how to make a pencil picture frame]

Project estimate:

• Picture frame, on hand or $1
• Pencils, $1
• Embellishments (optional), on hand or $1 and up
• Glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

The post Make a Pencil Picture Frame appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

It’s that time of year again:  Teacher Appreciation Week is almost upon us!  Are you planning any special projects to let your kids’ teachers know how much their time and effort means?  This simple yet high-impact project from Julie at Sawdust Girl uses a few packages of pencils to create a cute, quirky wreath.  It’s practically guaranteed to make any teacher smile!  [how to make a pencil wreath]

Project estimate:

• Pencils, about $4
• Wreath form, $1
• Hot glue, on hand
• Ribbon, on hand or $1

Total:  about $5 and up

The post Teacher Gift Idea: Make a Pencil Wreath appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I love book page crafts. I also love crafts that are useful. So when I saw these book page pencils made by Jenny from Cresendoh, I was smitten. These pencils would make perfect Valentine’s Day gifts for students and grown ups alike (maybe with a card that says “You’re the Write One for Me”?). Personalize them by choosing a kind of paper that suits you: a book, sheet music or even plain deli paper for a more subdued look. [how to make book page pencils]

Project estimate:

• Pencils, on hand or $1 and up
• Book page or sheet music, on hand
• Liquitex or Mod Podge, on hand
• Foam Brush, on hand
• Baker’s twine, on hand
• Buttons, lace or other adornments, on hand

Total: Free and up!

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