Unique Pencil Holders

Glass Frog Pencil Holder

I have several of these glass flower frogs that I picked up at garage sales and thrift stores. When they aren't doing bouquet duty at the bottom of a vase (they are meant to hold your flowers in place), I use them to hold pens and pencils on my desk. A lot prettier than the old coffee mug I used before.

Source: Seen on more than one crafty blog.

By Gloria from Upstate NY

Craft Project: His And Hers Pencil Holders

Felt pencil holders in the shape of a shoe and a boot.

Approximate Time: An hour or more

Supplies:

• 2 dark colored pieces of felt, 7x10 inches
• 2 light colored pieces of felt, 7x10 inches
• 2 pieces lightweight cardboard, 7x10 inches
• 2 scraps of ribbon
• scissors
• tacky glue
• hole punch
• sewing machine
• contrasting thread

Templates:

Click Here to download the Ladies Shoe Template in PDF format.

Click Here to download the Coyboy Boot Template in PDF format.

Instructions:

For Her Shoe:

Print out the template as shown. Finished shoe is approximately 9 inches high.

Using template A, cut one shoe out of cardboard for the backing and one out of felt.

Glue felt piece to cardboard. Cut a button flap C from this same colored felt and punch holes in each scallop with a hole punch.

Using template B, cut another shoe that is one quarter inch smaller than the first one from a contrasting piece of felt. On the wrong side of this piece, carefully spread about one half inch of glue all around the edges except across the top. Center carefully over first shoe and press in place.

Glue button flap along front edge of shoe. Let dry thoroughly. Make a ribbon loop on the back for hanging.

For His Cowboy Boot: Using template A, cut one piece from cardboard. Cut one piece of A and one piece B from dark felt. Cut B and C pieces from light felt.

Place light B piece over dark piece B and top stitch along top of B piece.

Using a meandering type of pattern, make decorative stitching on top half of boot to resemble leather work.

Sew B and C pieces to A piece, except along top edge. Glue felt boot to cardboard backing.

Make ribbon loop on back for hanging.

By Preserver from Manitoba

Recycled Pencil Holder

Recently, I took one old oil container, wrapped it with a beautiful coloured paper and decorated it with flowers, glitter and other pretty things. Now my pencil holder is ready. You try it at home and decorate with whatever you like.

By Suffah from Karachi

Craft: 3D Stained Glass Pencil Holder

This is a craft that recycles wrapping paper from Christmas and a glass jar.

Materials

• puffy paint
• a piece of pretty wrapping paper
• glue stick
• huge black permanent marker

Instructions

1. Make sure the glue stick can fit inside the jar and you can straighten it out to glue the inside of the shape you will make.

2. Paint a shape on the outside of the jar with puffy paint. I chose a heart.

3. Tear little pieces of wrapping paper up. Put glue stick on the inside of the jar, inside the shape you have painted with puffy paint. Cover the pretty side of the wrapping paper piece with glue from the glue stick. Press the wrapping paper piece with glue on it to the inside of the glass jar, color facing out. Keep doing this until the shape becomes filled with the pieces of wrapping paper.

4. Take the black permanent marker and outline each piece of paper and it's border. This is done on the outside of the jar. If you cannot see the border, just freestyle it.

When this is done, it looks like a stained glass design.

To make this craft for Valentine's Day, just use pink colors. You can trace flowers, etc, with stencils if you like and fill them in this way.

I happen to like making anything that uses little parts and combines them into a whole.

By Robyn from Tri-Cities, TN

Craft Project: Raggedy Andy Pencil Holder

Materials

• empty clean vegetable can
• flesh color spray paint
• Sharpies, red and black
• few yards of red yarn
• ribbon for bowtie
• hot glue gun
• cardboard, 2 inches wide and 10-12 inches long

Instructions

Spray the can with the flesh color paint. Let dry. Add features to face with Sharpies, using picture as a guide. Start eyes about 1-1/2 inches from top of can and leave room for the bow tie at the base. Cut the cardboard to fit around the can. A cereal box works well for this. Wrap yarn as shown at right, then sew about 1/4 inch from one edge. Clip yarn along opposite edge, and carefully remove the strip. It will tear along the stitches. It is not necessary to get the strip out along the sewn edge. Turn the can upside down and hot glue the strip around the edge of the can, You may have to hold it in place for a bit until the glue sets. Turn can right side up and smooth the hair so it hangs down. Fashion a Bow from ribbon and hot glue in place at base of the can.

The instructions are also in a PDF file for which you may need Acrobat Reader to view. Download Acrobat Reader

Click Here to download the Raggedy Andy Pencil Holder Instructions in PDF format.

By Harlean Greathouse

Keeping Pencil Holder from Breaking Pencils

If you get tired of pencil tips breaking and ink pen tips getting messed up in your pencil holder, try this: get a cheap cleaning sponge from the dollar store and cut it to fit in the bottom of your pencil holder. Make sure to get a thin sponge especially if your pencil holder is a short one. Sponges are also great to soak up any ink from broken pens and they're cheap to replace.

By Karen from Beckley, WV