By CraftyMomof3
Back to School is looming around the corner and I thought I’d share some cute tips I’ve picked up over the years.
Homemade School Supplies
Pencil Case
* Get a large piece of craft foam in a desired color and fold it in two sections, one about 6 inches, the other about 4.5 inches. Using a paper punch make holes in the 6 inch part and sew it together with a craft needle leaving the 4.5 section as the flap.
Locker Organizer (magnetic) for pencils, hairbrushes, etc…
* Box-Using a pastry tart box or a similar shaped small box and cut the top so the front is shorter than the back mimicking a magazine holder shape. Use left over cardboard from the top of the box to reinforce the bottom. Cover entire box with heavy contact paper. Glue a magnet on the back, preferably with a hot glue gun or other heavy duty glue. If you want dividers use another sturdy piece of cardboard for the middle. To make it sturdier or to add effects (like stickers) you could also apply ModgePodge over the entire outside.
*Pocket- using a piece of craft foam- cut a even square out of the foam. Fold 3 sides of the foam in an envelope shape (slightly over lapping) leaving one open for the flap.(tape holding them together on the inside helps) Cut heart or flower shapes out of contrasting foam colors and seal the three flaps together with a metal brad poked in the middle. Add a magnet to the back with hot glue or foam glue.
At Home
* Containers-A great tip that will get the kids involved with keeping their belongings tidy is to get a few metal buckets,plastic containers and photo boxes and some colored chalk board paint you can buy at Home Depot. All you need is some painters tape and a couple of hours! Tape off a section on the container that you want the label on and paint a even coat in that area. Let dry four three hours and put another coat on if you want a deeper color. Use chalk to write and rewrite your labels! Plastic, metal and paper containers work best.
*I read a really good tip in the Family Circle magazine about DIY hanging rack. Use molding from Home Depot and mismatched door handles for a cute twist on a coat rack! When things aren’t hanging on it it’s a work of art!
My Homepage: www.craftymomof3.com
Blog: http://craftylife.net
Tupperware: www.craftykitchens.com
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Comments
13 Responses to Back to School Organizational Craft Tips
Oooh, I love the hanging rack idea. That would be fun for adults (me!) and children.
The magnetic locker organizer is another awesome idea.
Just curious – do you guys do anything “crafty” for lunch boxes/bags (if they bring their lunch)???
Thanks Crafty – I know a lot of moms really appreciate your tips – nice mixture between not too difficult or messy, but also creative.
Craftymomof3, what fun tips. I think we will make the pencil case. My little one is not to the locker stage yet (thank goodness), but that is something I will keep in mind for future use. That sounds really handy.
I just love the idea of using chalk to write labels on painted containers. As always, thanks for sharing the great ideas. I love dressing up and having fun w/the mundane every day things.
Great tips! I think I will make my husband a pencil case since my kids are not in school anymore.
I am pretty sure he would appreciate it!
LOL Pam! If you do PLEASE post a pic.
Stay tuned though!
Alright Anya, you ask and I deliver:
Personalized Kids Lunch Box
One of a kind lunchbox
And this one’s not a lunchbox but it’s soo cute I wish I had thought of it:
Custom Magnets
I’ve got another cute craft for back to school, but I am going to save it for another post because I want to be able to post a personal pic with it and since I am school shopping my butt of right now, crafts are on the back burner!
Ok, I am going to make myself a lunch box! Those are so adorable.
Looking forward to seeing a picture of your latest creation! Good luck with the school shopping. I know that is full-time job in the weeks leading up to school!
Oh, I like the “one of a kind” lunchbox link. My little one is set w/last year’s Tinkerbell for a little while longer, but I think we will do that one in a couple of months. Those are really cool. You could really get cutsie w/those and maybe a cool backpack too. Thanks Craftymomof3. I too am looking forward to what you are saving for your next post.
Craftymomof3
I see you are involved with selling Tupperware. Is there still a big demand for that? I know you can now buy it at Target stores ( I think) . I use to love looking at everything my mother would bring home from Tupperware parties back in the 60s.
Thanks Anya and Lilly! I hope in the next week or two to get it going but we’ll see. I am going back to work at school three days this year…..why I don’t know. LOL
Pam- Funny story about Target and Tupperware. Target had a contract with TW in which in exchange for commission on sales of TW they were supposed to allow one consultant either twice a month or once a month(I don’t remember which) to have a table outside the checkout area to book parties and hand out books and whatnot. They didn’t honor it. The managers asked them to leave. I think at best a handful Consultants got their tables in the entire country. So TW terminated that contract right quick! And they kept the commissions!!!!! But I still love Target and that was before my time. LOL
There is not a huge demand because people are so instant gratification nowadays. They want to touch and feel and see everything, which I understand, but it’s really pricey to carry an entire line of products. So usually if they are on the fence I will sample one item so they can see.
That being said I am really excited about our new catalog because TW is focusing on reusables and going green. Very cute stuff.
We just discovered that the fake body tattoos make great decals to fancy up my little one’s plastic school supply box. I wasn’t sure they would stick. It looks cute with sparkly moons and butterflies.
Lily,
What a great idea! I imagine you could use them on a variety of other things to spruce things up a bit.
What type of tattoos did you use? We’d tried that but it didn’t work 2 years ago. Maybe we used the wrong kind?
HI CMO3, I like CMO3. It is so much easier to type, LOL.
Are your kids back in school yet?
CMO3, I wish I knew. They are in a folder marked stickers and tattoos. Most of the stuff in there is from Dollar General, so that’s where I recommend trying to find them. They were a selection of body tattoos. They are very much like decals as the coating is heavy and has a sheen.