Netflix & SPC’s Back-to-School Craft

Last year, before the beginning of school, one of Scarlett’s friends hosted a Back-to-School party at her home. It was really low-key—just a few classmates, snacks and a great craft. When I picked Scarlett up she couldn’t wait to show me the pencil holder she had made. It is one of my most favourite crafts she has created–not only is it functional (we may literally have one million pencils), but it is so darn cute. I’m pretty sure it will be one of those things I hold onto and will, one day when she’s 30, cry over due to its cuteness.

Now that it’s back to school time again, Scarlett decided she wanted to make a portable version of last year’s desk-top holder. Obviously, she wanted to have something that was small enough to fit in her backpack but large enough to fit not only her pencils, but her special array of glitter-coloured pencils. When we were brainstorming ideas for the kind of container we needed, I convinced her a postal tube would be the best. However, a visit to a post office counter in our local drug store came up short. Out of luck and out of ideas, Scarlett and I mindlessly walked the aisles until she spotted a plastic snack container for those rice bits that melt in a toddler’s mouth. She shouted to me down the aisles, container waving in the air, “Mommy, this will totally work!” And she was right. Not only does it come with it’s own plastic cap, it was the perfect size for all her pencils and their coordinating animal erasers.

The best part about this project (outside of the fact that my daughter found a genius and inexpensive container to use by recycling a snack tube) is that you decorate your bottle with items already lying around your house. From old magazines and Valentine’s cards, to wrapping paper and tissue — you can cut and paste just about anything your little artist can get their hands on. It’s a great way to reuse the papers that piles up on the corner of your counter. (Please tell me I’m not the only one that happens to?!). I think Scarlett was inspired to employ gently used materials after we spent a few of this summer’s rainy days cuddled on the couch watching The Lorax. If you haven’t had a chance to see this children’s book classic from Dr. Seuss brought to life on the big screen, you can catch it this month on Netflix. You can’t beat its beautiful message of respect and conservation.

Here’s What You Need:

Snack container
Magazines
Craft glue
Ribbon
Crystal adornments or stickers
Pencils

Here’s What You Do:

Remove any packaging around the snack container. Eat the contents (this is the best part!) and thoroughly clean out the container.

Tear pages from the magazines with images that include flowers, jewelry, clothing or textile patterns you like.

Cut the images out of the pages in various sizes and shapes.

Layer the paper bits over one another; gluing them down as you work your way around the container. Use your figure to spread glue around edges that don’t lay flat or create a crease.

Cut your ribbon to fit around the neck of the container and then glue into place.

If you have stickers or any other gem adornments, you can decorate the cap.