A little artsy: diy: fun fabric pen jar

DIY: fun fabric pen jar by DANIELLE BURKLEO

pen jar, coin jar, or anything-you-want-it-to-be-jar.

we lose pens (along with socks, keys, glasses and cell phones) every day this in house. so, i gathered up some supplies i had lying around to make a new home for all of our pens. spending no money on this project made it even sweeter. the random tin jar i used was from hazelnut piroulines that i ate too quickly. the lovely fabrics are leftover from pillowcases and an old forever 21 dress that would never ever fit me since having two babies. i'm not bitter.

supplies: random tin jar, ribbon, fabric, needle & thread, button, scrabble letters, glue and scissors.

step 1: cut fabric to cover tin with.

step 2: hot glue (or craft glue) fabric on tin to cover it. i kept the fabric taught and put a line of glue about every inch so it would hold well. don't forget to cover the top of the lid with fabric too.

step 3: glue ribbon onto the rim of the lid to cover it.

step 4: cut three strips of fabric for every fabric braid you want to put on the jar. the strips can be 1-2 inches thick. i just eyeballed it.

step 5: braid fabric together and glue fabric braids onto jar randomly. i used two on the bottom and one on top.

step 5: cut a circle out of fabric for your flower.

step 6: pinch the middle of the bottom side of the fabric circle together with your fingers. it will give it the scrunched/flowery look.

step 7: thread your needle and pull it through the fabric flower a few times so it holds tight.

step 8: glue flower onto jar.

step 9: glue button on as the center of the flower.

at this point i loved my pen jar but, i didn't really love it. it was missing something...and that's when the one too many scrabble board games my family owns came into mind. you could add cardboard scrapbook letters, a word printed out on card stock, or if you're like me and can spare a few scrabble letters, i'd go with that.

step 10: glue scrabble letters onto jar.