Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pen Holder

Well, I made another craft! This time it's a pen holder. I was inspired by this one:

And I thought...I can make that! So I did! It was pretty easy too. If you're like me, you have a bunch of maps in your car that have been rendered obsolete since you got a GPS/Smartphone. If you are even more like me, you live in a city far away from your hometown, your family, and everything familiar. So I chose an old map I had of DC. I never drive in DC anyway, the Metro is pretty awesome so I don't need to, and people drive even worse there than here in LA! I used toilet paper tubes as well, for the shape.

Materials needed: 6 Toilet paper tubes (they tend to just collect, if you don't bother to throw them out when you're done.), glue (I used a glue gun, but I think anything strong will work.), and maps.

Step 1: Measure the tubes. You need the circumference and the length. Then cut up the map in squares that match your measurements, using the circumference as your top length, and the length as the sides. Try to be strategic, so that the map pieces you choose have inspiring or pretty features. I picked mostly bits from the mall and Smithsonian museums. Cut 6 pieces of map to fit the 6 tubes.

Step 2: Glue the map pieces onto the tubes.

Step 3: Glue the tubes together. I did a flower pattern, with one in the middle and the other 5 around it. If you want, cut map or cardboard circles to fit the bottom. Or not, I didn't really bother with it, and as long as you put pens in each tube it won't tip over.

I did mine this way because I had a bunch of different pens I wanted to organize. I used 1 tube for my favorite pens, Pilot Precise Rolling Ball ink pens, 1 tube for highlighters, 1 tube for pencils, 1 tube for sharpies, 1 tube for ball-point pens, and 1 tube for other fancy pens. I just like to be able to reach and grab the pen I want without sifting through them all.

Anyway, this was how mine worked out!


I think it looks neat! ^_^

By the way, if you want something larger, use tin cans like this one! (I made mine like I did because I wanted to organize my pens in a bit more specific compartments. And I had a lot of toilet paper tubes and not a bunch of cans).

You can see how she did it here!

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