$5 Quick Valentine's Day Favors

With Valentine's Day just around the corner its time (or past time!) to consider favors to send along to school. I love pencils and pens and this year I thought pencils transformed into arrows for Valentine's Day, what could be cooler!?!.

These pencil arrows are not only bulk friendly but inexpensive, unique, functional, quick, easy and fun to give out. For around $5 it seems silly to not take advantage of such a simple DIY gift. The packet of pencils we bought came with 12 pencils and we needed 16, so I scavenged the house and quickly found 4 other pencils (yay!). Side note: For some undiscovered reason I've noticed throughout the years my home gravitationally attracts stray pens and pencils creating at all times (except when I need one) an abundant supply...a mystery. If I wasn't a stickler for keeping with a theme, no doubt, I could have supplied them all with pencils from around the house.

Supplies Needed:    

1. Packet(s) of pencils <- don't spend more than a dollar per pack! Look for packs at craft store, dollar store or a mart.

2. Packet of feathers your pick ~$2 craft store

3. One piece of felt your pick (I used dark purple) .23-.25 cents a piece

4. Glue ~ I used hot glue because it sets quickly and I had it out. Hot Glue <--- requires constant supervision with little ones! I don't recommend letting your child sit on your lap either. Kaylee almost burnt my face when she lifted the glue gun away and a "string" followed. Scary!

5. Some wax paper - because I craft often I re-use the same piece (recycle!)

The Process ~ Ezzie-Peezie!

Step One: Cut out a “pattern” for the triangle felt piece tips. You need two triangle pieces per pencil. I took a piece of junk mail, it was card stock material (I think it was an ad for a dentist) and I cut out a triangle a couple times holding it up to a pencil. Once one looked right, I had my pattern. I held it up against the felt and cut out identical triangle pieces. I needed 16 pencil arrows which meant 32 triangle pieces (number of pencils x 2 = your total).

Step Two: Cut out rectangle pieces to go on the feather end and cover up the feather tips. I should have made a pattern for this, but I eye balled it every time. You can also use two square pieces and glue them together, however, in the end, I preferred wrapping a rectangle piece around the feather tips and pencil gluing it on the “backside”.

Step Three: With glue of choice, glue one triangle piece to each side of the lead end. Glue along one entire piece to make sure both pieces stay shut and secures the pencil inside. 

Step Four: Pick out two – three feathers and glue them onto the metal below the eraser. I found it was easier to remove the materials if glue was applied to this location and caused little-to -no damage to the eraser. 

Step Five: Once feathers are glued in place, glue the rectangle piece (or two square pieces) around feather tips and glue on “backside” of the pencil to conceal the feather tips and complete the look. 

Step Six: Admire the simplicity & pizazz! 

  

      

Enjoy Your Valentine’s Day!