9 Cute Ways to Personalize Cheap School Supplies

Abbie M
by Abbie M
6 Materials
$20
1 Hour
Easy

Personalized school supplies don’t have to break the bank. With these nine easy projects, you can have your own unique school supplies at almost no extra cost. Most of these projects only take a few minutes to complete, so you can totally revamp your school supplies in just one day! Check out our step-by-step tutorials below to get started personalizing your school supplies today!

Personalized Notebook

Personalized Notebook

Tools and Materials:

  • Notebook
  • Painter’s tape
  • Paint
  • Paint brush
  • Craft knife
  • Mod Podge
  • Decorative paper
  • Scissors
  • Letter stickers
Tape Off the Spine

Step 1: Paint the Spine

Tape off the edges of the spine. You can use the black binding as a guide for this part.

Paint the Spine

Then paint the black binding in the color of your choice. I wanted a calming pastel colored notebook, so I went with a pink pastel color.

Remove the Tape

Once it was painted I removed the tape and touched up the edges of the paint.



Add Decorative Paper

Step 2: Add Decorative Paper

Add a layer of Mod Podge to the front cover of the notebook.

Cut to Fit

Glue on a piece of decorative paper. To make it easy to fold the corners, cut out squares from the top right and bottom right corners. Then fold over the cover and glue in place.

Glue to the Cover

Then fold over the cover and glue in place. Repeat this process on the back of the notebook.

Embellish

Step 3: Embellish

Embellish the notebook using gold letter stickers, or really any sticker of your choice.

Decorative Mouse Pad

Decorative Mouse Pad

Tools and Materials:

  • Spray glue
  • Cardboard
  • Scissors
  • Fabric
  • Iron
  • Hot glue and glue gun
  • Pom pom string
Prep Your Materials

Step 1: Prep Your Materials

Measure and cut out a circle from the cardboard. Iron the fabric to get rid of any creases.

Glue

Step 2: Glue

Spray a layer of glue onto the cardboard round and press the fabric into place.

Let Dry

Give it time to dry and the cut off excess fabric.

Cut Off Excess Fabric


Embellish

Step 3: Embellish

Using a hot glue gun, glue the pom pom string along the edge of the mouse pad. This should also cover any uneven bits of fabric.

Add Pom Pom String

Enjoy your one-of-a-kind mouse pad!

Floral Pen

Floral Pen

Tools and Materials:

  • Pen
  • Floral duct tape
  • Craft knife
Disassemble the Pen

Step 1: Prep the Pen

Unscrew as much of the pen as possible. This will make it easier to apply the duct tape to each part and remove the excess without it becoming a sticky mess.

Wrap with Duct Tape

Step 2: Wrap with Duct Tape

Wrap each part of the pen with the floral duct tape. Then, using a craft knife, carefully cut away any excess.

Wrap Each Piece
Cut Away Excess
Wrap Each Piece

Step 3: Put It Back Together

Once you have covered everything with duct tape, reassemble the pen and enjoy! You now have a pen that looks like it cost ten times what it actually did!

Pom Pom Pencil

Pom Pom Pencil

Tools and Materials:

  • Cardboard (cardboard from any box in your pantry will work well)
  • Scissors
  • Yarn
  • Pencil
  • Contact paper
  • Craft knife
  • Pencil-top eraser
  • Glue gun
Cut Out the Ring

Step 1: Cut Out the Ring

To make a pom pom, you need to start with a ring shape around which you will wrap the yarn. Trace two concentric circles on a piece of cardboard, and then cut out the outer and inner circles, leaving you with a C shaped piece of cardboard. Repeat this so that you have two identical Cs.

Trace

Trace two concentric circles on a piece of cardboard, and then cut out the outer and inner circles, leaving you with a C shaped piece of cardboard. Repeat this so that you have two identical Cs.

Cut Out the C

Repeat this so that you have two identical Cs.

Wrap with Yarn

Step 2: Wrap with Yarn

Layer the pieces of cardboard on top of each other. Then, wrap the yarn around the cardboard until you’ve built up a few layers across the entire C. The more you wrap, the fuller your pom pom will be.

Cut

Step 3: Cut and Tie

Cut the yarn along the edge of the cardboard. Don’t worry about everything being even, we’ll fix that later. 

Tie

Then slide the two pieces of cardboard slightly apart and tie a piece of yarn around the center of the pom pom.

Remove the Cardboard and Trim

Step 4: Remove the Cardboard and Trim

Cut away the cardboard and trim the pom pom so that it looks even.

DIY Pom Pom
Wrap the Pencil

Step 5: Put It All Together

Wrap a pencil in contact paper and remove the excess with a craft knife. 

Glue on the Pom Pom

Then cut off the tip of a pencil-top eraser and hot glue the pom pom in place.

DIY Pom Pom Eraser

Now you have a stylish, one-of-a-kind pencil sure to turn heads!

Tassel Paper Clip

Tassel Paper Clip

Tools and Materials:

  • Cardboard
  • Embroidery floss
  • Scissors
  • Paper clip
Make the Tassel

Step 1: Make the Tassel

Lay a piece of embroidery floss across the top of a small piece of cardboard.

Wrap

Then, wrap the embroidery floss crosswise around the cardboard multiple times. The length of the cardboard will determine the length of your tassel.

Tie Together

Tie the top piece of floss and slip the tassel off of the cardboard.

Slip Off the Cardboard
Cut


Tie Off the Top

Tie another piece of floss around the top of the tassel.

Trim

Trim the end of the tassel and trim to your liking.

Attach to the Paper Clip

Step 2: Attach to the Paper Clip

Slip the tassel onto the paper clip and enjoy! This project is so quick that you can make one in every color of the rainbow!

Desktop Calendar

Desktop Calendar

Tools and Materials:

  • Decorative paper
  • Number and letter stickers
  • Large shape punches
  • Single hole punch
  • Two pieces of wood
  • Binder rings
  • Drill
Punch Out Shapes

Step 1: Create the Calendar

Start by punching out your shapes. As long as they are large enough to accommodate your number and letter stickers, then any shape will do. 

Punch a Hole at the Top

Then punch a hole at the top of each shape big enough for the binder clip.

Letter Stickers

Using stickers, or a pen if you like, create the calendar. You’ll need one for each month, and then zero to three and zero to nine, 26 pieces in total.

Stick On Stickers
Drill Three Holes

Step 2: Create the Stand

Drill three holes into the top of the long side of one of the pieces of wood.

Glue Together

Glue the two pieces of wood together to form an upside down T, with the side with the holes at the top of the upside down T.

Suggested materials:
  • Notebook
  • Notebook
  • Notebook
See all materials
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