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Pencil Holder for Dad

A fishing themed Pencil Holder for dad or grandpa using a recycled can or container and colorful fishing themed pictures from a magazine. Of course, this fish themed pencil holder isn’t limited to just the guys, anyone who loves fishing would be happy to have it on their desk. This project is designed for elementary school aged children. Younger children may need a little help with the measuring and gluing.

Pencil Holder for Dad

What You Will Need

  • Recycled container, can or frozen juice container – cleaned with the label removed
  • Construction paper
  • Clear contact paper
  • Rope, but heavy yarn will also work
  • Scissors
  • Scotch tape
  • Craft glue – though a glue gun works best
  • Pictures from a magazine – you’ll find great pictures in the Bass Pro Shops catalog

Assembling the Pencil Holder for Dad

Start off with a clean, dry container. I like using a plastic container from frozen juice, especially with younger children as there are no sharp edges. If you do use a vegetable can, choose one that was opened with a pop-top tab for a smoother finished edge.

Have children go through some magazines to select the pictures they would like to put on the pencil holder. In my example shows 3 fishing lures from a Bass Pro Stores flyer. Find a coordinating color of construction paper to use for the background. Blue works well with this fishing theme. Don’t have a fishing magazine? Go online to Bass Pro Shops and print pictures to use.

Next, cut a strip of the construction paper to go around the container, overlapping a bit. Cut the section about an 1/2″ shorter than the height of the can if using thicker rope like my example.  It is easier to attach the rope directly to the container, so a little extra space at the top and bottom of the container is easier to work with.

With a small piece of scotch tape, attach one end of the construction paper to the container, leaving equal space at the bottom and top of the can. Wrap the paper around the can and secure the other edge with another small piece of tape.

The Finishing Touches

Cut a section of contact paper the same height as the construction paper, but about one inch wider. (Example, my container measured 9″ around and was 4″ tall, so I cut the construction paper 9 1/2″ x 3″. The contact paper measured 10 1/2″ by 3″.)

Peal the backing from the contact paper and place it on your work surface with the sticky side up. Carefully place the cut-out magazine clippings face down on the contact paper, so they will show through the construction paper. Try to place them near the center of the contact paper. Carefully lift the contact paper and wrap the sticky side to the can. This way, the contact paper should be covering the construction with a bit of overlap.

Time to put the finishing touches on the pencil holder for dad. Cut 2 pieces of rope or heavy yarn to go around the can. Use either the craft glue or a glue gun to secure the rope or yarn to the bottom and top of the can.

About Theresa Johnston

Activities For Kids has been an on-going passion of mine since 1998. I'm a long-time Orlando resident and huge Disney Fan! Prior guide for About.com and current editor for AboutOrlando.com. I hope you enjoy the crafts, recipes and ideas that you find here.