Updating Boring School Supplies with Duck Tape

Update Boring School Supplies with Duck Tape 


I know many of you already have kids that have headed back to school. Not us. We still have more than three weeks of summer left and we are not rushing it! However, all of the stores are overflowing with school supplies which has my kids thinking that it's time to restock. I was with my daughter in Walmart the other day, and we saw this great display for Duck Tape. Did you know you could buy so many different prints and patterns? My tween daughter is heading to middle school and is very artsy and creative. She loves bold prints and patterns and immediately fell in love with the chevron Duck Tape® and coordinating green and pink rolls.


We bought a few school supplies and scrounged a few that we had at home that were still in good enough condition to use for another year. So plain and boring, especially for my artsy middle schooler.


We started glamming up these same old same old composition notebooks. Three rolls of Duck Tape...three notebooks with endless possibilities!


It was so easy, you don't need a tutorial, but I will show you one of the steps in the process as we took tape and covered the outer cover.


Next up, we tackled the boring clear clipboard. We started covering it with tape in the same way we covered the notebooks.


The problem with clipboards is that they have the metal top that makes it difficult to work around. The tape molded easily around and cut clean.


Because I have two boys, my pencil stash had some skull covered mechanical pencils in it.
They just weren't cutting it for my daughter so we covered those in Duck Tape  too!  
Nothing is safe!!! I just removed the top of the pencil and the lead 


and measured out a piece of tape the length of the pencil that I wanted covered.

Amazing new coordinating pencils you would have never guessed were covered in skulls before!
I love using what I have to make something awesome!

My daughter and I had so much fun making all new school supplies with some new {and old} items.
She ended up with a chevron Duck Tape binder, notebook, clipboard, three composition notebooks, a pencil box, pencils and those bows?  Those are coordinating magnets for her very first locker!



All it took was a little Duck Tape and less than an hour.

Those school supplies went from a boring before to a fabulous after, just in time for my artsy tween daughter to start middle school!


Instead of reaching out for those overpriced overdecorated school supplies, let your kids get creative this year.   Save money!

Use what you have or stock up on the cheaper boring stuff and let your kids give their back to school supplies a fun makeover.

62 comments

Unknown said...

I love the pencil box and magnets what a great idea! Just started looking over our supply lists I think my boys would love the duck tape pencils!

NaDell said...

I really like the notebooks!

Erin said...

I would definitely cover a few brown and boring clipboards I have!! :)

Miss Leah Marie said...

I would cover all my pens and pencils! So cute!

Miss Leah Marie said...

I would cover all my pens and pencils! So cute!

Mrs Cosper said...

The composition notebooks are the cutest!

Debra Lee said...

I love the little covered notebook!

Anonymous said...

We would definitely be covering binders and mechanical pencils. What a great idea!

Rebekah (monkeygirlsmama) said...

I definitely see covered binders and notebooks in our future. Such creative and fun ideas!

Unknown said...

I think a covered plastic pencil/storage box would make my daughter's day. She didn't like any of the boxes we saw today, but I bet she could find some super-cute tape to cover one in. Thanks for a great giveaway!!

kellyr78 said...

I like the notebooks and I would also let my kids personalize binders with duct tape to store their completed work sheets throughout the year.

kellywcu8888ATgmailDOTcom

Tylynn said...

Oh I love this! My boys would die doing all this!

Holly said...

I love the idea of making covers for books and notebooks with Duck Tape. They have so many great patterns!

Amanda said...

I would definitely fix the boring folder problem, also my younger cousin used duck tape on the straps of his backpack to add a pop of print, it looked really nice.

Amanda said...

I would definitely fix the boring folder problem, also my younger cousin used duck tape on the straps of his backpack to add a pop of print, it looked really nice.

Mami2jcn said...

I would use duck tape to decorate notebooks.

mami2jcn at gmail dot com

Lauren said...

No one in my house is going to school this year, but my husband uses the little notebooks and I'm thinking they'd be cool in a more manly print. :) Perhaps if he had some uniquely covered pencils, people would stop stealing those as well!

Carolyn said...

I would love to decorate some notebooks and maybe a pencil case for my nephew to go back to school with. He would have so much fun with this!

MaryBeth said...

We"ll be making picture frames on binders to affix the photos we have of the cuties from One Direction!

JC said...

I would use duck tapes to decorate binders, folders and pen holders for kids.

vivaciousgold said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
vivaciousgold said...

i would use duck tape to make and decorate a pencil box out of cereal boxes.

yes.4eva.r(atgmaildotcom)

Rebecca Shockley said...

I love everything you did, I'm thinking maybe a lunchbox or headbands!
rjwashington2000 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

I would cover their old lunch boxes with the Duck Tape, sort of give them new life.
jslbrown_03 at yahoo dot com

MerMarty said...

I would use it to dress up my drab desk organization. Thanks for the giveaway! (mer.marty@yahoo.com)

Susan Christy said...

Made book covers with craft paper and duct tape last year and will make them again!

Diana C said...

I would make some picture frames for the locker and notebooks.

Diana C

Angela said...

I would make a purse!

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Kimberly said...

I might make a wallet or something!

Tabathia B said...

I would use it to make a locker organizer for school supplies

tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

Harmony said...

I would make a homework/memo board for my boys

adagherkin said...

I would wrap pencils like you did!

ada.gherkin07 at gmail dot com

Christine said...

Our oldest is Duck Tape crazed! I have to admit I am just as big of a fan. Her favorite roll to date is the exact chevron you have featured :)
We used some DIY duct tape labels in labeling her supplies this year but you've provided me with some add'l ideas. Enjoy the remainder of your summer with the kids!

Michelle J. said...

Duck tape hair bows would be fun for my daughter!

Julie said...

my teenage daughter loves the idea of duct taping the notebooks and pens and her back bag
thanks
aunteegem@yahoo.com

Diana C said...

I follow via FB.

Diana Luna Camden on FB.

unachica_latina(at)yahoo(dot)com

Thank you. :)

Unknown said...

I follow your blog and on fb, thanks for hosting!

Angela said...

I follow on facebook.

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Kimberly said...

I follow you on FB (Kimberly Pott Freeman)

Kimberly said...

And I follow on Instagram (Kimberlyfreeman08)

Kimberly said...

And now I follow you on Pinteret (can't believe I didn't already!) (kimberlyfreeman)

Kimberly said...

aaaand on twitter (kimberlyfreeman)

Kimberly said...

And lastly, on google+ (KimberlyFreeman08), whew!

Michelle J. said...

I like you on Facebook!

Michelle J. said...

I follow you on Twitter!

adagherkin said...

I like you on Facebook (Ada Gherkin)

ada.gherkin07 at gmail dot com

adagherkin said...

I follow on pinterest (adagherkin)

ada.gherkin07 at gmail dot com

adagherkin said...

I follow on twitter @adagherkin07

ada.gherkin07 at gmail dot com

adagherkin said...

Added you to my G+ circles (Ada Gherkin)

ada.gherkin07 at gmail dot com

Angela said...

instagram follower--aalorenz

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Angela said...

pinterest follower--aalorenz

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Angela said...

Twitter follower--@aaaaaaaangela

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Angela said...

Facebook fan (Angela L)

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Angela said...

Following via G+--Angela L

nomfreebies at hotmail dot com

Ellen said...

I would use it to make a chevron pattern on folders and binders

adagherkin said...

I forgot to say I follow on instagram! (adagherkin07)

ada.gherkin07 at gmail dot com

amiable amy said...

What a great idea. I would definitely make a piggy bank, pen holder and improve the look of my cork board.

Felicita said...

Awesome! My son would love the covered notebook and would make his own little pencil pouch!

Anonymous said...

I Love this idea for my kids. I would probably do exactly what you did but with their own choice of duct tape. Love it! elle@lovefromelle.com

Unknown said...

The binder and spiral notebooks! What awesome ideas!!

Elle said...

I would use Duck Tape to decorate binders and notebooks. I love the idea!

prettyinhotpink6 at gmail dot com

Linda said...

I like the idea of decorating notebooks and folders with the duck tape.
cbythesea5@gmail dot com

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