What to do with dry pens: Creative Project #1

Last Monday I introduced my "Guided easy steps to declutter your home" series and we started by trying all the pens at home and discarding those that didn´t work.

There are bound to be dry pens that you don´t want to discard because their sentimental value. What can we do with those?

Option #1 for those in a hurry:

put the pen in display in front of the picture of the place/the person you got the pen from. 

Option #2 for a creative weekend: a decoupaged pen holder. This one also is useful for working pens, markers and brushes.

Step 1: Start by choosing a wooden pen holder. Oh, yes! You can get creative here, buy a plastic one, put your souvenirs there and call it done. :D

Step 2: paint the pen holder with acrylic white base paint.
Step 3: let it dry and apply a second layer of white.
Step 4: choose two pretty coordinated printed napkins and coordinated acrylic paint for the inside.

Step 5: paint the inside of the pen holder with the acrylics of your choice.

 Step 6: carefully separate the FIRST layer of the napkin (the one with the design) and apply it with decoupage adhesive to the sides of the pen holder. Tip for cutting the napkin to size: instead of cutting it before do it afterwards. Apply the paper with the adhesive and after the adhesive is dry, sand the borders with a very fine sanding paper until it cuts.

Step 7: apply acrylic varnish of your choice.

You can also go over a design that no longer serves your decoration style. Start with the white base over the previous design and go from there. :)

Step 8: smile at the completed task. :)
I´m linking this post to Paint Party Friday by Eva and Kristin
Next week: bills and other miscellaneous scraps of paper.