How to Make a Pencil Bouquet

Fashion a colored pencil bouquet to celebrate a friend's art school admission.

Pencils are not the most traditional item to include in a bouquet, but a bouquet of pristine sharpened pencils is fitting for many occasions. These useful bouquets are suitable for party favors or as a gift for doodlers and artists. The allusion to school and fall is the most common reason for presenting this arrangement. Romantic comedy fans probably remember Tom Hanks’ offer to Meg Ryan in “You’ve Got Mail” when he suggested celebrating autumn’s arrival by sending her “a bouquet of newly sharpened pencils.”

Things You'll Need

• 24 to 48 new yellow No. 2 pencils
• 24 to 48 new colored pencils
• Pencil sharpener
• Rubber band
• 24 inches fabric ribbon
• Notecard
• 24 to 48 printed message pencils
• Pencil cup

Instructions

Starting the Bouquet

1. Sharpen 24 to 48 new pencils or colored pencils. Make each pencil the same length so that the bouquet is even. Sharpen the pencils as little as necessary to reach a point.

2. Gather the pencils into a tight bunch. Hold the erasers or unsharpened ends against a table or countertop to balance the pencils as you arrange them.

3. Place a rubber band around the pencils to secure the bunch so that you can remove your hand from it.

Decorating the Bouquet

1. Cut a 24-inch piece of fabric ribbon. Wrap the ribbon around a bouquet of traditional yellow pencils. Position the ribbon over the rubber band to obscure the band. Tie the ribbon into a bow to create a classic, understated bouquet. Draw two parallel horizontal lines 1/2 inch apart on a notecard. Draw a horizontal dashed line between the two previous lines to recreate manuscript paper. Write a message to the bouquet recipient between the lines, and tuck the note under the ribbon of the bouquet.

2. Cut a 24-inch piece of colorful fabric ribbon. Wrap the ribbon around a bouquet of colored pencils. Position the ribbon over the rubber band to obscure the band. Tie the ribbon into a bow to create a brightly hued bunch. Select pencils and ribbon from the same color family to coordinate the bouquet with event decor, if you are giving the bouquet to a guest as a favor.

3. Use printed message pencils for your bouquet to personalize it for the recipient or theme it to an event. For example, celebrate a friend’s new teaching job by having “Miss Jones, 3rd grade” printed on a set of pencils. Bid farewell to a friend who is moving away by printing the names of neighborhoods and landmarks of their new city on a set of pencils. Turn the pencils around the outside of the bouquet so that the printed message is visible on each one. Tie the bouquet with a ribbon.

4. Use a pencil cup as a vase for a ribbon-tied pencil bouquet. Coordinate the pencil cup to the pencil bouquet to increase the aesthetic value of the gift. For example, for a "thank you" gift for a primary school teacher, place a bouquet of yellow pencils in a cup with the alphabet in a block font that resembles a child’s handwriting around the outside of the cup.

References

• International Movie Database: Memorable Quotes for "You've Got Mail"

Resources

• Carolina Pens & Pencils: Custom Printed Pencils