How to Make a Fake Leather Pencil Holder

Finding fun-to-make homemade gifts for Dad or your grandfather isn't always easy. This easy-to-make pencil holder will surely please, especially since it isn't your ordinary pencil holder. This one will look like it's made of leather, and best of all, everyone can use it.

Things You'll Need

• Pint-sized mason jar
• Rubbing alcohol
• Paper towels
• Newspaper
• Masking tape
• Brown shoe polish
• Pencils and pens

Instructions

1. Wash the mason jar thoroughly, making sure there isn't soap left on the outside of the jar. Wipe the outside of the jar with a paper towel dipped in rubbing alcohol. The alcohol will wipe any residue off the outside of the jar so that the tape will stick better. Spread newspapers all over the crafting surface to prevent any stains from the shoe polish.

2. Tear off strips of masking tape approximately 3 inches long and apply them to the mason jar. The strips will go over the lip of the jar and down inside about 1 inch deep so that you can't see any glass around the jar lip. Next, tear off masking tape strips of various lengths and spread them all over the outside of the jar. The strips should be overlapping and going in all different directions. When you have completely covered the entire surface of the jar, tilt the jar up to a light and look through the bottom of the jar. If you can see light, you need more tape for coverage.

3. Smooth the edges of the tape and make sure that the tape is flat. Carefully spread the shoe polish all over the taped surface. Let it dry for approximately 30 minutes. Drop pencils and pens in the opening, and you now have a fake leather pencil holder.

Tips & Warnings

• You can also use black shoe polish.

• Adding more shoe polish to small areas helps to tint the tape so that it looks more like real leather.