Paint over a plastic straw & make this elegant project

Whether you work from, have a home office or simply need a homework area for the kids, you need a good setup with plenty of organization and just the right amount of fun. A pencil holder is an effective way to keep writing tools contained and include some color. Instead of a plain pencil holder, jazz it up with plastic straws and paint.

This project is easy enough for young crafters to enjoy and gives them ownership of their space. Help them with the hot glue gun and keep an eye on the painting, but let them have the freedom to create their own organizational tool and see how invested they become in using their creation. You can choose one color for the pencil holder or create a pattern with two different hues.

Materials
- Wooden box at least 3 inches high
- Ruler
- Plastic straws
- Marking tool
- Scissors
- Disposable glove
- FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint in Turkish Tile
- Small paintbrush
- FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint in Parisian Gray
- Hot glue gun

Instructions
 1. Measure the height of the pencil holder you will be using for the base. 

2. Measure that same length on each straw and make a mark. Cut each straw at that point.

3. Put a disposable glove on the hand that will be holding each straw while you paint it.

4. Paint all of the straws, and let them dry completely.

5. Run a strip of hot glue down the outside of the wooden box, and secure a painted straw. If you have more than one color, you might want to set out the straws in a pattern before starting to glue them.

6. Continue applying strips of hot glue and adding straws until the box is covered. Let it dry completely before adding any pencils.