Make a Pencil and Photo Holder Using Office Supplies

This modern looking marvel is both functional and fashionable, and it's super-easy to make! This project will only take a minute -- unless of course you're trying to avoid doing actual work at the office, in which case you can spend hours looking through photos to find just the right ones to display...

Steps

  1. Raid the office supply room. You will need 8 medium size binder clips (1 and a quarter inches wide) and 4 rubber bands. That's it.
  2. Arrange the clips. Take the 8 clips and pull the metal handles back, so they rest on the black metal clip (as shown). Now on their sides, arrange them into a circle. The shape will look more like a flower, and may not be a 'perfect' circle, but get as close to it as you can.
  3. Enforce the shape with rubber bands. With your flower-looking shape laid-out and ready, take two rubber bands and stretch them out between four fingers, as shown, larger than the circumference of the clips. This will allow you to drop them down over the clips in one smooth motion, so it contacts all the clips at once - otherwise your shape will not stay intact. After applying the first pair of rubber bands, carefully flip it and apply a second pair. If you need to reshape the "flower", poke a finger or a sharpie in the center of the clips.
  4. Add pens and pencils. You can keep the color the same for a sleek minimalist look or use different colors to create something more eye-catching.
  5. Add photos. Time for the creative fun! Placing them in between the handles of silvery metal, add photos, postcards, notes -- whatever you'd like.
  6. Show off. Place this amazing pen and photo holder someplace where fellow coworkers can pass by and compliment you on your skills. Oh, and if anyone asks, well, the clips aren't leaving the office, are they?

Tips

  • Be patient, and take your time.
  • Be creative! Use colorful hair ties instead of rubber bands, or hang the clips from a string or ribbon for a mobile picture holder(no pencils in this case).
  • Sometimes the clips will fall out of place as you try to flip them. It is possible to make it more stable for flipping when you add the second rubber band around the top. With this one, you should try to zigzag the band over every other pair of handles. In other words, try to put the rubber band on the other side of the metal pieces so that when viewed from the side, you see a zigzag going around the flat edges of the octagon. When you flip it, you can do the same to the other side so that you see a series of X's around the edge. This will make it very stable.

Warnings

  • Make sure that your workmates won't think you are too bored with your job. On the other hand - you really don't want them to think you did this at home!
  • Also make sure that employees are allowed to "raid" the office supply room. If not, many employers would consider this to be theft, an offense that could result in termination.

Things You'll Need

  • 8 medium size binder clips (1 and a quarter inches wide or smaller, depending on your preference)
  • 4 rubber bands
  • Pencils and photos/notes (optional)

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Sources and Citations

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