Crayon Organizer with PLAID Paints

Crafting is way more fun when you’re organized.

(We’ll see if my two-year old feels that way. He hasn’t had much time lately for crayons.)

So I made him this.

I saw this idea for a knockoff Pottery Barn Kids craft organizer and decided to make my own from garbage stuff I already had.

To duplicate this project, you will need:

round cake pan

baby food jars with lids

one color of spray paint

glue

masking tape

various colors of acrylic paint

I used the Martha Stewart paints that PLAID sent me a month ago.

I set the jars into the pan to see how many would fit (I used 11) and where I wanted them to be placed.

I masked off where each jar would go. I didn’t want to paint where I intended to put glue.

Then I used blue spray paint to cover the pan.

Here’s a spray painting tip: Place the pan in a box for painting; that way you don’t have to drape your whole garage with drop cloths. Also, if you are spray painting outside and it is windy, a box acts as a windbreaker to keep the paint from blowing around before it reaches the surface you’re painting.

Coat all sides of the pan with spray paint.

Next, choose the colors for the jars. You’ll be painting the inside of the jar. I found that the best way to do this was to squirt some paint into the bottom of the jar, add a tiny bit of water, place the lid on the jar and shake, shake, shake to coat the inside!

These will take forever to dry. Keep them on their “heads” for an hour or so to dump extra paint out. Wipe the rim with a paper towel to remove any paint.

Then turn them onto their sides. Then keep turning them every few hours to distribute any extra paint around the sides of the jar. I dried mine for about 3 days before they were totally dry.

When the jars are fully dry, remove the masking from the pan’s bottom and use the glue to adhere the jars to the bottom of the pan in the intended positions. I used some crazy adhesive that promised to adhere anything. I didn’t try hot glue, but it might work.

What do you think? Will this entice my two-year old to color more often?

Also, one of my goals for this year is to start taking better pictures. I’m pretty happy with how these turned out! I’m trying to learn how to use my camera more effectively. I have been enjoying some sunny weather; it’s far more conducive to picture taking!