Years ago, when my oldest daughter started pre-school, the very first day of school, she wanted to take a flower to her teacher. Several years later, it is the same concept- just with something that is useable by their teachers! We have been making these since my going into middle school daughter started 2nd grade. We LOVE that every teacher since then still has their pots of pens on their desks!!!

My kids biggest decision this year was picking out the Duct tape they wanted to use. For this craft you will need:

~a minimum of 1 roll of duct tape (more if you so choose)

~pens or pencils

~scissors

~a small potting planter (scored these at Walmart for $.49!!!)

Your first step is to pick the writing utensil and color of tape you want to do first.

Of course my daughter went with rainbow glitter first!!! lol

Cut 2 long strips approx. 16 inches in length, fold them in half, leaving a small portion of the sticky side showing.

Then you will cut small slits all down the entire length of both 16 inch strips.

Cut off an approximately 3 inch piece off the tape and cut that into a circle. leave it sticky side up. You should now have the sticky circle and two 16 inch pieces cut with slits.

You then start applying the cut pieces to the sticky circle. Just make sure that slight sticky part you left at the top of the long pieces sticks directly to the sticky circle.

Slightly pinch the long piece so it slightly overlaps itself, and stick it down again.

Just keep pinching and turning!!!

EASY PEASY!!!! your whole first strip is on =)

Now take your second strip, and start it exactly where you left off with your first strip, remembering the whole time to keep sticking the sticky parts together.

When you have aprrox 4 inches left, STOP! make sure yours looks like the picture, with a the middle still an open area with the sticky open.

Then from the TOP of that strip left, start rolling it straight down.

You then just roll it all the way down, and smoosh the 2 centers together. The center of the piece you just rolled, and the center of the sticky middle of the flower.

You are then going to cut a 3 inch piece off the roll.

Leave a slight part NOT cut at the top, and cut 3 strips lengthwise on this strip.

you will then attach the part at the top of that strip that is NOT cut to the bottom of the flower.

Stand the pen in the center, and wrap the 3 slit pieces around the pen. This to me is the TRICKIEST part.... it is quite haphazard, and there is really no "right way" to do it.  I like to leave the lid on for height. that is totally up to you!

Just make sure the tape is both holding down the pen to bottom of the flower, and making sure the pen is secure. If you need an extra strip or two to make it feel secure, by all means add it!!!

Then flip the flower over with the top attached, and cut a strip of tape to wrap around the pen as the "stem" You can get green tape or use the same tape you did on top. my daughter wanted green at the bottom of this one to make it look like a real flower.

WHA-LA! One Duct Tape flower done!!!!!

MK then filled her pot with rocks to hold the pens in place in her pot.

We then repeated the steps of making more flowers in more patterns to make their Flower Pot Pens for each of their teachers on the first day of school

 Aren't they adorable?

My oldest daughter's 4th grade teacher told me her favorite thing about these pens was that they never went missing or taken off her desk. She said any other pen's always seemed to just disappear, but these stayed put in their pot and were always there when she needed them! 2 years later, she still has her pot on her desk!

Who doesn't love to get flowers? These are the flowers that keep on giving and shine bright all year long =) Start the school year off with a gift that will last all year long!

~Michele