This pencil jar is a cheery
addition to any desktop.

Pencil Jar

• Red polyfoam
• Red suede paper
• Crafts-foam glue
• Accu-Cut Shape Makers nested apple template and swivel knife
• Scissors
• Leaves from silk flowers
• 26-gauge green wire
• Wire cutters
• Ruler
• 1/16-inch hole punch
• Pint fruit jar
• Natural and red raffia

1. (Ask an adult for a helping hand with this project.) Glue the suede paper to the polyfoam. Let the glue dry. Use the template and swivel knife to cut four 2-1/2-inch-tall apples.

2. Cut four pairs of leaves from the silk flowers, leaving a short stem. Glue the leaves to the upper back of the apples. Punch 1/16-inch holes in the left and right edges of the apples 1 inch down from the top and 1/4 inch from the edge.

3. Cut four 6-inch-long pieces of green wire. Set the apples out in a line. Connect three of the apples by threading a wire through the holes from the back to the front. Leaving a pinkie-finger's width between apples, wrap the ends of each wire around a pencil to coil it. Remove the pencil. Twist the coiled ends of each wire together. Do not connect the first apple to the last one yet.

4. Wrap the apples around the pint fruit jar. Thread the last wire through the remaining holes. Twist the wire together so the apples are snug on the jar. Coil the ends of the last wire around a pencil and remove the pencil. Use strands of natural and red raffia to tie a bow around the neck of the jar.