3 Easy Back-to-School Crafts Using Leftover Paint
Do you have a few half-used paint jars hanging around? A craft drawer full of random supplies? A collection of popsicle sticks that you swore you’d use someday?
Congratulations. You’re already halfway to your next DIY.
With back-to-school season here, we’re giving those leftover supplies a second life with three easy crafts that are colorful, budget-friendly, and actually fun to make. No special shopping trip required—and definitely no straight-A crafting skills necessary.
Grab your leftover Country Chic Paint, gather a few things from around the house, and let’s get crafty!
1. Back To School Back Drop Sign
First day of school photos are practically a rite of passage. But instead of buying a photo prop that gets used once and disappears into the closet forever, why not make one yourself?
For this colorful sign, we reached for four fun shades: Fireworks, Simplicity, Fresh Mustard, and Sunset Glow, Paint The Town
Think bright, cheerful, and just the right amount of “I’m ready for school!” energy.
What You'll Need:
- Craft paper
- Leftover paint
- Paintbrushes
- A pencil
- Your creativity!
Steps:
Don’t worry about making it perfect. In fact, a little handmade charm is exactly what we’re going for.
Add the child’s name, grade, teacher, favorite things, or the classic “First Day of School” message.
Then comes the important part: take the picture!
Tape it up to the wall, snap a photo, and congratulations, you’ve officially made a back-to-school memory and used up some leftover paint!
2. Roll With It: Make Marble-Effect Pencils
Plain pencils? We think they need a little more personality.
This next DIY turns ordinary pencils into colorful, marbled masterpieces using...you guessed it...leftover paint!
It’s an especially fun way to use those little bits of paint that aren’t quite enough for another furniture project but are way too good to throw away.
What You'll Need:
- Plain wooden pencils
- Small amounts of leftover paint
- A paper plate or something you can clean the leftover paint off afterwards
How to Make Them:
Start by choosing a few leftover paint colors that look great together. You can go bold and colorful or stick with a more coordinated palette!
Roll the pencils through the paint, rotating them as you go to create swirls and overlapping colors. The goal isn't perfection...the more random the pattern, the better!
Set your painted pencils aside to dry completely.
And just like that, you’ve transformed a basic school supply into something that looks like it came straight from a very fancy stationery shop!
3. Stick With Us: A Popsicle Stick Photo Frame
Last but definitely not least: the humble popsicle stick gets its moment in the spotlight.
If you have a stash of craft sticks sitting around, this is your sign to finally use them.
This easy photo frame is perfect for displaying a favorite summer memory, a first-day-of-school photo, or a snapshot of your favorite little artist.
What You'll Need:
- Popsicle sticks or craft sticks
- Leftover paint
- Paintbrushes
- Hot glue gun
- Sharpie
- A magnet (optional if you want to place it on your fridge)
How to Make It:
First, paint your popsicle sticks using whatever leftover colors you have on hand. You can paint them all the same color, alternate shades, create stripes, or go completely rainbow OR buy pre-coloured sticks. (For this craft we used Liquorice for the tires & Cranberry Sauce for the headlights).
Once they're dry, arrange the sticks into a square or rectangle and glue them together.
Add a piece of cardboard for the backing or you can hot glue / tape the photo you want to use to the frame.
Want to make it extra special? Add the school year, grade, name, or a tiny painted apple or pencil for a little back-to-school flair!
Don't Toss It...Paint It!
Back-to-school crafting doesn't need to mean buying a cart full of new supplies.
That leftover paint you've been saving? Use it.
Those extra craft sticks? Use them.
That piece of craft paper you've been holding onto because surely you'll need it someday? Today's the day.
These three projects are proof that a little leftover paint and a little creativity can go a long way.
So before you clean out your craft cupboard or toss those half-used paint jars, take another look. You might already have everything you need to make something colorful, useful, and completely your own.
Because the best kind of back-to-school supply is one that gets an A+ in creativity!
