These custom pencils take under 5 minutes to make and offer unlimited ways to make them your own. Back in elementary school, it was super hip to order custom pencils with your name on them, and they pretty much looked just like the DIY version I’m sharing today. I have no idea why I didn’t think of this project until the weekend after I rounded up my back to school series, but since I haven’t moved on to the next theme yet, I figured, what the heck. Plus, they’re just so cute!
Supplies
plain pencils
hammer
metal stamping letters
permanent marker
rubbing alcohol
tissue
Directions
Gather your letters/symbols for the phrase you’d like on your pencil. This is probably the hardest part of this project! The first pencil I made was for my husband and totally says twerk, but since the internet has had quite enough of twerking in the past month, I opted to keep it outta this post ;).
Align your stamp, checking to make sure it’s about centered on one of the pencil’s flat sides, and also that it’s right side up. Give the stamp a tap – hard enough to make an impression in the pencil, but not so hard as to dent the wood in weird ways. You’re using metal stamps on wood, so the force needed is a little different than when you’re working with metal.
[Check out my other metal stamping tutorials here, here and here.]
Color in your letters with permanent marker, filling in the stamps all the way so the yellow (or whatever color you’re working with) of the pencil doesn’t show through.
Wipe off excess ink with rubbing alcohol and some tissue, being careful not to use too much alcohol. The pencils are wood, so you don’t want them soaked, and if you use too much, you’ll remove all of the ink, including what you want to show up in the letters. Other than that, you’ll all done! These are super addictive – I grabbed a box of 24 pencils on back-to-school clearance and went nuts. I think my co-workers are going to have to get pencil gifts on a regular basis! Who would you make these for?
The metal stamps and hammer used in this project were provided by Impress Art.
In days gone by my Grandma gave me pencils with my names on them. I loved them – great stocking stuffer idea.
another justification for my desire for metal stamping letters!
I just bought 75 custom pencils last week… spent 40 dollars and won’t have any awesome supplies to show for it. I will save this for future
What a great idea! I have a niece and nephew that are a challenge to please at Christmas… guess what’s happening this year! Thanks for a great tutorial.
love the idea!
I wish I had the stamping letters!
I know what I’ll do with them… Wedding giveaways! This actually came at a really great time because I am racking my brain for economical yet cute wedding giveaways, and this is perfect, especially since my hubby to be is an artist. So tying this with a cute ribbon, and a small bag of meringues (since I love cooking) and we got our custom giveaway!
Thank you!
I LOVE that idea! Totally send me pics after you’ve survived the big day :)
I’d love to make some for my nieces. :) They’ll definitely like these. :)
Such a great and fun idea. Thanks for sharing.
hi!
I know that this is an old post but may i ask what size of metal stamps you used for this? Im planning to purchase and do the same for my kids’ pencils as they keep on losing it in school.
Thanks!
Sure thing! I used the 3mm size. :)
I was just thinking about the kid (now man) who sold a million pixels and made one million dollars. so I read an article about him. He started his venture with “what can I sell one million of” I started thinking. and i thought “PENCILS”. then I started looking at personalized pencils but I had to buy them in bulk so that wouldn’t work. then I thought “hmmm, how can I personalize my own pencils?” That led me to THIS article. then I saw, “Metal stamping letters”. I live in an 80 year old house. My landlord grew up in this house and her father lived here until he was 93 years old. I rented the house (only the third family to live here in it’s 80 year history) in 2016. Well, my basement is like a time machine. Stuff there from the 60’s. I love going down there. So about six months ago I was organizing it (again lol) and I came across about 30 lbs of type. It has to be from the days of old,I guess for a printing press? either way I’m about to make some MULA!!!!