You girls are always asking me for more ‘Gifts in a Jar’ ideas ~ so here’s another one for you… a Pretty Flower Pen!
I made these a few years back when my little man was in Kindergarten… so it was high time to make another one! 
They would make any desk more cheerful… and would also make fun, thrifty gifts!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 pretty silk flower {check your craft store}
- 1 Ball-Point Pen
- 1 Mason Jar {I bought this one at Wal-Mart}
- River Rocks {I found these at Dollar Tree}
- Floral Tape {check your craft store}
What You’ll Do:
- Remove top off pen. {on some pens these just pop right off… on this one I had at it with a knife ~ it took some girl-power, and it wasn’t pretty!}
- Trim flower stem so the length will be just long enough for the stem to fit down into the pen. {I used a wire cutter, but then my finger got caught in it… ouchie! These are the pictures I’m not showing you. Just watch your fingers… mmm-kay?}
- My stem had an extra thick piece around it, so I just sliced that off, too!
- Add a thin amount of hot glue to flower stem, and insert into pen. Allow to dry.
- Begin to wrap the floral tape around the pen {it will stick to itself when stretched}, so pull the tape fairly tightly as you wrap.
- Wrap all the way up to the base of the flower, then trim off the floral tape and secure. Isn’t it looking pretty??
- Now… go grab your jar ~ fill it with shiny little river rocks, and pop your pretty flower pen into it! Tie some matching ribbons around the jar, and you’ve got a Pretty Flower Pen {or another fun gift in a jar}!
Have you made Flower Pens before?
Or do you have other fun ‘Gifts in a Jar’ ideas?? Leave a comment & share!
See Also:
More Fun Crafts & Project Ideas!
Oooohhh…these are so cute. I just kept thinking how cute it would be to make a whole bouquet of these in a vase/flower pot as a centerpiece for a wedding shower. Then, you have a centerpiece and pens for all of the games you play all in one!
That’s a fabulous idea Cindy ~ I love it!!
~ Heidi
I was just thinking a bouquet for a gift, but that is an awesome idea!! We made these for my friends bridal shower a few years ago, but never thought of bunching them together to make the centerpieces!
love the party idea..I am also a nurse and our pens always seem to “come up missing” great idea (for teachers too)
Hi I was wondering for the pen lids do you cut them to make them small enough to cover the pen back up? Is this what you did in the picture above when you said you had to cut it with a knife? Thanks.
Hi Steph ~ I just used the knife to pop off the end cap of the pen… then you can just toss it. Hope that helps!
~ Heidi
I did just that, and the tutorial I wrote has been published here: http://www.hobbizine.com/flowerpen.html
They work great as prizes, too!
You know what would be perfect? Use the flower pens as favors at the wedding! Or they could be favors for the showers and parties. Just a little something extra for the guests.
I was thinking the SAME thing! I’m getting married at the end of next month and I live in the country. I am on a budget and this project is going to be perfect to match my theme. My guests will be surprised when they see the creativity behind the decorating.
We’re using these as a centerpiece for my daughters baby shower. When we’re done all the guests will take one home as a favor. We have clear glass vases filled with the pen flowers and surrounded by multi colored tutus (she having a girl) so the tutus will be given to the baby.
Rather than risking a cut with the wire cutters (!!), you could just leave the stem of the flower on the outside of the pen and wrap it up with the floral tape. That’s what I did when I made mine years ago and you really can’t tell.
Also, you could use a flower pot and pinto beans.
I like using pinto beans because they’re cheap, but I love coffee beans for their the fragrance and dirt-like look, but not their higher price tag. So for a frugal option, I used mostly pinto beans and then a layer of coffee beans on top! http://www.hobbizine.com/flowerpen.html
I think these are great and they make great teacher gifts…I use red pens for the teachers and make a bouquet…I like to use seaglass, shells or stones depending on the teacher, or you can use a fun coffee mug, which you can get really inexpensively at dollar stores or Christmas Tree shops!
You can also make it double as a room freshener by using coffee. This will absorb the odors from the area. I have used Ground Coffee on the bottom with whole bean.
I have made these a bunch of times in the past. Great for small shops or front desks where people tend to walk off with your pens
They are super easy and you can make a bunch of them in no time 
I just made about 50 or so of these and hair clips that I am selling at a local craft fair as a fundraiser for our adoption. You can see them on my blog http://www.thevarnfamily.blogspot.com . We are adopting a little girl from China through the Special Needs program.
My former principal made these and placed them in the office for parents and visitors to use! So cute and nobody walked off with the office pens!
Great ideas everyone! I’m so excited about making things like this to sell, as I’m saving to go on a mission trip this summer.
In Christ,
Melody
I’ve made these in the past and put them in adobe colored flower pots (many times they are less expensive than Mason jars).
Do you think these would work with baby food jars? I have a ton that I would like to find something to do with
This is so cute!
You could do mini ones with baby food jars, like I show in a miniature flower pot in part of this tutorial: http://www.hobbizine.com/flowerpen.html
I love these and the kids and I are trying to make them right now. I just have one question…Do craft stores sell the green tape that is only sticky on one side? The tape I bought is sticky on both sides and it is not working well at all.
I just made one of these for the first time. I only found Stem Wrap Tape at Michaels. Is this the same thing as Floral Tape? I ask because I wrapped the pen and the tape is very sticky when I pick up the pen. Will it dry out or did I get the wrong stuff?
Thanks
Hi Raquel ~ I haven’t used that specific tape, but yes… the stickiness will dry out and become less tacky.
~ Heidi
I thought they might but didn’t have time to wait a few days and see because I had to make several for a charity walk. I went ahead and sealed them with Hard Coat Mod Podge and the are great!
Ooh ~ that’s a great idea, Raquel!
TY! Once in awhile I have a good idea. lol
That would be a great place to put sparkles too…
If you want a “free-ish” mason jar, head out and buy some pasta sauce. The mason jar can come from the Classico spaghetti sauce. I just went to a Taste of Home show and Classico is a sponsor this year. The chef said the jars it comes in are mason jars. I haven’t really checked this out myself though.
Is there a difference between stem wrap and floral tape??? I taped my pens with stem wrap and 2 days later its still sticky
I just made two of these pens to give as thrifty gifts from my son to his Grandma’s on Mothers Day. They are so cute! I used large Pink Gerbera Daisies, and small painted flower pots and they look really great!!! Thanks so much for the idea!
You’re very welcome, Donna! They sound so cute… I love the silk daisies!!
~ Heidi
This is such a great idea. Thanks for sharing!
thank you so much for the directions! just made 40 flower pens to be used in a table decoration for a baby shower!
You’re very welcome, Karen! What a fun idea!
~ Heidi
Hi,
I am making these to put in a pot next to the guestbook at our wedding
The guests will also be playing a game, “Are you smarter than the Bride & Groom?” at their tables, so I am putting a few of these in the mason jars on their tables.
Question: How do you secure the sticky tape at the end? I can’t make it stay down!
I’m planning to make flower pens for our 5 kids’ Sunday School teachers. Any creative ideas for something similar for male teachers?
You could wrap the pens with maybe a green pipe cleaner of green felt I was going for grass looking the same floral tape could work also & use a golf tee as the topper that’s what popped into my head for a male. I think a lot of the 1.00 dollar stores have kids little tiny golf sets you could look and maybe find little tiny golf clubs use those also, I’ve seen them it might be something that you can’t find anymore though those would be cute. Now i’m going to have to look around for something to make some for guys!
Watch for out of season jars. They usually go on sale after canning season is over.