Awesome Back to School Style Ideas: DIY Edition

One of the best parts of living a do-it-yourself life is the amount of money you can save. That is why I am so passionate about it. The back to school season is no exception but sometimes you need a little inspiration. To help you out, here are some awesome back to school style ideas you can make yourself!

Collage of back to school fashion projects with text overlay: Awesome Back to School DIY Style Ideas

 

[bctt tweet=”Save money on your kid’s school year fashion with these awesome back to school style ideas you can make yourself!” username=”diyadulation”]

Kids shirts and shorts

Easy DIY Pocket Animal Shirts With Adorable Sloths (Hello Creative Family)

How adorable are sloths? Seriously, something with long sharp claws has no business being so cute. If you don’t believe me, just check out these DIY shirts. They are a simple way to add some style to inexpensive t-shirts!

 

Woman with small wooden backpack on

How to Make a Knock-off DIY Wood Backpack With Faux Leather (Thrift Diving)

While this backpack won’t carry books and homework, it is a fantastic option for girls who love carrying a purse around school. You may love it so much you decide to make one for yourself, too!

 

Blue faux druzy necklace on striped shirt

DIY Faux Druzy Necklace (Inside the Fox Den)

Does your daughter love rocking jewelry as much as mine? Unfortunately, kids can be super rough on their possessions. This DIY lets you create a gorgeous accessory for your kid on a budget (which makes it slightly easier to remain calm when it inevitably gets broken or lost).

 

Crayon lip gloss in small containers

Crayon Lip Gloss (Gluesticks Blog)

Don’t forget to keep those lips hydrated! This 2 ingredient crayon lip gloss is the perfect DIY way to do it.

 

Glitter Pencil Flats

DIY School Shoe Ideas (Jennifer Perkins)

If you are looking for DIY shoe ideas for the whole family, Jennifer has you covered with these super simple projects. My favorite are these glittery pencil ones but she has so many more ideas for you waiting on the post!

 

Teal T-shirt with a football that says Here for snacks

SportFlex Iron-on for Shirts that Stretch (Country Chic Cottage)

This idea is perfect for the little man in your life. Let him head back to school in style with this fun design. Even better, the SportFlex stretches so it fits his active lifestyle.

 

Brightly colored pom and tassels accessory

Simple DIY Pom + Tassels Bag Charm (Made in a Day)

Okay, she put this charm on a purse but it would also make an awesome backpack charm! Bonus: it is super easy to make and you can customize the colors to fit your kid’s preference!

 

Football backpack tag on school bag

DIY 5 Minute Personalized School Backpack Tag (Dazzle While Frazzled)

The pom and tassels might be a bit feminine for your son. Instead, add this super easy backpack tag to his school gear. It adds just the right amount of style and personalization to a plain school bag.

 

Colorful DIY Star Shoes with Beaded Laces

Colorful DIY Stars Shoes with Beaded Laces (DIY Adulation)

Turn a plain white pair of shoes into amazing colorful fun with this super easy tutorial. Customize the colors to fit your kid’s style for a truly unique style accessory.

 

Collage of back to school fashion projects with text overlay: Awesome Back to School DIY Style Ideas

These DIY ideas are a fantastic way to save money on back to school. These awesome back to school style ideas let your kids express their style while you save money. What other ways do you save money during the back to school chaos? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments.

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Collage of back to school fashion projects with text overlay: Awesome Back to School DIY Style Ideas

Colorful DIY Stars Shoes with Beaded Laces

Saving money is a top priority in this house. That doesn’t have to mean boring for the kids’ back to school wardrobe, though. It just means being being creative. Find out how to turn a plain pair of black and white sneakers into these colorful DIY stars shoes with beaded laces!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Collage of photos of Kids Shoes with text overlay: Colorful DIY Star Shoes with Beaded Laces

Last weekend was my son’s basketball tournament. While there, I pointed out this gorgeous pair of peach tennis shoes a player was wearing to my mom.

“Why can’t they make fun shoes like that in adult sizes,” I complained.

My mom looked dead at me and said, “Honey, you’d never in a million years pay what those shoes cost. You’re too cheap.”

 

[bctt tweet=”Create awesome kid’s style on a budget with these colorful DIY stars shoes with beaded laces!” username=”diyadulation”]

I wasn’t offended because you know what? She’s 100% right.

Being cheap doesn’t mean that I, or my kids, have to sacrifice style though. It means rolling up my sleeves to create something unique and beautiful with what we have. That’s exactly what I did with these shoes!

 

Pair of Colorful Kids Shoes

Materials

 

White Canvas Shoe next to Fabric Markers and a Shoe Box

White Canvas Shoe with laces removed next to Fabric Markers

Step 1

First, remove the laces from your shoes. This makes them so much easier to color, especially the tongue of the shoes.

 

White Canvas Shoes with stars colored blue

Step 2

Next, choose one of your fabric markers and color in random stars on your shoes.

 

White Canvas Shoe with stars colored blue and purple

White Canvas Shoe with stars colored blue, yellow, and purple

Step 3

Repeat step 2 with your remaining markers until every star on each shoe is colored in.

Note:

Step 4

Help seal the fabric coloring by running the shoes through a cycle in the dryer.

Tip:

 

White Shoe Laces with pink star beads

Close up of White Shoe Laces with pink star beads

Step 5

After your colors are sealed, pull your laces back out and slide a metallic star bead to the center of each one.

 

White Shoe Laces with pink star beads and translucent pony beads

Step 6

Next, add 2 translucent pony beads to each side of the metallic star.

 

Close up of Beaded Laces on Colorful Star Shoes

Colorful Star Shoes with Beaded Laces

Step 7

Re-lace your shoes with beads between the bottom most eyelets.

 

Pair of Colorful Kids Shoes

Pair of Colorful Kids Shoes

Colorful Kids Shoes with text overlay: Colorful DIY Stars Shoes with Beaded Laces

That’s it! Not bad for a $15 pair of shoes I got on sale. The best part? My daughter loves her new colorful DIY stars shoes with beaded laces. In the end, that’s what matters.

I’m actually considering making these babies glow in the dark. What do you think? Would that be awesome or too much? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

See where I’m linking up!

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Collage of photos of Kids Shoes with text overlay: Colorful DIY Stars Shoes with Beaded Laces

 

More Ideas You’ll Love:

DIY Alice in Wonderland Wall Clock | Movie Monday Challenge

Disney movies are a huge part of childhood. The stories captivate children and teach them to believe in magic and the power of good. That’s why it’s no surprise that we have to have a Disney-themed Movie Monday Challenge. I’m paying homage to my favorite with this DIY Alice in Wonderland wall clock.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

Collage of Wall Clock photos with text overlay: DIY Alice in Wonderland Wall Clock

 

[bctt tweet=”Find out how to turn a coloring page into this awesome DIY Alice in Wonderland wall clock!” username=”diyadulation”]

Growing up, I couldn’t get enough of Alice in Wonderland. I always felt an affinity to feeling out of place in a crazy world. I also appreciated the whimsy of Wonderland.

That love has never faded as I’ve gotten older. In fact, when they made the first live action and I saw it in theaters, I cried. It has impacted me that deeply. That made my choice for this month’s challenge easy and this clock was born.

 

White Rabbit Wall Clock on top of Antique Books

Materials

 

Coloring Book Page Partially Colored In

Close up of Coloring Book Page Partially Colored In

Close up of Colored Roman Numerals

Close up of Colored Around Roman Numerals

Colored Roman Numeral Clock with White Rabbit Inside

Step 1

The first step is to color the watch page in your coloring book. Admittedly this took the most amount of time but it is also incredibly relaxing.

Tip:

 

Torn Out Coloring Page on Top of Coloring Book

Step 2

Once you have finished coloring your picture, carefully tear the sheet out of the book.

 

Cut Out Colored Roman Numeral Clock

Step 3

Next, cut your clock out of your coloring book sheet, following closely to the line.

 

Close up of Mod Podge on Green Plate

Step 4

After your clock is cut out, add a layer of Mod Podge to the inside of your plastic plate and place the clock on top of it.

 

Colored Clock Mod Podged on Plate

Step 5

Add another coat of Mod Podge over top of the clock as well.

Tip:

Step 6

Let your Mod Podge dry completely before moving on.

 

Hole in Picture of White Rabbit with Black Arrow Pointing to It

Step 7

After your Mod Podge has dried, drill a small hole in the center of your plate for the clock mechanism to go through.

Tip:

 

Clock Mechanism Poked Through Center of Clock

Step 8

Once your hole is drilled, place the large washer on the battery pack for the clock and slip it through the hole from the back of your clock.

Step 9

Next, add the smaller washer and screw on the bolt from the front of your clock.

 

Close up of Hands on a Clock

Step 10

After your bolt is tightened, slide the shorter hour hand onto the front of your clock.

Tip:

Step 11

Then slide on your longer minute hand. This can only go one way, so if you’re having trouble getting it on, ensure that the flat sides are aligned.

Step 12

Next, screw on the small bolt over the minute hand.

 

Second Hand Attached to Clock

Step 13

Finish assembling your clock by placing the second hand on the tip of the clock mechanism.

 

Gray Paint on Edge of Clock

Step 14 (Optional)

After the clock was assembled, I didn’t like the green edges of the plate so I painted it with my Rescue Restore Paint in Southern Gentleman. The muted color fits much better with the design but this is a totally optional step. If you like the color of your plate, then leave it as is.

White Rabbit Wall Clock

Tip:

 

White Rabbit Wall Clock Next to Antique Books

White Rabbit Wall Clock Next to Antique Books with text overlay: DIY Alice in Wonderland Wall Clock

I absolutely love how this DIY Alice in Wonderland wall clock turned out! It will make the perfect addition to the rest of my Alice decor (which you can see on my literary mirror tutorial). Now it’s time to check out the other awesome Disney projects my friends created this month. Before you go, I’d love to know what your favorite Disney movie? Let me know in the comments!

See where I’m linking up!

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Collage of Wall Clock photos with text overlay: DIY Alice in Wonderland Wall Clock

 

Movie Monday Challenge: Disney Edition