As Seen on the Today Show: 10 Must-Make Back to School Projects

Anjelika Temple
Aug 20, 2014

Consider yourself an early bird? Then you may have caught Brit on the TODAY show this morning telling the folks there all about our favorite back to school projects! Though we’re well past our school days, we’re all about clever ways to create new school supplies. And guess what? It doesn’t have to be an expensive time of year — here are 10 creative ways to add your own DIY spin to classic school supplies.

1. Chalkboard and Dry Erase Lunch Boxes: We’ll start by making some lunch! If you’re a parent that likes to write notes or reminders to your child, each day, you’ll love this idea: just paint the inside or outside of their lunch box with chalkboard or whiteboard paint so that you always have a spot for your daily notes. Plus it’s eco-friendly!

2. Personalized Pencils: Standard yellow or mechanical pencils are a bit boring, so why not jazz them up with your own favorite pattern? Coincidentally, washi tape happens to be the perfect width to wrap around a pencil. Just tear off strips, wrap, and switch ‘em up whenever you want.

3. Pen and Pencil Holders: Okay so now you have all your decorated pencils, but where do you put them? Here are a couple clever ideas we love. You’ll never lose your pens and pencils again! The pocket is a great hack because you can use it over and over again.

4. Die Cut Book Cover: Now it’s time to hit the books. To create a die cut book cover, first you want to print or draw out the shape you want to cut. We used the TODAY show logo, of course. Wrap your book in white paper, then trace the logo onto the paper. Take the wrapping off and cut out your shape. Then wrap up your book!

Cord Roll

: Of course, school these days isn’t just about pens, pencils and notebooks. It’s about your tech-cessories too. If you roll deep in the cord department, keep ’em in check by making our cord roll. If it’s just headphones you’re dealing with, a snap-button cord carrier should do the trick.

Photo Tote

Pretty Patterned Tote: If you’re not hauling books around, a handy tote should do the trick on the daily. On the left, we’ve created a couple totes using Instagram photos. Simply print your photos on iron-on transfer paper and… iron them on! On the right, we customized totes using fabric paint. Both take under an hour to complete!

9. Neon Acrylic Desk Caddies: We love the neon acrylic look but can’t really justify shelling out the dough for the fancy products we see online. So what’s a DIY-er to do? Grab a neon Sharpie and simply color the edges of a clear desk organizer. #makehacklove

As Seen on the TODAY Show: 7 Easy Peasy Easter DIYs to Make With Your Family

‘Round these parts, Easter DIYs are our bread and butter. Yesterday, I shared some of my favorite un-egg-spected (and easy!) Easter DIYs with my friends over at the TODAY Show. Scroll on for the DL on all the DIYs that were featured in the segment. Now, hop to it!

PSA: All puns in this article were 100% intended.

Sharpie Tie-Dye Easter Eggs

That’s right. We’re using Sharpies to tie dye. It’s one of my all-time favorite hacks, and you probably can find almost all of the materials for these (besides the egg!) in your junk drawer.

Materials + Tools: (makes 1 egg)

Instructions:

  1. Cover your hard-boiled egg in Sharpie marker. Don’t be afraid to use tons of colors!
  2. Pour nail polish remover into a small container, dip a Q-tip into the container, and dab it onto your egg. The solution will blend the colors.
  3. Set aside and allow them to fully dry. You’re done!

Check out the full Sharpie Tie-Dye Egg tutorial!

Baker’s Twine Easter Eggs

Wanna skip the mess? Try this baker’s twine DIY instead. Bonus: Using wooden eggs means you can keep these year after year.

Materials + Tools:

Instructions:

  1. Spray the bottom of your egg with spray adhesive.
  2. Starting at the base, wrap the twine around the egg.
  3. Once you reach the middle, coat the top of the egg with spray adhesive.
  4. Keep wrapping until you reach the top of the egg, then secure the end of the twine with a drop of school glue. Cut the excess twine. Voilà!

Find the full tutorial over at So Much Better With Age. (Photo via So Much Better With Age)

Temporary Tattoo Easter Eggs

Turns out, it’s just as easy to put temporary tattoos on eggs as it is on your skin! Ink up your eggs with this easy breezy DIY hack.

Materials + Tools

Instructions:

  1. Remove the clear plastic sheet from the temporary tattoo, then carefully press the exposed tattoo to your egg.
  2. Slowly cover the tattoo sheet with a wet paper towel, then hold firmly in place for 30-60 seconds.
  3. Carefully remove the paper towel and tattoo sheet — the tattoo should be fully transferred to the egg. Let dry.

Check out the full Tattoo’d Egg tutorial for more info!

Cacti Easter Eggs

Not that I’m playing favorites, but this might be my favorite Easter DIY yet. I totally got back to my Texas roots with this charming cactus egg.

Materials + Tools (makes 1 egg):

Instructions:

  1. To create your dye, mix together boiling water, green food coloring, and vinegar in a heat-safe cup or bowl.
  2. Drop your egg into the dye with a spoon. The longer you leave the egg in, the darker the color will be.
  3. Remove egg from the dye and let it dry completely.
  4. With your fine-tip pen, draw on cacti needles and flourishes.
  5. Glue pink tissue paper to the egg’s top to create cactus flowers. Let the glue dry completely.
  6. Add a handful of plant pebbles to the terracotta pot, then top with your cactus egg. Ta-da!

The full tutorial can be found over at Delia Creates. (Photo via Delia Creates)

Glow-in-the-Dark Easter Egg

How sweet are these little light-up critters? Up-level your Easter egg hunt with these darling glow-in-the-dark bugs.

Materials + Tools (makes 1 egg):

Instructions:

  1. Turn on the LED tea light and place in your plastic egg.
  2. Create legs and antennae from pipe cleaners, then glue them to your egg with a hot glue gun.
  3. Add sticker or googly eyes. You’re done!

Peek at the full tutorial over at Apartment Therapy. (Photo via Apartment Therapy)

Paper Plate Bunny Baskets

Made with paper plates, this bunny basket is easy as pie. Grab your pom-poms and get gluing!

Materials + Tools (makes 1 basket):

  • 2 white paper plates
  • scissors
  • 2 googly eyes
  • 1 light pink + 2 white pom-poms
  • hot glue + glue gun
  • 1 piece of light pink construction paper
  • hole punch
  • 24-inch pink ribbon
  • Easter candy to fill (Psst: Make sure it’s thin enough to fit in the basket pocket!)

Instructions:

  1. To create the back, cut one paper plate in half. Set aside for now.
  2. Onto the front side! Start by hot gluing googly eyes onto the back of a whole paper plate.
  3. Next, glue the 3 pom-poms to create the nose.
  4. For the cheeks, cut and glue small circles of pink construction paper.
  5. Cut bunny ears out of your leftover half-plate, then glue pink paper to the insides.
  6. Glue each ear to the back of your front plate, then let dry.
  7. Glue front and back plates to one another along the rims, then let dry.
  8. To make a handle, use a hole punch to make a hole on either side of the bunny basket, then thread through your ribbon. Keep ribbon in place by making a knot at each end.
  9. Fill with candy. That’s it!

Inspired by The Best Ideas for Kids. (Photo via The Best Ideas for Kids)

Upcycled Fruit Carton Easter Baskets

Skip the wicker and make your Easter baskets with upcycled fruit cartons. Add some trusty pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and crinkle paper, and you’ve got a winner.

Materials + Tools (makes 1 basket):

Instructions:

  1. To make the basket handle, poke the end of a pipe cleaner through the outer side of the carton, then bend inward. Arch the long end of the pipe cleaner over the top of the basket, then poke through the outside of the opposite side. Bend the remaining piece of pipe cleaner inward. If your pipe cleaner comes loose, you can secure it in place using floral wire.  
  2. Hot glue mini pom-poms around the top of the carton.
  3. Fill the carton with crinkle paper and Easter treats, such as dyed eggs and marshmallow bunnies. Voilà!

Full tutorial can be found at DIY Real. (Photo via DIY Real)

And there you have it, enough fun projects to keep you and the kiddos “hoppy” all Easter weekend long.

Need some more eggy inspo? Follow us on Pinterest for more Easter DIY action!

easter decoreaster eggstoday showeaster

Hold Up, Did Rebecca Yarros' First 'Onxy Storm' Excerpt Just Tease Violet Sorrengail's True Identity?

Fans of Fourth Wing are on pins and needles because Rebecca Yarros just announced she's finished writing the third book in the Empyrean series! It's us, we're fans — along with over half of BookTok.

We can't believe we're getting closer to reading more about Violet Sorrengail's journey, but we know you have a ton of burning questions about the release date for Book No. 3.

We may not have all the answers, but we've done a little digging to share as much as we can because who doesn't want to know what Rebecca Yarros has been up to?

I'm new to the Empyrean series. Are "Fourth Wing" and "Iron Flame" really worth reading?

Amazon

I'm not going to lie to you. The editorial team, including myself, are extremely biased about Fourth Wingand Iron Flame. From my perspective, I think these are great books for anyone who had the pleasure of growing up during the great Harry Potter era and moved on to watchingGame of Thrones and House of Dragons.

Did she announce the name of book no. 3?

Rebecca Yarros/Instagram

YES! Book No. 3 is titled Oynx Storm.

Knowing what we do about the manifestation of Violet's powers, I think this could hint she's going to play an even larger role in the series. According to a fan theory shared on TikTok(via Empyrean Riders), it's believed that Violet and Xaden Riorson are actually gods. Stay with me here.

Empyrean Riders noted that Violet's last name means heavenly and that she's able to control time thanks to her connection to the young dragon Andarna (I love her so much!). That sounds pretty god-like to me.

And when asked which two Taylor Swift songs describe Onyx Storm, Rebecca Yarros chose "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" from The Tortured Poets Department and "So It Goes..." from Reputation. "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?" is one of Taylor's most powerful songs and definitely translates the idea that Violet's powers are going to be stronger than ever, while "So It Goes..." is equal parts suspense and seduction, and is TOTALLY about "all the pieces fall right into place" to get together with the right person.

There's so much more to unpack so I suggest grabbing a yummy snack while you fall down the rabbit hole. All I'm sure of is that Onyx Storm is going to leave our emotions in shambles just like Fourth Wing and Iron Flame did.

When did Rebecca Yarros announce she's done writing book no. 3 in the series?

Rebecca Yarros/Instagram

On June 17, Rebecca Yarros shared this image of her laptop to indicate she'd finished the third book in the Empyrean series.

She wrote, "(Pic from one of the very many locations in which this book was written)," towards the end of the caption before adding a few relevant hashtags to it.

When will Onxy Storm be available for purchase?

Rebecca Yarros/Instagram

Rebecca Yarros exclusively told Good Morning America that fans can expect the book to hit shelves January 21, 2025! That gives us a little over six months to prepare our emotions for what's sure to be a storm of a book.

She said, "There will be politics, new adventures, old enemies and of course, dragons." There's no way she could forget the dragons because I'd willingly riot over them. They deserve to have their stories told forever.

As luck would have it, Cosmopolitan received an exciting first look at what's to come in Onyx Storm. The excerpt begins with Violet realizing the Venin have found their way into Basgiath War College and are wreaking havoc. Alongside Rhiannon, Sawyer, and Ridoc, she races to stop the Venin from releasing Jack Barlowe from his prison cell.

However, Violet's shocked when she discovered one of the "dark wielders" has a long silver braid that closely resembles her own. Before she can fully react, the woman disappears. According to Screen Rant, there are possible theories about why Violet saw her and what this means for her growing power.

Towards the end of the excerpt, Violet discovers the Venin want to capture her too. Also, Xaden makes his long-awaited appearance and it's clear their playful banter in the face of danger hasn't changed. That he hasn't fully changed into the Venin Violet's used to seeing.

I officially can't wait to read the rest of the book in January!

Has Rebecca Yarros revealed the cover for Onyx Storm?

Today/Bree Archer, Elizabeth Turner Stokes for Entangled Publishing

Onyx Storm

Yes!

TODAY received an exclusive look at the cover for Onyx Storm and it doesn't disappoint! Unlike its predecessors, it appears Rebecca Yarros is hinting that darker events will take place.

Fans of the Empyrean series aren't the only ones who are excited to see what fate has in store for our favorite characters though. In a statement to TODAY, Rebecca revealed how elated she is to be working on the series again. "It's amazing to be back with these characters again. She also said, ""I can't wait for readers to see what Violet, Xaden, and the rest of the quadrant have in store for them in Onyx Storm!"

Are you excited for the release of Onyx Storm? Follow us on Facebook for more entertainment news!

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

booktokfantasy booksbook recommendationsreading listentertainment

WHICH Movie Had Kate Winslet "Sh—ing" Herself?!

Kate Winslet is THE Hollywood actress to me. Not only has she starred in box office smashes like Titanic and Avatar: Way of Water, but she's proven her acting chops in breakout indie flicks and provided mothers and daughters everywhere with eternal Christmas movie nights thanks to The Holiday. But the actress' consistently viral kindness, her dedication to embracing her natural beauty, and her sophistication don't mean she always feels confident. Kate Winslet just spilled on the one movie from her career that had her "sh—ing" herself, and I just had to dive in.

Here's what Kate Winslet had to say about her scariest movie experience ever.

  • Kate Winslet made a name for herself with Titanic, Sense & Sensibility, and The Holiday.
  • However those movies aren't the film she wants fans to ask about!
  • The actress spills on the movies she's proud of, and the one job that had her "sh—ing myself."

Talking to Vanity Fair for her newest film Lee, Kate Winslet revealed one project she wishes fans asked about more is Iris. The 2001 film stars Kate as a young Iris Murdoch against Judi Dench's older counterpart. And for Kate, nothing was more terrifying than working with such a wonderful actress.

"People don’t really ask me about Iris. It’s such a delicate film," she says. "It was the first thing I had done after having my daughter. Going to work with a baby, I’m playing Iris Murdoch, looking to Judi Dench’s older Iris Murdoch — I was sh—ting myself."

Considering how nervous I get when I meet my heroes, I can only imagine what it was like to meet Dame Judi Dench. Talk about a dream! Another film Kate loves is Revolutionary Road, and not just because she got to reunite with Leonardo DiCaprio.

"The thing that people say is, 'You got to work with Leo again.' Then they go off on the whole Leo tangent, which I totally understand," she says of the film, which follows an ambitious couple who find themselves trapped in the reality of 1950s suburbia. "But Revolutionary Road — f—king hell, it just knocked us all sideways. Unbelievably difficult material. I was very proud of that film and what Leo and I were able to create as Frank and April. It was so brutal."

The process for getting Lee into the world sounds equally brutal, considering Kate started working on it over a decade ago. As producer, Kate tells Vanity Fair she doesn't mind the fact she's done more for the film than if she only had an acting credit. "That has felt very necessary for this film. But it’s also just really important to me," she says. "It’s important to me that people know that it’s out there and might feel compelled to go and see it."

Because it turns out, commercial success or stardom on its own doesn't actually help your movie get made! "It doesn’t matter who you are," she says. "No one’s going to go, 'Oh, I’ll just back that pony because she was in Titanic.' It doesn’t happen that way, and I never expected that. That’s really important to say."

"I've gotten older and I’ve learned more and felt more confident in myself about whether or not I could actually do it," she adds. "It’s not something I would’ve done had I not felt so passionately about the subject, and Lee was just—she wouldn’t let me go."

Let us know your favorite Kate Winslet movies in the comments, and since we've officially entered cozy season, check out Why The Holiday Movie Ending Is The Most Important Scene while you're at it!

kate winsletentertainmentpop culturecelebrity

Here's A New Look At Florence Pugh's Return As Yelena Belova

Marvel movies are known for their heroes and their hopeful outlook on the world. But in 2025, we're getting a brand new team: the Thunderbolts. This team is made up of antiheroes and former villains, and it's sure to be the wackiest and strangest, as well as one of the most memorable, superhero movies we've seen in recent years.

Keep reading for the latest news on Thunderbolts* before it hits theaters in 2025.

Marvel Studios/YouTube

Thunderbolts* comes out this May, and the cast just showed off some brand new footage at the D23 convention — and thanks to the new 'Celebrating 85 Years' spot, we have the first look too!

We get a look at Bucky Barnes, The Red Guardian, John Walker, and Ghost. Plus, Yelena Belova, of course. This heartbreaking detail about Yelena's new look connects Florence Pugh's Yelena to Scarlett Johansson's Natashaand I'm WEEPING.

Marvel Studios/Walt Disney Studios

And at D23 Brazil, we got a brand new look at my new favorite team. "There’s something in this film, in terms of superpowers and superheroes, that shows that our superpowers lie in how ‘broken’ we are," David Harbour said at the event. "As if our superpowers came from our relationships.”

What is the plot of Thunderbolts?

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Thunderbolts* Plot

Consider Thunderbolts* to be The Avengers' edgy younger sibling. The movie follows Yelena Belova (who we know off the bat is a "depressed assassin" thanks to a Marvel Studios press release). She's joined by Bucky Barnes, The Red Guardian, and John Walker. Based on a leak, it looks like we'll see this group of misfits team up against Valentina Allegra de Fontaine after she sends them on a deadly mission.

Thunderbolts* Release Date

Jesse Grant/Disney

Thunderbolts* Release Date

Thunderbolts* hits theaters May 2, 2025.

Who's on the Thunderbolts team?

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

Thunderbolts* Cast

Thunderbolts* stars Florence Pugh, Geraldine Viswanathan, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sebastian Stan, and David Harbour.

This is a huge cast, and Viswanathan just revealed how crazy the first day of filming was. “My first day didn’t feel real," she tells Vanity Fair. "I felt this extra pressure of, ‘Know your lines, babe. You can’t really play around like you usually do.’"

Historically, sci-fi fans haven't been kind to actresses in their favorite projects (remember when Star Wars fans bullied Kelly Marie Tran off social media?). But Viswanathan is already thinking ahead. “If it’s overwhelming, I’ll log off. But I like discourse around pop culture,” she says. “[Thunderbolts*] felt a little bit edgier and fresher, more existential and dark.”

Jesse Grant/Disney

The rest of the cast also enjoyed working together. “Everyone is going to f—kin’ love me! It’s really, really, really fun to be with a group of actors that you have a good time with," Wyatt Russell says at Comic Con (via Variety), while David Harbour adds, “Florence Pugh [is] just electric to work with. There’s warmth and humor, but there’s also a lot of pathos.”

“This is why we can't stop laughing together, because we genuinely just had such a wonderful time with each other and we've loved working with one another," Pugh tells People. “I feel like this is something that we've never seen before from Marvel...it's a very open and honest and truthful idea. And I'm just really excited for people to watch it.”

Are you excited for this brand new chapter in the MCU? I really feel like Thunderbolts* will usher in a whole new generation of fans and I, for one, CANNOT WAIT! Let us know your thoughts on Facebook.

Lead images via Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney

This post has been updated.

marvelpop cultureentertainmentnsfwmovies