Going back to school requires a lot of supplies, and sometimes the pocket book takes a hit. Instead of buying supplies this year, consider spending a craft day with your kids and make a bunch of supplies by hand. It will be cheaper and more fun.
One fun cheap idea is to make a book bag or a tote using a pair of old pants and an old belt. Jeans make really cute book bags, and the more pockets the jeans have, the more fun the bag will be. Kids love to have secret compartments and places to put their stuff.
Blue Jean Tote
To make a blue jean tote you will need to zip or button the pants, turn them inside out and cut the legs off right at the crotch. You will then need to sew up the leg holes where you cut the leg off. You can sew these legs together either by hand or with the sewing machine. Either way it will be a great opportunity to teach your child how to sew.
Once the legs are sewn, turn the pants back around so that the outside is out again. See how the pants now form a perfect bag. The only thing left is to make a strap. Anything that can go around the waist, through the belt loops will make a good strap. The natural thing is to use a belt. Colorful cotton belts make the best handles. If you don’t have a belt that works, consider using a piece of webbing or just a regular old rope.