This Subscription Box Teaches You Art and Design, One Month at a Time

Whether you're an art-lover who loves to make things or an art newbie looking to learn entirely new skills, Doodle Crate is a creation kit designed just for you.

A Doodle Crate subscription costs anywhere from $16.95 to $19.95 per month depending on how many months you buy at once. Every month, a box arrives at your doorstep full of everything you need to learn a new craft and make cool, practical pieces of art.

Our first Doodle Crate included everything needed to create a faux leather portfolio, complete with a sketchbook to house inside. The kit came with a pre-cut and hole-punched sheets of faux leather for the body and pocket of the portfolio, as well as thread and elastic cord in brown and blue, plus lots of gold, bronze and blue decorative brads.

The first step was deciding which colors we wanted on the outside of our portfolio and pocket. We went with the brown on the outside with the softer blue on the inside to make it more protective in case we ever decide to store our phones or tablets inside. We picked a blue pocket for contrast.

Next, we needed to thread the portfolio together. We selected the blue thread to do this, carefully stitching the pocket to the front of the portfolio and the sides of the portfolio together to create the general shape. The steps were straightforward and easy to follow, and the result looked great.

Next, it was time to decorate. The front cover of the portfolio had pre-poked holes, making it super easier to insert round brads in light and dark blue shades, as well as square ones in bronze and gold. There were enough of each color to create pretty much any pattern we pleased, but we opted for a striking random look.

To finish the portfolio, we just had to attach an elastic cord to seal it all up. Again, we opted for the contrasting blue, poking a loop through a hole and tying it tight to create a stretchy clasp all around the portfolio.

The end result was both stylish and useful, with enough space inside to fit the included sketchbook, as well as pens, pencils, erasers and other goodies.

In the end, we were totally satisfied with the results and looking forward to creating even more handy accessories. In the process, we even learned a couple of stitching techniques we'll take with us to our next project. Not too shabby for a DIY!

 

Looking for the most fabulous DIY ever? Click HERE to find out how to make your own neon signs.