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Colored Staples

multiple sets of staples, including glitter blue staples, rainbow staples, green staples, and pink staples with the title "colored staples" on it
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Customize your school and office supplies by making these fun colored staples. Make different designs including rainbow, glitter, and even color changing staples!

Table of Contents

Growing up I loved to customize my own DIY school supplies. It’s great because not only are you making a craft, but it’s useful. I would make pencil toppers, erasers (see the Minecraft eraser), and all sorts of things. One of my favorites though, was customizing staples. I never really understood why colored staples didn’t really exist and why we all settled for basic silver ones. I saw it as an opportunity to add some joy to something mundane and soon all of my friends were making colorful staples as well.

There are two main methods I like to use to make them. One makes colorful staples and the other gives you completely unique staples, such as color changing or even glitter staples!

Note: Some links in this post may contain affiliate links, which means at no cost to you, I may earn a commission.

multi colored staples, including glitter blue staples, rainbow staples, green staples, and pink staples with the title 'diy school supplies'

Materials to Make Colored Staples

Swingline Mini Stapler, Tot, 12 Sheet Capacity, includes Built-In Staple Remover & 1000 Standard Staples, Purple - S707917313%
Swingline Mini Stapler, Tot, 12 Sheet Capacity, includes Built-In Staple Remover & 1000 Standard Staples, Purple - S7079173
$7.19
Sharpie S-Note Creative Markers, Pastel Highlighters, Art Marker Set, Assorted Colors, Chisel Tip, 24 Count - School, Home, and Office Use, Teacher Supplies41%
Sharpie S-Note Creative Markers, Pastel Highlighters, Art Marker Set, Assorted Colors, Chisel Tip, 24 Count - School, Home, and Office Use, Teacher Supplies
$21.99
ILNP MEGA (X) - Intense Scattered Holographic Nail Polish
ILNP MEGA (X) - Intense Scattered Holographic Nail Polish
3C4G Color Changing Nail Polish Set for Girls & Teens - 5 Magical, Non-Toxic Colors That Transform, Safe & Fun Nail Polish Kit for Ages 8+ Perfect for Parties, Gifts, & DIY Manicures Make It Real
3C4G Color Changing Nail Polish Set for Girls & Teens - 5 Magical, Non-Toxic Colors That Transform, Safe & Fun Nail Polish Kit for Ages 8+ Perfect for Parties, Gifts, & DIY Manicures Make It Real

Video Instructions for Colored-Changing, Glitter, and Colored Staples

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Instructions to Make Colored Staples

rainbow and green colored staples next to each other

The rainbow staples are a great example of how to make colored staples so I’ll start with that one. Then there are different colors and styles. Click the links to jump to each one:

Rainbow Staples

Start with the pink sharpie and draw a line down one side.

drawing a pink stripe onto staples with a permanent marker

Then use the orange sharpie to draw a line next to the pink one.

drawing an orange stripe

Continue with the yellow, green, blue, and purple to finish the rainbow.

drawing a green stripe
drawing a purple stripe onto staples with a sharpie to finish the rainbow on rainbow staples

You can stop here so that the top of the staples are colorful. Or you can take it to the next step and color the sides as well. Since you started and finished with pink and purple, color the sides in the same colors.

coloring the side with a pink sharpie
coloring the side with a purple sharpie

Then your unique colorful staples are ready to use!

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customized rainbow staples

How fun and cute are these rainbow staples when used!

The best part about these colored staples is you can make different kinds, such as the green staples underneath.

rainbow and green staple into a white piece of paper

Green Staples

Similar to the rainbow staples, the key is to draw stripes lengthwise onto the staples.

You can use different colored green markers or just one. I liked the look of the alternating colors.

coloring staples with a light green sharpie next to a green stripe
drawing a line onto staples with a dark green permanent marker

Don’t forget the sides!

coloring the side with dark green marker

And don’t worry about having uneven stripes. Since the staples come off one at a time, it doesn’t have to look the same as the next.

You could even color them completely unevenly so that it’s always changing.

The would also go perfectly with the DIY Minecraft eraser.

finished customized green staples

Using Nail Polish to Make Colored Staples

Instead of using markers, you can also customize your staples with nail polish. I made this glitter and pink staples with nail polish.

glitter and pink staples next to each other

Glitter Staples

I also tried making glitter staples with glue and loose glitter, but I can tell you, it doesn’t work. When you use the stapler, the glitter flies of the staple so you’re left with a plain staple with glitter all over the paper.

So if you want to have glitter staples, painting on nail polish is the way to go!

painting glitter nail polish onto staples

Be sure to let the nail polish dry completely before using.

finished customized clear glitter staples

See the glitter stays on!

two glitter staples stapled into a piece of paper next to pink colored staples

Color Changing Pink Staples

Similar to the glitter staples, you can make color changing pink staples with nail polish.

Simply paint on the nail polish.

painting pink nail polish onto staples

You can either paint the sides or leave them plain.

finished pink staples painted neon pink on top

Then let them dry before using.

You can see the top one is more of a purple-pink than the bottom. Depending on the color changing nail polish you use, the change will be more or less obvious. But these are definitely fun to play with!

pink staples stapled into a white paper with the top staple slightly purple

And for more back to school fun for the little ones, you can try these printable back to school color by numbers.

multi colored staples, including glitter blue staples, rainbow staples, green staples, and pink staples
4 sets of colored staples including green staples, rainbow staples, glitter white staples, and glitter blue staples

More DIY School Supplies

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multi colored staples, including glitter blue staples, rainbow staples, green staples, and pink staples with the title 'diy school supplies'

Colored Staples

Customize your school and office supplies by making these fun colored staples. Make different designs including rainbow, glitter, and even color changing staples!
Yield 1 Set of Staples
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Project Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute

Materials
  

  • Staples
  • Permanent Markers several colors

Instructions
 

  • Draw a pink line down one side of the staples
    Staples, Permanent Markers
    drawing a pink stripe onto staples with a permanent marker
  • Use the orange sharpie to draw a line next to the pink one.
    drawing an orange stripe
  • Continue with the yellow, green, blue, and purple to finish the rainbow.
    drawing a purple stripe onto staples with a sharpie to finish the rainbow on rainbow staples
  • Since you started and finished with pink and purple, color the sides in the same colors.
    coloring the side with a purple sharpie
  • Let the ink dry for a a few seconds so it doesn't smudge
    customized rainbow staples
Keyword Permanent Marker, Rainbow, School Supplies, Sharpie, Staples
Picture of Daniela Kretchmer

Daniela Kretchmer

Daniela is a lifelong crafter who loves to share her passion for crafting. Through classes or learning on her own, she likes to say she'll do pretty much any craft aside from scrapbooking. Her current personal obsessions include garden crafts, felting, and spinning yarn.

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