DIY Easy & Super-Cute Phone Case!

Written by Rachel Barkowski Published on February 8, 2017

I have to show you how to make this DIY Phone case — it’s so easy, and it’s super-cute!!

First of all, did you know the cheapest place to get new iPhones is from EBAY? Yes, that’s right – ebay.com. Ebay isn’t just a place to buy used, scratched iPhones. Many people are getting the best deal on a brand-new iPhone by heading to ebay to make their purchase!

And yes, I (& my husband) got mine off ebay. Of course. Who doesn’t like to get a good deal?! Click HERE to take a peek at the prices on ebay!

Ok, so now, on to the super-cute iPhone case. 😉

Here’s what I have had on my phone, just for protection….this simple, cheap, clear silicone case (which isn’t even that CLEAR anymore…but that’s a good excuse to do this again in another pattern). 🙂 It was 5 or 6 dollars, similar to this one on Amazon. It really was just to hold me over until I found the perfect iPhone case. You get it, right? 😛

Then I saw that Crafty by Diply video that’s been going around on social media – that cool packing tape ink transfer technique (crazy, right?!) and I had this awesome idea to give it a try and make a name sticker for my iPhone!

“They say” it doesn’t work with an inkjet printer (it’s supposed to be laser), but seeing that I only had access to my inkjet and I just had to do it NOW, I did it anyways. 😉

I new I definitely wanted the sticker to be on the INSIDE of my iPhone case, because with four kids that need to use my phone now and then, you know that sticker would’ve taken a beating if it was on the outside!

So if you DO want your sticker to be on the inside, remember to make a mirror image, or your name/text will end up backwards!! I was working in Photoshop, so I just hit Command-T for “Free Transform,” and then I right-clicked and went down to “Flip Horizontal.” Some printers allow you to print the mirror image, though, so see what your options are.

(You can see I printed THREE, because…I know how I am…and yes, I used all THREE before I was sure that the first one I did was the best way. 😛 )

Ok, so once I had printed my name backwards, I put Scotch packing tape over one of the names and cut it out pretty close…and then I rubbed-rubbed-rubbed the tape onto the ink like they say to do.

Then the soaking: for laser printers, you’re supposed to soak for 5 minutes in a bowl of water, then peel off the wet paper. The ink stays on the tape, which is really cool!

I found that soaking for just a minute or two with the inkjet worked better because most of the ink stayed on the tape instead of dissolving into the water. It definitely did lighten up, though, compared to the dark-black-ink results that others have had with laser-printed text. So if you can get to a laser printer, you’d be happier with the outcome! I will probably re-print mine on a laser, when I get the chance.

Then I just carefully put the sticker onto the inside of my iPhone case and stared in awe that I had just made my own name decal. Really? That easy?! I’m pretty sure I might go wild making stickers for everything around my house now…..

I couldn’t stop there since I LOVE pairing gold with pink. 🙂 So I grabbed my gold Sharpie oil marker (I love this thing!) and did some polka dots on the inside of my phone case, making them more concentrated around my name, and thinning out a little as I went up.

You could do so many creative things at this point! Chevron, stripes, big polka dots….gold, silver, black, whatever color you like!!

After you’re 100% sure that oil paint is completely dry, pop that phone case back onto your phone and look at how beautiful it is! So pretty and super-cute!

I hope you try this DIY easy & super-cute phone case and let your creativity help you make something completely “you” that you will love!! I can’t wait to snag a couple more cheap, clear iPhone cases to try some other ideas on! 🙂