Upcycled cardboard box, becomes a box for a handmade book

Materials needed

Cardboard box
Charcoal paper
Oil pastels
Baby oil
Mod podge
Black construction paper
Mesh yarn
Grid paper
Watercolor crayons
Black ink

 Someone gave me this box, I don't know what it was used for so I don't know what to call it. The box you use will work if it opens in the front.

I cut off the tabs on the front panels and the flaps on the side panels.

Using grid paper and glue I I connected the side panels forming a tray. Then I covered the entire box with grid paper. You don't have to use grid paper, any kind of paper would work. I used grid paper because I thought it would look good under my artwork.

For the front of the box I used a drawing I made with oil pastels. For the drawing I drew in the trees first using black and brown oil pastels. I blended the pastels using baby oil. Behind the tree is a sunrise, green and brown for grass, gray for mist, then red, orange and yellow for the sunset. I blended the colors into each other using baby oil.

I cut the picture in half and glued it to the front, sides and a little bit on the back using Mod Podge.

I cut out a piece of charcoal paper and glued it to the back and center panels. At first I had planed on drawing on the paper, but I liked the look and feel of it plane.

To finish the edges on the flaps in the front I cut strips of black construction paper. I folded the strips of paper in half, then glued them over the edges of the flaps.

On the inside, I painted a sunset using watercolor crayons, then drew trees on top with black ink. I cut a piece of black construction paper to fit the bottom of the tray. I don't like the inside of the box. When I finish the handmade book that is going in the box, I'll change the inside. You could use anything you want for the outside and inside. If you are making the box for a art journal or hand made book, you can design the inside and outside to match the book or art journal.

To hold the flaps shut and to add more color I finished the box off by wrapping mesh yarn around the box twice and then tied a big bow. I think the box is perfect for a little homemade book. The book is taking longer to make then any box I made. I'll post a picture when I'm finished.