Box to hold paper for calendar project

I have wanted to make a calendar, but I can’t make myself do a 12-page project. So I had the idea to pre-cut the paper for the project and put it somewhere I can pull out one page at a time. For the paper I cut six pieces of 9x12 inch mix media paper in half. Watercolor paper would have worked also. When I’m ready to start painting, I will go ahead and gesso all the pages at once. Next I need somewhere to put them.

My Wheat Chex cereal box was the perfect size. I cut off the top of the box, cutting the sides at an angle. I then reinforced the box with pieces I cut from the box and cardboard from other cereal boxes. Next I glued some mix media paper I had already painted with green gesso onto the outside of the box using tacky glue. Then I cut and tore up some scrap paper and glued it to the box using tacky glue. I outlined the smaller pieces with Sharpie pens.

I mixed yellow paint into homemade modeling paste and painted the box with it using bubble wrap. I then cut some tissue paper I painted into circles and glued them to the box using tacky glue. I then shaded, shadowed and highlighted the circles using acyl paints.

I keep a little 8x5 inch notebook in the box with the paper, to write down notes on the project. The notebook looks beaten up because my cat have used it to sharpen their claws.

I love how the box turned out, it is sturdy and the perfect size for what I needed. It would also be a good size for a mini art journal.

Fith upcycled chocolate covered cherries box

I started with an empty chocolate cherry box. I had another chocolate covered cherry box that was coming apart, so I cut it up and used it to reinforce the one I was working on. I covered inside, outside and lid with old sketchbook paper using mod-podge.

I painted the entire box with gesso, and then using a dry brush I partially painted the box with blue paint.

I took some non-slick pages from magazines that I had painted and cut them into strips.  I glued the green paper in place on the bottom of the box, then weaved the purple strips through them, then glued all the paper in place using mod-podge. I then cut open a cheez-it box and painted the inside yellow. I cut the box into uneven strips and glued them to the sides and front of the box. Using bubble wrap as a stamp, I applied some orange to the strips. Next I shaded all the strips and gave them shadow and highlights.

Third upcycled chocolate covered cherries box

I started with another chocolate covered cherries box; I cut the lid off. I reinforced the box and lid with mat board, then covered lid and box with used sketchbook paper. Then I painted everything with gesso. Next I took an old gift card and pulled blue and green paint over inside, outside and the lid. Next I put down four layers of magazine pictures using gel medium. After each layer I would sand some of the paper off using sandpaper. On top of the lid I used heavy paper and ripped off part of the paper. I did not sand the top of the lid, I liked the layers.

I made three hinges out of heavy paper and glued them on the lid and back of the box. I then painted the hinges to match the box.   

I glued yarn on the inside of the box and lid to keep the lid from opening to far. 

I put an eyelet in the lid’s flap, and thread wire through the eyelet. I made a bead drop and attached it to the wire.

I like this lid the best so far.

Fourth upcycled chocolate covered cherries box

I started with a chocolate covered cherry box; I cut the lid off. I made a new lid out of mat board. I reinforced the lid and box with heavy mat board. Then I covered lid and box with cotton fabric.

I painted the inside of the box with blue gesso; I left some of the fabric showing. I painted the outside of the box with blue gesso. I cut a strip of peach fabric with white strips and glued it around the center of the box. I put a smaller strip across the back of the lid. I cut a half circle of peach material. I saturated the half circle in mod-podge and glued it to the lid scrunching it up to make wrinkles.

I painted the peach material with red acrylic paint, starting dark on the edges. I added shading with black and white acrylic paint.

I finished the box off with turquoise and white yarn, wrapping the yarn around the lid and center of the box.

Second Upcycled chocolate covered cherries box

I started with another chocolate covered cherries box, I kept the lid on this one, and reinforced the entire box with sturdy cardboard.  I then wrapped the entire box with old sketch paper to keep the cardboard in place. I painted the entire box with pink tinted gesso.

I glued beaded fringe on the edge of the sides and front of the lid.

 

I had a watercolor that I had painted that was pretty, but just not very interesting on it’s own. I cut the painting up to fit on the sides and lid of the box. I glued the watercolor onto the box using mod-podge. After the watercolor was in place I painted on it using black ink and acrylics. 
My idea for the design was pearls and ribbons, but I’m not sure if that is how it turned out. I do like it though.

Upcycled chocolate covered cherries box

I think that the chocolate covered cherries box is the perfect size for a little jewelry box. So I decided to get several and use them to try out some new techniques. 

The first box I reinforced with black mat board I had left over. For the out side and lid design I used a collage that I made.

 

 I cut the collage into panels to fit on the sides and lid of the box. I put a yellow wash over the geometric shapes on the collage to help them stand out. I also added some shadowing. I cut some strips of red card stock to cover the corners and the edges of the box and lid. 

I made the lid out of mat board, the top is covered with the collage and the inside is covered with red card stock. I glued a flat marble on the top of the lid to match the orbs in the design.

I covered the bottom of the box with the same red card stock. I applied a black wash over the card stock to age it.

The glue I used showed up on the black mat board, so I painted over it with red paint.

Upcycled 12 pack box

I enjoy making the boxes out of the of the 12 pack containers. It is a simple process, and when you are finished you have a 3D canvas to work with.

I decided on a depth for the box (about 4 inches) and then folded the rest of the cardboard into the box for reinforcement.

For some reason that eludes me, there were four phonebooks left on my doorstep. I like to wrap the boxes I make with paper to help glue the cardboard in place. I used the paper from the phonebooks because I had a lot to spare.

 

I cut up an old canvas with my exacto knife for the lid.

I then covered the box and lid with slick pages from an old magazine using mod-podge.

I wanted to paint on the box, and it is hard to paint on slick pages, so I painted the box and lid with gesso that I colored with some red acrylic paint.

To give the box some texture, and to lighten the color, I covered the box and lid with yellow tissue paper.

Using pastels, permanent markers and colored pencils I colored the box and lid. To start with I tried to follow the pattern from the magazine pages. I did not like how it turned out, so I covered everything I did not like with more tissue paper and gesso.  Then I just painted random shapes around the veins from the tissue paper.

I was happy with how that looked, so I sprayed box and lid with sealant. I love how this box turned out.