Upcycled Craft Storage: Made from an old shoebox

 

 For my birthday this year I got myself the best present that a girl could get...new boots! One of the best things about getting new shoes or boots is the awesome box that they come in. Ok maybe that's just me? I'm thinking I can't be alone on this one! I knew that I didn't have anything needing to be stored in a shoe box, but (and maybe this is just my crazy pack rat-ness talking here) a boot box is a thing of beauty, and I couldn't bring myself to throw it away. The box sat lonely and empty in my closet for a while, until I realized that I needed some portable craft storage. Voila! I found something to do with my box. Here's how:

What you'll need:

• An old shoebox, preferably a boot box 

•  Mod Podge (or generic brand)
• Foam brush
• Scrapbook paper
• Scissors

 Let's get started:

The first thing you will want to do is to cut out the pieces that you will need for your box. Use the lid to cut out sections for your box. I wanted three small sections for my box, so I started by cutting the long piece, and then placed it in my box to measure out how to cut the other dividers.Don't worry too much about cutting perfectly straight lines, you'll have a chance to fix and jagged edges when you cover the parts with your paper.

 

 Once you've got all your parts cut out, it's time to start cutting your paper

Measure out the paper you need, for the insert pieces you'll want to measure out how large one side of the piece is, and use a piece of paper twice that size so that you can cover any imperfections at the top of the divider with the paper. Cut strips to cover the outside of your shoebox as well. I really liked the pink on the inside of my box, but scrapbook paper looks great on the inside of your box too. If you are planning to cover the inside of your box, cut the paper now as well.

Apply Mod Podge directly to the box, and place the paper over it, make sure to work quickly as you will only have about 45 seconds to get your paper in place before it cannot be moved. After you apply the paper to your box, attach it to your divider pieces. They will end up looking something like this: 

 Now you're ready to assemble your box. Start by inserting the larger piece, put a layer of podge in your box in the spot where the larger piece is supposed to go, and insert the piece. Press down to connect it well to your box, and podge over the seam. You may also want to cut out a few small pieces of scrapbook paper to help connect the sides of your pieces to each other, and to the box. 

To keep the smaller section pieces upright and in place while they are drying, I like to use a piece of card stock, or in this situation, paint samples from the hardware store.

 

Once everything has dried enough to set, do another layer of Mod Podge over everything. Let dry, and enjoy your new storage box! 

Happy Crafting!