I love when my storage and organization can look stylish! Unfinished paper mache book boxes from Darice are a great way to customize your decor. By using paint and stencils you can create storage that is both functional and pretty to look at! Here’s how I decorated my own paper mache book boxes to get some of my “stuff” organized.
Supplies used:
- Darice DIY Crafts Paper Mache Book Box 9-3/4 x 6-1/2 x 2-1/4 in
- Paper Mache Book Box – 9-3/4 x 6-1/2 x 2-1/4 in
- Craft Paint in various colors (I used Americana’s Citron Green, Whispering Turquioise, and Banana Cream)
- Stencils
- Book Pages
- Darice Double Sided Tape Runner
Step one: Paint the outside surface of the box with one color of paint. Paint the inside of the box the same color as the outside. Let the first layer of paint dry before applying the second layer of paint.
NOTE: Be careful not to use too much paint or the paper mache could warp slightly. Even, light layers of paint work best.
Step two: Use stencils to add details to the outside of the book boxes. I opted for simple geometric shapes and lines. To keep paint from “bleeding” under the stencil, this is what I do:
Tape the stencil in place, and paint over it with the base color. This helps “seal” the edges. Let the paint dry for a fee minutes.
Add the desired color of paint over the stencil. Use light layers of paint and keep adding color until you’ve achieved the desired intensity.
Step three: Paint the stripes on the sides of the paper mache book box.
Step four: Paint the sides of the book with an antique white paint to look like book pages. I used a stiff brush and only applied one layer of paint to create a page-like appearance on the box.
Step five: Trim a book page to fit inside the box. (I used old dictionary pages.) Use the tape runner to attach the pages inside the box.
All that’s left to do now is fill the book boxes up with anything you like! Since you’re customizing this you can change the color or design to fit your style. Have fun crafting and creating with paper mache products!
This post first appeared at Live.Craft.Love.
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