"Turn a Ugly Box Into a Pretty Keepsake Box"
![Vicki Rogers](https://cdn-fastly.hometalk.com/media/profile/2023/12/16/1357383_3.jpg?size=91x91)
by
Vicki Rogers
(IC: homeowner)
This is a box a cake came in last Christmas, I was going to paint a couple of coats of red on it to store my smaller craft items, but never got back to it last year. I had a couple of rusted flower pins that belonged to my mom and a pretty wallpaper border. I gathered things with similar colors to go with them to make a mixed media collage box with special meaning for me to store my craft items.
I started by applying texture to the box with a palette knife, leaving the lid on so the sides wouldn't become too thick for the lid to fit on the box. After getting it all covered, I used food handler gloves to dab it all over. Saran wrap or something similar would also work.
After it dried, I painted on a Valspar sample paint called Garnet Dust. I have several of these Valspar samples, they are inexpensive and come in fun colors. Love the names too. :) When it was dry, I tore pieces of tissue paper and randomly decoupaged them on.
I painted a few paper dollies with a Valspar sample paint called Morning Glow. After they dried, I cut them up and decoupaged them on also. I cut out a piece of the wallpaper border for the lid and some wallpaper hearts and decoupaged them on. I cut a ribbon to make x's and cut out circles from the wallpaper and decoupaged them on for the hugs & kisses symbol.
I wanted my box to have a little more dimension, so I cut off a piece of a mesh bottle sleeve to use as a stencil and applied texture in a few areas. When it was dry, I painted them with a Valspar sample called March breeze. Then I lightly painted over it with the Garnet dust, and then used a silver paint pen to fill the cracks and outline the hearts.
I glued on the jewelry and a few old loose pearls to define the hugs and kisses symbol. I used an ink pad and letter stamps to add words of inspiration for me.
My mom collected antiques, refinished furniture, crafted all the time, and was a devoted diy'er. Hmm, no wonder I don't feel complete unless I'm creating! I can't help it, it's good for my soul! :) I love mixed media art, there are no rules, it's just fun! I hope I've inspired you to make your own mixed media art collage box that has special meaning for you! A couple of close up pic's.
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Published August 20th, 2015 2:00 PM
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Susan Key Brown on Sep 18, 2015
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Vicki Rogers on Sep 19, 2015
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Tammy on Nov 12, 2016
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Vicki Rogers on Nov 13, 2016
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