The Never-Ending Card Box Project

After almost 2 weeks it's done!
At first I was going to cover the boxes with satin fabric, so I spray painted them white so the brown of the paper mache didn't show through the fabric. The fabric didn't work out so swell, so I decided to paint the boxes. I went to Lowe's and purchased a half pint (sample size) of latex paint in white. I painted all three boxes white. After painting them all white I decided that I should paint one box green and one box pink. So I went back to Lowe's and picked out a green and pink that best matched the ribbon I was using. The green was great-- the pink, not so much. So I went back, again, to Lowe's for a darker shade of pink. I painted the box the darker shade of pink and it was too dark. So I decided to mix the paints and make my own shade of pink. (I swear the bottom box has 10 coats of paint.) Finally, success!

After what seemed to be endless painting, I cut out the tops and bottoms of the appropriate boxes with my Xacto knife. After cutting out the tops and bottoms, I started decorating the boxes with ribbon. I secured the ribbon with double-sided tape.

I purchased the white, 3 x 5 picture frame at Kohl's. I wrote "Cards" in green, BrockScript font and printed it on textured scrapbook paper.

My supplies:
Paper mache boxes (14" round, 10" square, 10" round)
Paint
Sponge brush
Scissors
Xacto knife
Double-sided tape
Ribbon
Silk peonies
Scrapbook paper
Picture frame
Instructions for Card Box:
1. Paint the paper mache boxes using your paint and sponge brush. Two coats are best. Allow for ample drying time in between coats.

2. After the paint has dried begin cutting out the tops and bottoms of the boxes.

3. Begin with the middle box. With a pencil, draw a square 1 inch inside the edge of the bottom of the box. With the Xacto knife, cut along the pencil line.

4. Use the medium box as a guide-- place it how you want it on top of the large box lid. With the pencil, trace along the cut-out edge. With the Xacto knife, cut along the pencil line.

5. Moving on to small box. With the pencil, draw a circle 1 inch inside the edge of bottom of the box. With the Xacto knife, cut along the pencil line.

6. Use the small box as a guide-- place it how you want it on top of the medium box lid. With the pencil, trace along the cut-out edge. With the Xacto knife, cut along the pencil line.

7. Decorate the boxes as you wish.

8. If decorating with ribbon, use double-sided to secure the ribbon to the boxes.

9. When finished decorating the boxes, secure the boxes to each other by applying a thin bead of hot glue from the glue gun to the inside edge of the bottom of each box.

10. If decorating with silk flowers, attach with glue gun and glue.

Instructions for "Cards" sign:
1. Print the word "Cards" on colored scrapbook paper.

2. Cut out to fit 3.5" by 5" picture frame.

3. Insert into picture frame.