Apr
20
Written by:
Sara.Loschiavo
4/20/2009 9:59 AM
A fun way to use spare boxes and magazines to make storage cases that look pretty, too!
I love to do art, but as a stay at home mom with two little ones, often the best I can do is to bestow this love of art on my children. You know how it is... by the time you get out all the stuff you need, find a quiet place and a quiet moment, and pick up your brush, the moment suddenly passes and there is a screaming child on your lap wanting to paint with you! So,to solve this problem, we put up some shelves in an attempt to organize my art supplies so that they are all right there waiting for me.
I then used all the extra shoe boxes, product packaging boxes, etc, that I have been saving in my closet; and a pile of magazines, glue and a paint brush to make fun storage cases for my art. I cut off the top of the boxes so they are like pull out drawers, and I cut out cool images, words, colors and glues them all over the boxes. I even put stickers and ribbons on some of them. Each one was a little different and I was able to put images on them that may inspire me. I just used Elmers glue, but there is a varnish called Modge Podge that you can put over the top to make the boxes shiny and more durable.
I am always trying to find ways to use what I have to make something useful out of it, and this was a perfect solution for storing things. Not to mention, it was really fun doing it. Collaging is something I find therapeutic. I enjoy thumbing through magazines, ripping out pages with images that appeal to me, and putting them together to create something new. My four year old had a good time as well, and made a box to keep her special rocks in.