Decorative Cardboard Box
I made this decorative cardboard box a long time ago as a Christmas present. I needed specific measurements, so I made the entire box from scratch. However, you can use an existing box and just make a lid if you prefer.
Video Tutorial on YouTube
The Base
I started by grabbing a large sheet of cardboard and cutting it to the required size. When making a lid, keep in mind that it should be about 1 cm larger than the base to accommodate the decorations that will be added later.
Once all the pieces were cut, I glued them together using school glue and a little hot glue for extra hold. I used masking tape to keep the sides in place while the glue dried.
Next, I made a glue-and-water mixture (70% glue, 30% water). I used brown packaging paper to cover the entire box, but you can use newspaper as well. This step helps connect all the pieces, smooth out any imperfections in the cardboard, and create an even surface for decorating.
Decorations
At this stage, you can use almost any materials you have on hand. My main materials were paper and air-hardening modeling clay. I used silicone molds with floral designs to create decorative elements. The white paper you see is wiping paper, which adds texture and helps unify the design. The brown paper was used to create stems for the clay flowers, though newspaper would work too.
For the sides, I cut cardboard into leaf shapes and covered them with wiping paper. This technique allowed me to use less modeling clay while still achieving a textured look.
Painting
Once everything was dry, it was time to paint. The box looked nice even before painting, and it would also look great in light colors. However, I needed it to match an interior, so I painted it in brown tones.
To highlight the details on the clay flowers, I started with a black paint wash, then added a bit of color. I used acrylic paint for this step. I also wanted the inside to look nice, so I lined it with fabric.
Materials Used
- Cardboard
- School glue
- Hot glue
- Masking (painter’s) tape
- Wiping paper (tissue or kitchen towel)
- Brown packaging paper (or newspaper)
- Air-hardening modeling clay
- Silicone molds
- Acrylic paint