How to Make Easy & Simple Jewelry Boxes
- 1). Clean and dust out an old shoebox. Spray the whole thing, inside and out, with white primer spray paint. Allow the paint to dry for about an hour and spray it with a coat or two of colored spray paint. Use a base color that matches your décor.
- 2). Measure the inside of your box with your ruler, adding the measurements for the sides as well. For instance, if the short ends of your shoebox measure 4 inches across and the long sides measure 5 inches deep and 8 inches long, your first measurement is a rectangle 9 inches wide (add 4 and 5) and 8 long. If the long sides of your shoebox measure 8 inches long and the box is 5 inches deep with 4 inch short ends, your second measurement is a rectangle 4 inches wide and 13 (adding 8 and 5) inches long. You must add the depth of the box to your measurements to ensure your fabric covers the sides as well as the bottom of your box later on.
- 3). Draw rectangles according to your measurements on the wrong side of the fabric. Draw your long, thin rectangle first and the thicker, wider rectangle directly over top of it. The resulting shape should look like a box torn apart at the corners and flattened out so it resembles a central rectangle with four protruding flaps. Cut out the shape.
- 4). Spray some spray adhesive in the bottom of your box, pushing the wrong side of the central rectangle smoothly into the bottom of the box. Pull the flaps toward the center of the box, spray the sides of the box with adhesive and smooth the flaps into place.
- 5). Cut two or three cardboard strips as long and wide as your box is long and deep. Cut five or six cardboard strips as long and wide as your box is wide and deep. In this case, your first strips would be 8 inches long and 5 inches wide while your second strips would be 4 inches long and 5 inches wide. Spray paint the strips as in step 1.
- 6). Snip slits halfway into the horizontal sides of your strips, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Slip the slits into each other to create a cardboard grid. The grid should fit neatly into your box.
- 7). Close the box and decorate the lid and sides with stencils and acrylic paints. Border stencils, like vines, flowers or ethnic patterns and monograms work well. Animal stencils, like bird or dragonfly silhouettes, are also appropriate.
