Painted Storage Box Craft

Organizing the desk top / homework station for the back-to-school season? A small storage box keeps school and homework accessories within easy reach but not on display. 

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

Materials:

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

What to do:

Tape off a design using your FrogTape. Stripes, checkers, plaid, triangles. So many options!

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

Using a credit card, gift card or just your own thumbnail, burnish the edges of the tape. Meaning: make sure the edges of FrogTape are good and stuck down with no gaps.

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

Now the fun part: paint each section. YOU customize colors to coordinate with decor or season.

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

While paint is still wet, carefully remove FrogTape. Then let the paint dry.

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

Give it a quick light spray of lacquer and let dry.

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

*Optional: embellish with washi-tape and decoupage, add a drawer knob, drawer pull or leather handle, adhere something from the junk drawer or little plastic animal using hot glue, add vinyl decals or stickers. Get creative! painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.compainted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com

Use as a pencil box, for keepsake treasures, to store note or recipe cards, for organizing an essential oils collection, to tuck on a bookcase filled with bookmakers and highlighters, to keep cords handy or for a unique way of wrapping gifts.

painted box craft idea at diyshowoff.com 

It’s perfect for storing 70 15ml Young Living essential oils (more if you’re mixing in 5 ml sizes). Great idea for incentives, prizes or gifts – and YOU customize it to coordinate with your home. 

Young Living essential oil storage box @diyshowoff

 

FrogTape Blog Squad

Disclaimer: I received compensation to complete this project for using FrogTape® products. All opinions, projects and ideas are based on my own experience.

DIY Book Ends

Back to school time! Time to restock the desk area for homework assignments and school projects. Add cute set of DIY book ends to perk things up. 

A to Z book ends tutorial @diyshowoff

As a part of the Michael’s Makers team, I have the opportunity to create a monthly themed project. This month’s challenge is “Back to School”. A bit of a ‘challenge’ when your nest is empty but these will work in grand-baby boy’s nursery too. 😉

What I used: 

  • 4  wood blocks 
  • wood glue and clamps
  • scrapbook paper and scrapbook cards
  • multi-surface acrylic craft paint and foam brush
  • gloss finish decoupage and foam brush
  • {thin} washi tape
  • letter A
  • letter Z
  • hot glue gun & glue

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial

What I did:

Start with applying a bead of wood glue to each block to create an “L” shape. Clamp, wipe away any excess glue and let dry. 

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Once glue was dry, I removed the clamps and applied a ‘white wash’ look using a foam brush and multi-surface acrylic craft paint. I only applied one coat so that the wood grain still showed through. Let dry. 

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Cut scrapbook paper to size for inside of the “L” shape and the outside of the vertical wood piece. I used scrapbook paper and cute patterned scrapbook cards. 

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Apply a coat of decoupage to one side at a time as a glue. Place scrapbook paper onto decoupaged surface. Smooth out air bubbles. Apply another coat of decoupage over the scrapbook paper, sealing it. I brushed on the decoupage in the same direction as the wood grain. Repeat decoupage + scrapbook paper to all sides. Decoupage will go on with a ‘milky’ look but dry transparent. 

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Add washi tape to sides, smooth out bubbles/make sure it’s adhered. Apply a coat of decoupage to seal. *There’s also the option to apply the decoupage before the washi tape to act as a ‘glue’. 

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Apply a second coat of decoupage to all surfaces. I let mine dry overnight. 

Attach wood “A” and “Z” using hot glue gun. Wouldn’t they be cute with succulent planters, plastic animals, vases, figurines instead too? 

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Once hot glue sets, you’re good to go!

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

Ready for keeping school books within easy reach and an organized desk top. Useful, functional book ends that coordinate with your home office, library, reading room, craft room, nursery or homework station…love it!

DIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakersDIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakersDIY Show Off back to school book ends tutorial #michaelsmakers

See MORE ‘back to school’ crafts from these blog friends:

Teachers – It’s time to start planning for the new school year and Michaels has all of the ideas and supplies you need to create a one-of-a-kind classroom, plus you get a 15 percent discount on all classroom purchases!

In addition to the products available for teachers, parents and students can find organizational tools to keep on track throughout the year as well as project ideas to personalize school supplies

Check out Michaels’ Back to School Pinterest Board to find fun and creative project ideas to kick the year off right! 

As a member of the Michael’s Makers team, I receive a gift card to complete and share fun craft challenges.

Michaels.com: Your 24-hour Arts & Crafts Store

 

 

 

Craft Room Tour

Have you been following along the Craft Rooms and Spaces series hosted by Angie at Country Chic Cottage? It’s so fun seeing where bloggers create, getting ideas and motivation to maybe initiate some spring cleaning and organization in your own space?

DIY Show Off craft room tour

Thanks to Angie for the invitation to participate! I had no choice but to finally put things away. Here’s my chaotic craft room when I agreed to join the series…

craft room mess before

Yikes!

I’ve made some changes and cleaned things up for your arrival today. Ready for oodles of pics? There’s lots to see!

Craft Room at diyshowoff.com

Looking into the room from the hall (the resin button plaques on the wall are several years old, so no source to list).

Craft Room Tour at diyshowoff.com

One first thing you’ll notice is this room is PACKED full. But when everything is organized and tidy and in it’s place, its a great space for getting creative. The old farmhouse dining room table serves as a great workspace.

diyshowoff craft space

The skirt is sewn into simple custom sized rod pocket panels and attached using tension rods on 3 sides. I’m ready for an updated fabric/pattern but what I really love about the skirt is that it hides even more storage (things not so pretty to display, boxes of supplies and such) under the table. 

DIYShowOff Craft Room

The walls are lined with inexpensive shelving units, some tucked for a perfect fit against the back wall, providing TONS of storage and organization. A string of lights adds a fun festive feel.

DIYShowOff craft room tourdiyshowoff home officecraft room

A small DIY desk area holds our desktop computer, although I’m more inclined to work from my laptop in the living room most days. 

work space at diyshowoff.com

I love the mix of old crates, baskets and vintage finds for storing craft supplies, mason jars for scrap ribbon by color…

diyshowoff craft room storagecraft room organization at diyshowoff.comcraft paint storage at diyshowoff.comcraft room tourstorage for craft roomvintage craft room storage at diyshowoff.comcraft supply storage at diyshowoff.com

I recently added some shelves to the window for plants to bring some “life” to the space. 

diyshowoff craft room

 I love that this window sits low, close to the floor. The shelves add a little privacy (second floor) but still allow for lots of natural light to flood the room.

window plant shelves at diyshowoff.comwindow shelves at diyshowoff.comwindow succulents

I don’t remember where I got the light fixture (maybe Urban Outfitters years ago) but I really like the cage and sometimes clip cards or paint swatches there. 

craft room light fixture at diyshowoff.com

The walls are filled with a mix of fun frames collected over time, some with family photos, others just random art or thrift store finds and continues to grow here and there. 

gallery wall at diyshowoff.comCraft Room photo wall at diyshowoff.comCraft Room gallery wall

Pet Silhouette Art Tutorial

Framed Pet Silhouettes on Burlap

A DIY chalkboard + cork board + burlap message center helps keep ideas and schedules more organized. 

DIY burlap message centerCraft Room message center

A lot going on, right? A LOT of junk which I’ve unsuccessfully tried to downsize but perhaps one day I’ll grasp the truth that if I haven’t used it in 10 years, I probably never will but I’m still waiting for that day to arrive.

Craft Room at diyshowoff.com

Ready to see more craft spaces? Start the tour at here to see Angie’s super organized space. Or if you’re visiting from the creative room at Major Hoff Takes a Wife, welcome friends! I’m so glad you stopped by! Or following along and ready for the next awesome craft room tour on the list? Head over to Homemadeville!

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