Stationery Box
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This project is an exciting combination of surfaces and embellishments, which come together as a beautiful box to hold your stationery and correspondence. Fabric paper covers the exterior, fabriccovered foamcore pads line the interior, and ribbon and buttons add a decorative fl air. After you’ve completed the box, use the leftover fabric and paper scraps to create a coordinating set of handmade stationery and cards. If you are making this project as a gift, beware—you may be tempted to keep it for yourself !
MATERIALS AND TOOLS
10¾" x 7¼" (27cm x 18cm) wooden box decorative fabric paper fabric foamcore board chipboard button thread 26" (66cm) length of ½" (12mm) decorative ribbon 3" (8cm) length of ¹⁄8" (3mm) round elastic cord needle scissors rotary cutter with pinking blade fabric glue industrial-strength glue laminating liquid acrylic paint: green ¾" (19mm) wash brush
mother-of-pearl button 1" (3cm) antique button with shank miniature decorative metal frame (optional) decorative glass knob (for box handle) pencil metal ruler hand drill screwdriver brayer hot knife tool
1. Paint box
Paint the entire box, inside and out, with green acrylic paint, using a ¾" (19mm) wash brush. Let the paint dry completely.
2. Drill holes
Prepare for the clasp by hand-drilling two holes on the front center of the box—one hole on the base to accommodate the button and one hole on the lid to accommodate the elastic clasp loop. Use a ruler to determine the center point of the box lid’s top surface. Mark the point, then drill a third hole through it.
3. Cover exterior
Measure the top and side surfaces of the box exterior. Following these measurements, use a rotary cutter to cut decorative fabric paper to cover each side of the exterior, cutting separate pieces for each side of the box lid and bottom. Use laminating liquid to adhere the paper to the box, then run a brayer over the paper to burnish it in place.
4. Insert lid handle
Locate the drilled hole on the box lid top, then puncture through the fabric paper to expose the hole. Insert a decorative knob into the hole and tighten to secure it in place, using a screwdriver, as necessary. If desired, embellish the lid by adding a miniature decorative frame around the knob, adhering it with industrial-strength glue.
5. Create lid interior
Using a hot knife, cut a sheet of foamcore to fi t inside the interior of the lid. Cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover one side of the foamcore board. Adhere the fabric to the foamcore with fabric glue, pulling the ends of the fabric tightly over the edges of the foamcore before gluing in place.
6. Line lid interior
Add two lengths of ribbon across the fabric-covered foamcore, forming an X, and adhere with glue. Pull the ends of the ribbon over each corner and secure with glue. Sew a button in the center of the X. Glue the fabric-covered foamcore into the lid interior.
7. Line box base interior
Cut a piece of chipboard to fi t into the interior base bottom, then cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover one side of the chipboard. Adhere the fabric to the chipboard with fabric glue, pulling the ends of the fabric tightly over the edges of the board before gluing in place.
8. Line interior sides
Measure four panels of chipboard to fi t along each interior side of the base. Cut four pieces of fabric to cover each panel, then adhere the fabric to the board with fabric glue. Adhere the fabric-covered panels to the interior sides, using fabric glue to secure.
9. Add clasp
Cut a length of elastic, then run both ends through the drilled hole on the box lid, forming a loop on the exterior of the lid. Be sure that the loop is large enough to fi t around the button you’ll be using for the clasp. Tie the two ends of the elastic together to secure the loop. Add industrial-strength glue to the back of the button. Insert the shank of the button into the drilled hole on the box base and through the liner added in step 8. Leave enough of the shank exposed to accommodate the elastic loop.
10. Make coordinating stationery
Use scraps of the fabric paper to create coordinating notecards. Add embellishments, such as clay buttons and decorative borders, as desired. When fi nished, store the stationery in the box.
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10¾" x 7¼" (27cm x 18cm) wooden box decorative fabric paper fabric foamcore board chipboard button thread 26" (66cm) length of ½" (12mm) decorative ribbon 3" (8cm) length of ¹⁄8" (3mm) round elastic cord needle scissors rotary cutter with pinking blade fabric glue industrial-strength glue laminating liquid acrylic paint: green ¾" (19mm) wash brush
mother-of-pearl button 1" (3cm) antique button with shank miniature decorative metal frame (optional) decorative glass knob (for box handle) pencil metal ruler hand drill screwdriver brayer hot knife tool
1. Paint box
Paint the entire box, inside and out, with green acrylic paint, using a ¾" (19mm) wash brush. Let the paint dry completely.
2. Drill holes
Prepare for the clasp by hand-drilling two holes on the front center of the box—one hole on the base to accommodate the button and one hole on the lid to accommodate the elastic clasp loop. Use a ruler to determine the center point of the box lid’s top surface. Mark the point, then drill a third hole through it.
3. Cover exterior
Measure the top and side surfaces of the box exterior. Following these measurements, use a rotary cutter to cut decorative fabric paper to cover each side of the exterior, cutting separate pieces for each side of the box lid and bottom. Use laminating liquid to adhere the paper to the box, then run a brayer over the paper to burnish it in place.
4. Insert lid handle
Locate the drilled hole on the box lid top, then puncture through the fabric paper to expose the hole. Insert a decorative knob into the hole and tighten to secure it in place, using a screwdriver, as necessary. If desired, embellish the lid by adding a miniature decorative frame around the knob, adhering it with industrial-strength glue.
5. Create lid interior
Using a hot knife, cut a sheet of foamcore to fi t inside the interior of the lid. Cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover one side of the foamcore board. Adhere the fabric to the foamcore with fabric glue, pulling the ends of the fabric tightly over the edges of the foamcore before gluing in place.
6. Line lid interior
Add two lengths of ribbon across the fabric-covered foamcore, forming an X, and adhere with glue. Pull the ends of the ribbon over each corner and secure with glue. Sew a button in the center of the X. Glue the fabric-covered foamcore into the lid interior.
7. Line box base interior
Cut a piece of chipboard to fi t into the interior base bottom, then cut a piece of fabric large enough to cover one side of the chipboard. Adhere the fabric to the chipboard with fabric glue, pulling the ends of the fabric tightly over the edges of the board before gluing in place.
8. Line interior sides
Measure four panels of chipboard to fi t along each interior side of the base. Cut four pieces of fabric to cover each panel, then adhere the fabric to the board with fabric glue. Adhere the fabric-covered panels to the interior sides, using fabric glue to secure.
9. Add clasp
Cut a length of elastic, then run both ends through the drilled hole on the box lid, forming a loop on the exterior of the lid. Be sure that the loop is large enough to fi t around the button you’ll be using for the clasp. Tie the two ends of the elastic together to secure the loop. Add industrial-strength glue to the back of the button. Insert the shank of the button into the drilled hole on the box base and through the liner added in step 8. Leave enough of the shank exposed to accommodate the elastic loop.
10. Make coordinating stationery
Use scraps of the fabric paper to create coordinating notecards. Add embellishments, such as clay buttons and decorative borders, as desired. When fi nished, store the stationery in the box.