Scavenger Chic

Checkerboard and Stripes Box Makeover

• By Joan
• May 13, 2018
• 2 Comments

Doing a couple projects a week, I’m always on the hunt for my next inspiration.  This project came to me by way of my oldest son, Keith at the end of March.

His wife’s 30th birthday was coming up at the end of April so he texts me.  “Got any cool boxes that I could give Steph  (his wife) for her birthday?  Looking for something that I can put a padlock on and hold photos.  Extra points if its burnable.”  Burnable was supposed to be buryable, but you know auto correct.

His plan was to have a month of clues and scavenger hunt type hints to eventually lead to a buried box filled with photos from all her friends.

Off the top of my head, I didn’t think I had anything but I promised to look.  That’s when I found a box from Goodwill (too big),  a red toolbox, also from Goodwill  (too small),  a couple ammo boxes, a couple old suitcases, a machinist toolbox and another wooden toolbox from a yard sale that  I had somehow forgotten about in the garage.  It was just right.

Now for design…The toolbox I sent him was in kind of rough shape but anything can be painted.  To the internet, where, after a box makeover search, I found all the above ideas. Personally, I like them all.

This was his response.

• hmmmm, i like the rusticky look, just because i’m gonna hide it as a treasure chest, but we do have a box already that’s kind of rusticky looking…..
• i like the checkerboard look cuz it’s fun and makes you want to open it, and i like the cities, cuz it’s like traveling and memories…..
• maybe something like the stripey one with the photo modpodged on top?  that kind of says “this is a box of photos and your treasure”  but maybe not as loud as red stripes
• maybe like the checkerboard, but more antiquey, less contrast of “black and white” and more like dark brown and tan, like a faded checkerboard

This was the photo I sent him of the wooden toolbox.  Great size, the only thing it didn’t have that was on his wish list was a place to put a padlock.

Did I mention it was in rough shape?

If you can believe, the inside was even worse.

First step, was to give this thing a good scrubbing.

The inside I painted black, because, believe it or not, under all that dirt it was mostly black already.

The outside got a coat of light gray chalk paint.

I have a checkerboard stencil but I wanted the squares to be a little larger so I’m stuck with making  my own grid.

Either use painters tape or mark out your own stripes on the side and paint.

On the internet I looked up Victorian Paper Dolls and this was one of the first images to pop up.  It’s from the cover of a paper doll book by Evelyn Gathings.  It’s going to be part of my picture on top of the box.

I cut out the paper dolls without the faces because I’m going to use my own faces.  The background is one of  the Collage Mini Paper Stash by Tim Holtz . Modpodged the cutouts in place.

The background is subtle, but it’s a picture of the Eiffel Tower.  My son and his wife started dating when they were studying architecture overseas while in college.  One of their first dates was in Paris.

If you want a couple more ideas for this paper,  I’ve also used the paper on a flower painted jewelry box and my alphabet junk angel.

Part of my assignment was to make it a little more antiquey and less black and white.  So out came the sander and the vintage wax.

This is another of the Collage Mini Paper Stash by Tim Holtz . I’m just cutting these in ruler strips to use along the bottom.

Modpodge in place.  Paint a coat of modpodge on the box, attach the ruler and push out any air bubbles, then follow with another coat of the modpodge.

With this trim I’m adding a frame on the top and a border around the bottom.

Paint before attaching.

Glue and tack on the trim to your box.

Sand the bottom corners to have a nice rounded edge and touch up with more of the black paint.

Modpodge the Paris/cut out photo in place.  Frame the photo with more of the black wood trim pieces.  If you have a miter saw, you may want to miter the corners.  Glue on any additional pieces.  Great place to add ticket stubs, stamps, buttons….

The hasp to hold the padlock was from Home Depot.

How did I do with my assignment.  And hey, if they don’t like it…it’s just paint.

Stay inspired.

Shared at Metamorphosis Monday,

Talk of the Town,

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