Decoupage boxes: ideas and workshops

Any seemingly unnecessary thing can be used. That is why people who like tinkering never throw anything away. A vivid example is the usual box. Such an item can be found in every home. With the help of your ideas, paper, napkins, pieces of cloth and other interesting gizmos, you can turn a box into an original interior item.

Decoupage can be mastered by absolutely anyone. And as an object to which efforts will be directed, you can use any, even used, box. It could be a shoe box or even a drawer. If you need something special - it can be made from cardboard with your own hands. Better to start with a small box. Having mastered the technique well, you can subsequently arrange large boxes for storing bulk items.

Design can occur in several ways, using some devices, as well as a variety of glue and paints. Some tools are not suitable for cardboard (it can get wet and deformed), so you can take a box of wood or plywood.

In this article, we will consider the simplest options that are most suitable for beginners. Even a small object requires time, so you need to be patient. But decoupage has its advantages. By activating all your creative abilities, you can create a truly unique thing.

Decoupage is ideal as a hobby - as it allows you to reveal your creative potential and has a beneficial effect on the psychological state. And the resulting boxes can be not only beautiful, but also practical.

If the desire to master decoupage arose suddenly, and there is a suitable object at hand, anything can act as a coating material. Most often, these can be paper or fabric images suitable for style and color.

Most often, paper cover is used for decoupage. It can be specially designed decoupage cards, any multilayer napkins, newspapers, pages of magazines, books or other printed publications. The main difficulties for a beginner are related to thickness and density. There is nothing worse when the paper is stretched, wrinkled, torn. On poor quality paper in the finished product you can see fibers and other inclusions. If not a wide sheet of paper is used, but individual elements, it will be difficult for thick paper to mask joints and borders.

For decoupage, the following components are needed:

• shoe box;
• napkins with a pattern;
• PVA glue;
• primer and paints (acrylic);
• brushes (narrow and wide) or a sponge;
• varnish.

Consider the progress of work.

• First, the cardboard box needs to strengthen all the weaknesses. This primarily relates to angles and bends. This requires pieces of masking tape.
• Then all external sides must be covered with a primer, dried and well sanded all irregularities. The number of layers depends on them. As a result, the surface should be perfectly flat.
• After complete drying, you can begin to stain. The background color should be in harmony with the selected image. From the inside, the box and the lid also need to be painted - in tone with the external background or in any other (you can contrast).
• Then you need to select a picture or cut a separate fragment. On the napkin, only the top layer should be separated. The picture can cover the box completely, only the lid, one or more sides to choose from.
• The following is the most crucial step - sticking the selected image. We apply it to the box, grease it with glue and smooth it carefully to avoid swelling and wrinkles. If you want, you can make small adjustments. For example, paint the details with paints, shade the edges or the remaining space. At the bottom you can lay a commensurate sheet of cardboard, decorated in the same technique.
• Let the drawing dry and fix with several layers of varnish.

You will learn more about box decoupage with napkins by watching the following video.

In addition to paper, you can use fabric. And with it you can make pretty unusual combinations.

Consider a master class fabric version of the design.

• Prime the box. If the fabric is opaque, glued parts on top of the primer can not be painted.
• Take the dimensions off the box. Mark the pattern on the canvas. To make the edges look neater, you need allowances that should be ironed inward.
• All fabric parts, even if they are small, should be ironed well.
• Then lay out the workpiece. A layer of glue should be applied to it, like to the box.
• Then proceed to gluing the fabric. It should be well smoothed, following from the middle to the edges.

Decoupage boxes can be supplemented with ribbons, ropes, twine, as well as all kinds of beads, shells and similar materials.

Decoupage goes well with other techniques. The image can be applied not to a smooth, but to a raised surface.For this, in addition to the items already listed above, you will need a regular egg shell. It should be washed and rid of the inner film. Still need tweezers, a stick and a brush for glue.

Step-by-step instructions for implementation include several steps.

• The first stage consists of gluing the shell. It can be glued in small pieces. Or to save time, take bigger pieces. The selected part of the shell must be smeared with glue from the inside, and then put in the right place and squeeze. Cracked pieces must be slightly pushed to the sides so that there is no overlap on each other. On top of the shell, it is better to apply glue.
• After the whole box is covered with a shell, it is painted with acrylic paint - you can white or any other in accordance with your plan. To avoid unpainted areas, there may be several layers.
• Then you can proceed to decoupage. We cut out the desired fragment of the napkin, separate the top layer, apply and grease with glue. The final will be a varnish coat.

With the help of decoupage boxes, you can easily revive any interior or change things that have become familiar. All kinds of boxes for spices, pastries or sweets will help create an atmosphere of comfort in the kitchen. Using things made by yourself is certainly more pleasant.

In any home, the question of storage of things is acute. First of all, this applies to all kinds of little things (keys, chargers). It’s worth putting them in beautiful boxes, and the situation will become more accurate.

Round boxes look the most exquisite.

Even hidden by doors, an elegant box can quickly cheer you up.

Decoupage is able to radically transform any, even outwardly nondescript box. Decorated in this way, they can not only become an alternative to gift wrapping, but also act as an independent gift. For the beautiful half of humanity, a jewelry box is perfect. For an office worker or student, a box for office supplies. And any craftswoman will be glad of a convenient capacity for her needlework.