Spook with Spunk

Hello, All!  I hope you had a wonderful weekend!  I'm glad you are back for another installment of EEK Weeks!  :)

For this week's project, I wanted to do something a little out of the box. :)  I usually stick to the norm when decorating my home for Halloween...orange and black, but I found this adorably precious plaid ribbon with orange, black, purple, and green and inspiration struck!  I thought it would be fun and different to do Halloween fashionably.  Give it a little style by decorating with Halloween colors but using fashionable prints.

I had some paper mache boxes and thought they would be the perfect canvas for my "out of the box" project.

To get started, you will need:  paper mache boxes, craft paint (I used Folk Art acrylic paint in pumpkin, fresh foliage, lavender, and licorice), foam brushes, and ribbon.  Not pictured: marshmallow, black ink pad, cotton ball, graphic pattern print outs, chalk, and stick on gems.

Paint each box a different color.  (I have to admit that it was really hard not to paint the green one like Frankenstein...maybe next year).  :)  Paint each lid black.

Now distress each box using a blank ink pad and a cotton ball.

Paint polka dots onto one of the boxes using a marshmallow.  I got this idea from I Am Momma - Hear Me Roar.  I was a tiny bit disappointed to see that it wasn't creating the perfect circle I had envisioned, but then I realized that this was a fun, Halloween project and the imperfections add to the quirk of it.

I wasn't brave enough to draw out the patterns by hand, so I found a few images on Google and printed them out.  Cover the back of the images with chalk and then tape them onto the box.  Trace over the image with a pen or pencil and then remove the tape.  This was a little idea I found at Sawdust and Paper Scraps.  Now paint the images.

Tada!  I painted the thin, orange stripes using Sharpie's new paint pens.  These babies are cute, but they still need a little more sass.

Cue the gems.  Each box got a sprinkling of them.

Finish off the boxes by stacking one on top of another and tying it them all up with a bow.

I think these turned out so cute!  Definitely spooky, stylish, sassy, and spunky...and any other S word. :)  These could easily be made in any color to work with your decor, and what a fun idea for a holiday gift box!  What do you think? 

See you all next week for another fun fall project!

I'm linking up to these fantastic parties!  :)

Tissue Paper Boxes

Good morning, and happy weekend! I'm so excited to show you these super duper cute paper mache boxes that I covered in tissue paper!

I'm working on accessorizing my office, and found these guys begging to be dressed up with paper, ribbon, and flowers...plus they were 50% off at Hobby Lobby! Woowho!

Here's the finished product:

And here's how I got there:


Lessons learned:
1) If your paper doesn't need to match up on the corners, then fold your tissue paper in fourths so you can cut out all the sides at the same time.

2) Put the lid on your box before you add the embellishments. My polka dot box got a little too close for comfort.

3) Be gentle when smoothing out the bubbles, you are working with tissue paper.

4) You don't notice the little rips...do you? :)

Think about all the fun places you could use these storage boxes. I'm thinking my next set will be for my little guy's bedroom...right next to the changing station!