Holiday Crafter - craft ideas, projects, and tips for every holiday!

This box makes a perfect gift for a dad who has everything. It makes for a great addition to a desk set or as a one of a kind dresser box. Make sure to use a color photocopy rather than an original photo because many photos are not only irreplaceable, they are too thick to decoupage well.

Cover your work surface thoroughly with newspaper. Paint the first coat of black paint on the top and sides of the box using the brush. Let dry thoroughly for a few hours, and then repeat with the second coat. Paint the bottom of the box next, followed by the insides of the box. Let the paint dry thoroughly. Liberally brush the box top with the decoupage glue. Carefully place the photo on the box and move until centered. Brush additional decoupage glue over the photo, making sure to leave a smooth surface. Let the glue dry thoroughly. Cut the gold braid into 5 segments. Two segments should be 5 inches long and two should be 7 inches long to surround the photo. The remaining will go around the edge of the box top. Liberally brush the area around the photo with the

decoupage glue and arrange the braid around the photo, covering the lines where the photo and the black of the box meet. Liberally coat the braid with the decoupage glue. Let the glue dry thoroughly. Coat the sides of the top of the box liberally with the decoupage glue. Wrap the braid around the base of the sides of the top of the box. Coat the braid liberally with the glue and let dry. Using a tacky glue or glue gun, glue the buttons onto the corners of the photo to hide the junction of the braid pieces. (See detail photo). Let dry thoroughly. If desired, varnish with a water based varnish as directed by the manufacturer once the glue is thoroughly dried.