Moss Covered Card Box
I wasn’t planning to make a card box. I kind of thought I would just use one of the gajillion storage boxes that I am currently using to store various unused items that are clearly very essential to my life, such as Tim’s old video games and a stack of blank CDs that I intend to smash up and make a sweet mosaic mirror out of. They’ve been sitting there for about 2 years now. Anywho. I emptied said boxes and realized that they weren’t going to work as a card box, since I’d either have to leave the lid off completely or cut a slot into one of them–and then where would my irreplaceable blank CDs go?
So I found myself adding yet another DIY project to the list, three weeks before the wedding. I sat down on the floor, put on the Steelers game, grabbed a beer, and got to work on my moss covered card box. I had already made a cardbox for a friend’s wedding last fall, so I decided to do something similar because I knew I could use what I already had on hand. To make a card box similar to what I did here, you’ll need:
- Sturdy cardboard box of desired size (beer cases work well, as do boxes from small appliances–we used the one that our food processor came in)
- Glue (modge podge or hot glue, depending on what you are gluing)
- Fabric, decorative paper, sheets of moss, or other covering for the box
- Xacto knife
- Decorative bits and pieces (artificial flowers, ribbon, twigs–whatever fits your taste)
First, tape down the flaps of your box using packing tape, so that there are no loose edges. Next, cover your box in neutral colored paper, such as a paper grocery bag. This takes a few extra minutes, but it prevents any brightly colored words or images on the box from showing through.
Mark an opening for a card slot on the top of the box in pencil, and then use the xacto knife or other sharp blade to cut it out. Make sure that it is large enough for even big, bulky greeting cards–I made mine about 7 inches long by 1 inch wide.
Now apply your wrapping material, whether you are using paper, fabric, or something else, one side a time. I used hot glue to to apply both the sheets of moss I used for mine, and the fabric I used for my friend’s. It worked very well and dries quickly, but if you are using paper you may want to use modge podge to avoid lumps.
Work with the largest pieces of material you can–if you wrap around corners and glue as you go rather than cutting a sheet for each side, it really makes the box look nicer.
Once your box is completely covered by your material of choice, it’s time to apply decorative bits and pieces. We added the pieces near the front and top, at offset corners, to make sure that the card slot is sort of centered between the embellishments.
For ours, we used twigs wrapped with pearls on wire, chiffon flowers (which I bought as shoe clips, but they didn’t match–yay for finding a use for them), and a little tag made out of cardstock.
You can use anything–artificial sunflowers and bits of straw for a fall wedding, or satin bows and flat jewels for a more traditional look. It’s easy, very inexpensive, and can be completely customized to fit your wedding.
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