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Totally tricked-out tissue box
By Shari Beaubien
Are you bored with the ho-hum and everyday? Want to spice up your décor and bring a smile to your face? Then this is the project for you!
The Totally Tricked-Out Tissue Box was born out of the realization that people use tissues on a daily basis. And I hate to say it, but those mass-produced “decorative” boxes are downright ugly! I had dutifully trekked to all of the home stores, searching for a suitable cover. But no luck. Everything I found was expensive and not my style. Then one day it dawned on me: “Why not take it upon myself to create a one-of-a-kind, fun and funky, perfectly me tissue box?” And that’s exactly what I did. The best part is that now I actually have four tissue boxes in one. Because each side is altogether different, a fresh look is only a quarter turn away.
I hope you will enjoy this project as much as I have, and may all of your sneezes be inspired!
Materials List
- Chipboard
- Box cutter
- Self-healing mat
- PVA glue
- Ruler
- Gaffer’s tape
- Soft gel medium
- Background paper (map, phone book pages, text, etc.)
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Golden® Fluid Acrylics
- Paintbrush
- Water
- Paper towels
- Collage papers, text, images
- Golden® Polymer Varnish with UVLS (gloss)
Assembling the Tissue Box Structure
- Using your box cutter and self-healing mat, cut 5 pieces of chipboard to the following dimensions:
a. 4 pieces measuring 5 3⁄4" x 5"
b. 1 piece measuring 5 1⁄4" square
- Cut a hole to your liking in the center of piece 1b above. This is where the tissue will poke through. Mine is a centered rectangle measuring 3" x 1".
- Assemble the 4 pieces of chipboard from step (1a) above into a box. The edges to be joined are the sides measuring 5 3⁄4". Run a thin strip of PVA glue along the inside edge of one piece of chipboard. Make a right angle with a second and then secure with gaffer’s tape. Continue until all 4 sides are connected to form a square.
- Now assemble the top of the tissue box in the same manner. Run a thin strip of glue along all 4 sides of the bottom edge. Place on top of the box and secure with gaffer’s tape.
- Allow to dry.
Creating a Distressed Background
- Cover a portion of your tissue box’s exterior with soft gel medium.
- Apply background paper to the gel medium, tucking and folding as necessary. Be sure to wrap your paper around all corners so that no seams are left exposed.
Tip: I have used an old map as my background. However, any generic-looking printed paper will do. Try using text, phone book pages, patterned paper, ledger paper, or your own handwriting.
- Continue working until all exterior surfaces of the tissue box are covered.
Optional: A coat of soft gel medium may be applied over the top of the background paper to seal.
- Allow to dry completely.
- Using fine grit sandpaper, sand random areas of your tissue box to achieve a distressed look. (The paint will absorb differently into the sanded spots.)
- Select 1 or 2 colors of paint for your background. I prefer Golden Fluid Acrylics. (I used yellow oxide and green gold on my sample.)
- Mix a fair amount of water with your fluid acrylic paint to create a runny wash.
- Apply the paint mixture to your tissue box. Work quickly and wipe off excess paint with a paper towel to ensure that the underlying paper still shows through.
- Allow to dry.
- Brush on a second paint color over random patches.
- Dry completely.
Building Up the Layers with Collage
- Gather an assortment of coordinating papers. I enjoy spreading out nearly everything I own and letting my eyes wander. I pull out various papers and audition them together, often surprising myself with my choices.
- Tear random pieces and adhere them to your tissue box using PVA glue. Be sure to wrap your papers around some of the corners of the box in order to achieve a cohesive look.
Tip: I prefer torn, rather than cut, paper because it lends an organic feel to the edges.
Creating a Focal Point
- Select an image for your focal point. Choose something that really speaks to you. Add additional elements in order to tell a story.
- Highlight your focal image by strategically placing additional collage paper behind it. When working with images of people, a strip of paper behind the head at the line of the eyes works well. Another option is to place a circle shape behind the head.
- Embed your focal point by overlapping it with more collage.
- Create intrigue by altering your focal point in surprising ways. For example, cut your image in half, obscure a key component, or use unexpected colors.
Unifying the Elements
Now it’s time to bring everything together. The goal is to integrate all of your various collage elements so that it doesn’t look as if they have been just plopped on top. In my opinion, this is the most satisfying and fun part of the entire project. Achieving cohesion and depth can occur in thousands of different ways. I will offer just a few ideas below, along with the simple advice: layer, layer, layer!
- Dry brush paint in coordinating colors randomly across the surface.
- Write across your box with a permanent marker.
- Accent with glitter, rhinestones, or other sparkly objects.
- Use foam stamps with paint or gesso.
- Add an image transfer.
- Scribble with crayons or use them to outline your focal image.
- Stencil on decorative scrollwork or other accents.
- Use rubber stamps with permanent ink.
- Create raised effects using 3-D fabric paint.
- Play with oil pastels, and then rub to soften and blend.
- Decorate with ribbons, fibers, beads, or fabric trims.
- Add three-dimensional elements for interest and to truly “trick out” your tissue box. Nothing is too outrageous. If you can glue it, wire it, or otherwise attach it, go for it!
Varnish
When finished, seal the entire tissue box with a varnish containing a UV protectant. My favorite is Golden Polymer Varnish with UVLS (gloss). Be careful to heat set anything that may smear and avoid varnishing fabric or other “soft” embellishments.
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