ALTERED CEREAL BOXES

 Hi guys!!   I've got a very cool project that is really a lot of fun to make!   My darling cousin Nora Flores showed me how to create these charming boxes that can be made into purses or adorable boxes for treasures! These make wonderful gifts as well!!  And guess what!  They started out life as Cereal boxes!  Yep, simple cereal boxes that will now be altered and transformed into a beautiful piece of functional art!!  We can do our part in recycling trash to treasures!!!   Things you will need for this project are....
One large to medium empty cereal box, scissors, ruler, pen, decorative papers or card stock, glue or paper adhesives, decorative embellishments and a bit of Hook and Loop fasteners (Velcro, for flap to close securely)

Pic #1 is of the cereal box cut to the size I needed for this project........


1. Take the cereal box and measure the size you would like the finished box to be, (I measured 6 inches from bottom to top) and draw a line across the front crosswise, and along both sides as well

2. Turn the box around to the back and measure 11 inches from bottom to top, draw a line across the back side crosswise, this side has to be longer than the front because it will serve as the flap that folds over the front

3. Using scissors or an X-Acto knife, carefully cut the box along the line you drew across the front side and also the two sides equally. DO NOT CUT THE BACK SIDE OF THE BOX (look at this first picture for reference)
                                 Pic. #1

4. Referring to the back side of the box now, cut the line across the top of the box where you measured 11 inches high

You should now have your box looking like the one in my picture. Bring the flap over and fold across the front of the box like a flap for a purse. You can use a bone folder on the folds.

                                          Pic. #2

Now comes the FUN part!! Using decorative papers or card stock of your choosing, cover the whole box and you can also cover the inside to make it look finished. Then you may embellish to your hearts content!! Use various ribbons, flowers, rhinestones, lace, tulle, etc., etc. You are only limited by your imagination!!
You could also make it a purse by cutting slits on the top flap and slipping some ribbon though those slits then knotting the ends of each ribbon on the inside, leaving the ribbon long enough to use as a handle.  Very cool!!

Here is the finished product!!  I chose brown and cream colors, which go together nicely.  I used cream ribbon to make a flower for the lower left side and for the bow on the upper right side.

Inside flap....you can see the Velcro dot used to secure the flap when its closed.

The polka dotted one you see in the picture below,  was the very first one I ever made, the dots are glittered and sparkly.   I used ribbon to make the flowers on the lower right side.  

I used printed scrapbook paper with small polka dots for the inside.  Notice the Velcro dots that I use to secure the flap when its closed.

I had lots of fun making this project, I love recycling.  I use the box with the polka dots to hide my wire cutters and needle nose pliers and other tools from my hubby because he will take them to use in his work and I will never see them again!! I have even spray painted the tools purple or pink and slathered glitter all over them but that does not deter him, he says "A purple hammer works just as good as a black one"!  Oy!!!  So...........he would never think to look inside this pretty sparkly pink polka dot box for my tools!!!  Bwahahaa!!!