Storage. Who doesn’t need more of it? I am constantly trying to figure out how to add more of it in an efficient, yet aesthetic way. Both can be a challenge. A while back I began the treacherous project of redesigning my office/craft space. Any typical office will need storage for common office supplies… but a craft space? I don’t think there are enough bins and boxes and drawers in the world to contain all of my crafting tools and supplies!! But a girl has to try!
Ever since beginning the makeover years ago, I’ve collected receptacles of all kinds, big and small, that I thought could be used as storage. One of my go-to finds were wooden boxes. I liked these because they make great use of shelf space, and they’re sturdy enough to hold anything! BUT…. putting a big box on a shelf is not all that pretty. And while I need my space to be functional… the aesthetics for someone like me is just as important. I desperately need to walk into my office and feel creatively inspired. Beautiful surroundings definitely help with that!! Obviously those wooden boxes would need their own makeover.
If you are subscribed to my newsletter, you probably already know that I travel around as a vendor to shows and expos, selling the items I have in my Etsy Shop, as well as all of my salvaged goth-it-yourself creations. This past couple of months I have been heads down trying to prepare for a show, and the need for an organized work space became more important than ever. So…. I hit pause on all of my products, to whip up this goth-it-yourself whimsical Victorian Gothic Skull Storage Box!
The first of the boxes I opted to work on was obviously something used for a child’s room (at least I hope an adult was not sporting those colors in their decor!!) The box was ugly as hell, but anything can be transformed! The box already had a wooden plaque on one side, which I liked, and I decided it made sense to make that a focal point. You can buy small wooden plaques at any craft store, and glue onto your box, if yours doesn’t have one. I also liked the quirky shape of the box… seemed almost carnival like. Obviously a red & white circus tent is not my style, but I thought the black and gold stripes were perfect for this box. A good balance of gothic whimsy.
I turned to my paper clay and silicone molds for the box’s focal point. I chose a skull (no shock there), and framed it with a Baroque Victorian style frame. You, of course, can choose any design to add to the front of your box.
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Here’s what you’ll need to recreate this box:
- Corn Starch
- Small Paint Brush
- Paper Clay
- Set of Painting Knives
- Silicone Molds (a Frame
and a Skull)
- Wooden Box
- Small Wooden Plaque
(as needed)
- Black Paint
- Gold Paint
- Painting Tape
and a Skull)
(as needed)
Let’s start with the clay.
The clay takes at least 24 hours to dry, so it makes sense to make your designs first, and get the box ready while they dry.
To make the clay designs:
1. Brush a bit of cornstarch into the silicone mold cavity.
2. Firmly press the paper clay into the mold and use a painting knife to level the clay. You want to make sure the back is completely flat.
3. Remove the clay from the mold, by bending the mold all around to break the seal around the edge, and slowly roll the mold away from the clay until the clay is free.
For more detailed photos on using paper clay and silicone molds, check out these Skull Candle Sconces or this Baroque Vase. Both tutorials will walk you through every step of the process.
4. Set the clay designs aside to dry.
Now onto the box:
5. Start by Sanding / Prepping the box as needed
6. Paint the entire box black (or whatever base color you’ve chosen). It will immediately look better, of course…. but don’t put it on your shelf just yet… the makeover is just beginning. 🙂
7. If attaching a plaque to the front of your box, paint that black as well.
8. Once dry, decide how many stripes you want on the box, or how wide you want them. Then measure across the top and bottom of each side of the box, marking slightly at equal intervals. I chose to go with wide stripes, so I divided the edges into thirds.
9. Add strips of painter’s tape all around the box, from the top to the bottom, connecting the marks you made. Ensure the area that will be the black stripe is fully covered with painters tape. If your box happens to have a plaque like mine did, cover that with painters tape as well.
10. Cover the top edge of the box with painters tape, as well as the box opening.
11. Paint the box gold (or your secondary color).
12. Once dry, carefully remove the tape. You should be left with bold stripes.
13. Using e6000, glue the plaque to the center front of the box.
14. Once hardened, paint the clay designs gold.
15. Using e6000, glue clay designs onto the center of the plaque.
Allow e6000 to dry for at least 24 hours before putting the box into use.
Voila… a Victorian Gothic Skull Storage Box! Beautiful AND functional!
A very small piece of a very large makeover, but it’s a start…. It may be a while until my entire work space makeover is complete, but I will certainly be bringing you my other storage box makeovers before long! Stay tuned!
Alexandra – beautiful box! What type of paint did you use?
Thanks.
PS – my Amazon cart now has molds and paint knives in it!
Hi Anna! Thank you!! For the black, I spray painted the box black to give a base (I always do that as a primer when I’m needing to cover up something with bright colors), and then I used a Black Semi-gloss Interior Latex paint to paint the entire thing. For the gold, I used the Krylon Metallic Gold Spray Paint… I LOVE that stuff!… really great coverage for a spray paint! I’ve updated the supply list in the post to have a link to the gold spray paint (one more thing for your amazon cart!) 🙂 …. Thanks for your question!
Another gorgeous makeover, my love. I’ve immediately ordered the mirror and a new skull mould! Oh! And… “I don’t think there are enough bins and boxes and drawers in the world to contain all of my crafting tools and supplies!!”. Yep! Moving is going to be a challenge! 😂 Hope the expos went well. Sx