Upcycling, My Way

My story begins with this cardboard box. It contained 8--48 oz. packages of spaghetti, and I purchased 5 boxes. I've already done the math for you. (Though you just might want to double check...) That's 40 --48 oz. packages of spaghetti, or 160--12 oz. portions. Just the size to feed my little, but growing family. (By growing, I mean aging...no announcements here.) I'd say that's a respectable dent in my food storage for one trip to the grocery store. While I'm stoked to have just upped my food storage by 50%, that's not the purpose of this post, nor the real purpose for the purchase in the first place.

No, that little cardboard box is actually the star of the show!

You see, with all this purging going on at my house, I literally stumbled into a mess of papers and paintings and macaroni art that I'd stuffed away with the intent of sorting through after kids went to bed, so as not to cause any meltdowns when I chucked 95% of it. Of course, the last thing I wanted to do at the end of the day was pull out another mess when I already had 15 others to attend to, so it has all piled up on me over the last few years. I needed a better way of keeping their "treasures" organized, but with funds pretty much non-existent, I had to get creative. Enter Mr. Box, Mrs. Box and the whole rest of the Box Family. They are the perfect size to fit neatly side-by-side on the big black shelf in Dixon's new room.

How convenient that I have just recently discovered the miracle that is Mod Podge, because Bridget, Dixon and I made a little jaunt to the fabric store to purchase the perfect fabric to cover the Box Family for only $8.00. Here's the result...



I love how these turned out! Seriously! I admittedly hate crafty stuff that looks totally crafty, but I think these look like I bought them that way. And let's be honest, there's no way you could find these 5 boxes for $8. Anywhere. Thank you, Box Family. I shall enjoy looking at you everyday.