I did this project in January of 2018. I wish I would have taken a few more pictures, however, I am going to write it up and tell you how I made this awesome tea caddy. It turned out so amazingly well, the paper and colors I picked made it POP.
You need some supplies to make this:
- A small wooden cabinet – I got this one when I worked at a craft company. The size was perfect for packets of Tea
- Acrylic paint – Get as many colors as you would like. I painted each drawer a different color, as well as the body.
- Mod Podge – to decoupage the paper on the cabinet.
- Scrapbook Paper – pick some paper that you love, I found this paper on clearance in Michaels in 2018 (Sorry if you love it, but it’s long gone).
Step 1 – Paint
I like to paint everything first. It is the part that takes the longest to complete, at least to me. I painted the body of the cabinet white, but I really didn’t have too. Initially, I was going to leave the front white, but I decided to chance it and put the paper on it. Then I painted each drawer, inside and out, a different color that matched the paper.
Then I put them aside to dry. Because it needs to be 100% dry before you Mod Podge the paper on the cabinet.
Step 2 – Mod Podge the paper on.
This can be super tricky. I wish I had shown how I made the pattern for this box because it’s a bit tricky. What I did was wrap one sheet around the sides and back. I creased the paper at corners and the top and bottom. I then repeated this on top. The front was the tricky part. I made a pattern for just the front and put the paper on, I didn’t cut the openings yet. After I affixed the paper I cut the openings with an Exacto knife. I got it pretty close to edges. Then I took an emery board to remove the excess paper. It’s the best way to get a clean line. But only do this when the Mod Podge is still wet, if not you will ruin the finish.
Step 3 – Add Embellishments
I like to add something special to the projects I do, this project is no exception. I came up with the idea of lining the drawers with the leftover paper. Granted, no one will see it but I thought it added something special, and it covered a few tricky areas to paint. I also debated painting the knobs on the drawers a metallic color but decided against it.
Step 4 – Let Dry & Enjoy
After you topcoat with Mod Podge, let dry. You can skip right to enjoy or topcoat with a spray acrylic sealer. I would recommend doing that if you are going to have it in a high traffic area and if it’s going to be handled often or by a lot of people. The spray sealer just gives you extra protection.
Now, boil some water, kick back and relax while you drink your Orange Blossom tea (or your favorite).
Craft Factor 9 