DIY Antique Wallpaper Bandboxes
Hey all, another of our awesome Mixed Media Design Team Members, Cheryl Carpenter from A Penchant for the Past, is sharing today. As you know, we are featuring a new Mixed Media project each week created by some fabulous artisans. Our goal is that you be creatively inspired by this series! Cheryl created a delightful project called DIY Antique Wallpaper Bandboxes. Be sure to check out the video tour at the bottom of the page…you will need to scroll all the way down to see it. Are you ready to be inspired? I will let Cheryl tell you all about her projectin her own words…
A Peek Inside
Hello everyone, this is Cheryl. Since I’ve always had a fondness for antique wallpaper bandboxes, I thought it would be fun to show you how you can recreate your own. Mine are antique inspired bandboxes using the beautiful papers and ephemera from The Graphics Fairy’s Premium Membership site.
There are so many lovely papers and ephemera to choose from, so even if you aren’t a fan of the primitive style I have created here you can create ones to fit your own design style. I’ve always been a collector of antiques and have adored original antique wallpaper bandboxes. The stack I’ve created here for the DT project is a scaled-down version of the antique ones that were used to hold hats and other finery. For this project, I designed more of a trinket sized box. According to my reference material they used this size of bandbox during the same time period.
Bundles Used to Create the Bandboxes
For this particular set, I’ve selected papers from the Delicate Endpapers Bundle as a replacement for the wallpaper that you would find on the outside of the antique version. This bundle is perfect for making these sweet little bandboxes because the scale of the design is just the right size. In the past I have found that it is challenging to find wallpaper designs scaled small enough to fit these smaller boxes. I also love how weathered and muted the endpaper colors are and how well they complement each other. Another plus is that these endpapers are most likely from books of the 1800s; this is the period when these bandboxes were desirable. Back then the boxes were made of thin wood. For this project, I’ve used a more inexpensive base by using premade paper mache boxes, which you can find at any craft store.
Designers would use newsprint or other recycled papers to line the interiors of antique bandboxes. With this in mind, I’ve chosen some ephemera from several of the bundles on the membership site. For some added interest, I’ve selected a few beautiful images on the interiors of the boxes. There is a beautiful lady I found in the Ocean Blues Bundle, a sepia colored bird print from the Bird and Nests Ephemera Bundle, and the Eiffel Tower postcard from one of the French Ephemera bundles. If you’re familiar with the membership site you know then the possibilities are endless when creating these boxes.
Not Just Decorative
Another necessary step in creating these antique-inspired boxes was to employ the aging process on them so they would look like they’ve been stored away in an attic for 100 years.
These boxes are more than just decorative as they have a number of uses. They are great for storing small treasures and memories from loved ones, which is how I use the stack sitting on my night table. You can also use them as party favor boxes, gift boxes, or even product packaging. When I’ve used them as gift boxes for my granddaughters, I of course designed them with a more youthful theme and without the antiquing. You truly can create them so they adapt to suit your needs. I hope you give this craft project a try.
Junk Journal Flip Through Video
I could go on and on, but I think you might want to view my flip through video for a more in-depth look at DIY Antique Wallpaper Bandboxes on The Graphics Fairy YouTube channel.
Cheryl
You can find me here: A Penchant for the Past
