Country Style Easel Storage Box

Good morning, Crafters! I am up on the Authentique Blog sharing a country-style storage box! Make sure you head over to the Authentique Blog because it has a NEW look!

I love to display my cards and projects on my desk, but cards are always getting knocked over by the wind or by my cats. I thought if I had them up on an easel, perhaps they would be wind and cat-free!

I love country decor, especially chickens! Authentique has some AMAZING vintage country papers, and I can match my home decor perfectly! I used three collections for my project: Pleasant, Frontier, and Homestead.

(shown with a card first seen HERE, using the Frontier Collection)

I love mixing collections and Authentique makes that so easy!

I wanted to create a box to hold some 6" x 6" panels so that the ones that are not being displayed could "live" in the storage drawer. I have plans to create a coloring panel for each month of the year, starting with this September panel, and this box and easel is so perfect for this purpose!

The drawer slides open to reveal a very deep drawer that can hold items slightly larger than 6" x 6". The drawer is 3" deep!

I love using papier-mâché boxes for things. They are usually inexpensive and come in all varieties and sizes. The style I am using today is a matchbox style, where the drawer slides out. The box is approximately 6 1/2" x 6 1/2", however that is the outside dimension. The drawer about 6 1/4" wide, so as to fit into the sleeve portion. 

Use a wet glue to attach your paper to your box. Make sure you don't use too much glue or the moisture in the glue will cause your box to swell. Also, measure everything because often these types of boxes are not "square" or, as my dad used to say, "they are wonky."  

I started out using the Pleasant Four paper to cover the four sides and bottom of the drawer. 

I added a vintage-look knob to the front of the drawer. The hardest part was poking the hole through the box! 

Once I had the knob on, I added paper to the inside of the box. I used Pleasant Three and Six.  

The box has a matchbox-style sleeve that holds the drawer. I covered the bottom and the sides with Frontier Frontier Two paper.

You can see that the top of the box has a cut-out. I wanted a closed top, so I cut a piece of chipboard to the size of the box top, then wrapped that with Frontier Four paper and attach it to the top of the box. I reinforced the pre-cut opening with a bit of chipboard on the underside. 

I added a panel of Pleasant Six paper, matted with dark brown cardstock to the center of the box. Then I created the easel stand. 

I cut dark brown cardstock to 8" x 5". I scored at 1", 4", and 7". I added strips  of Pleasant Three paper to the two wider sections. Then I added tape to one of the smaller sections.  

Then, I folded the cardstock into a triangle-shaped stand.  I used more tape to attach it to the top of the box. This becomes a resting place for my project. 

The two sides of the sleeve are covered with Homestead Montage paper. I also covered the bottom with this same paper.

Here is a view of the back, with the drawer installed. I get the grins when I see that old, red truck and those fabby chickens!

Here is a view with the drawer removed.  

To create a stop (to keep the card from sliding off the box), I glued a bingo tile to the box about 2" away from the easel stand. I used a circle punch to cut out a circle of paper to glue to the top of the tile. 

I cut a section of chipboard "chicken wire" to fit the box. I painted it with white paint and then stained it with a bit of brown ink. I glued the chicken wire to the left side of the box top.

I used some twine and some stickers from the Homestead Collection to decorate the box. I also used a large circle punch to punch out the pumpkin image from the Pleasant 6x6 paper. I glued it to a wood disk that I found in my stash. 

The box is perfect for storing cards or small page layouts. Or, you can put pretty much anything in the drawer. You could use this as a phone or tablet charging station, and store your cords and charger in the drawer! 

The easel can also hold an 8x8 scrapbook layout! (This layout was first seen HERE.) I really wanted to put feet on the box, but all the feet I found in my stash interfered with the drawer! I ran out of the wood feet that I normally use. As soon as can I get to the store, I am going to glue some feet onto the bottom of this dude!

I am going to display my monthly coloring panels on this box, and then store them away in the drawer. (To see my coloring project, click HERE.)

Thanks for joining me today! 

Authentique Supplies Used:
Authentique Pleasant 12x12 Paper Pad, 6x6 Paper Pad
Authentique Frontier 12x12 Paper Pad
Authentique Homestead 12x12 Paper Pad, Stickers

Other Supplies Used: 
Papier-mâché box: Graphic 45 Deep Square Matchbook Box - Kraft
Chipboard: Grafix
Cardstock: WorldWin Brown
Twine: Really Reasonable Ribbon Ivory Burlap String
Knob: Tim Holtz
Bingo tile: craft supply
Chicken wire: Gypsy Soul Laser Cuts
Paint: Art Deco
Ink: Ranger Distress

Adhesives: Scor-tape, ATG tape, glue