Repurposed Shoe Box

   So, I have had this ONE shoe box in my gift wrap bin for months waiting to use it for well, you guessed it wrapping a gift.  Of course that hasn't happened so I decided that I was going to use it for something else.  Plastic forks, knives and spoons.  Over several events we have accumulated a ridiculous amount of them.  They just get shoved in a big zip lock bag and tucked away.  To make things a little more decorative and prettier (because when things are prettier they just seem to be...better) I figured I would decorate my shoe box.
   Rather than covering it with fabric I chose to use my thick hemp and felt.  All this stuff I already had and have had for a long time.  Seriously, I think I have had the hemp for 5 years!!!  It's time for it to be useful.

What You Need:
1.  Thick corded hemp
2.  Hot glue
3.  Felt fabric
4.  Need and thread
5. Shoe box

How To Do It:
1.  Trace the bottom and sides of the box on your felt fabric.
2.  Cut your pieces of felt fabric and hot glue them to the inside of the box.

3.  Start applying a line of hot glue at the bottom of the outside of the box then place your hemp over the glue.  I didn't do a continuous wrap.  I cut my cord once I got to the point that I started.

4.  Once I got to the top I glued around the rim covering the edge of the box.

  To add a little touch I thought that I would make some felt flowers.  But here's the deal, I SUCK at them.  I have looked at every Pinterest link to make them and I can't do it.  So, I winged it.

Felt Fabric Flowers:

1.  Cut three different sizes of circles.  As you will be able to see from the picture below I didn't use a "template" for the circles.

2.  Then I stacked them together and ran a needle and thread through them securing it in the back.

3.  Then I cut "pedals" (see the picture above) on all three circles.  Don't cut all the way to the center.
4.  Once I was done I glued them to the outside of the box.  Since it is the holiday season you could put so many cute decorations on it rather than the felt flowers.  Maybe pinecones or evergreen with bells.

     Here's the finished box

  I must warn you that you will burn your finger tips with the hot glue and I did manage to cut myself with the scissors so be careful.  However, I do like it and now my plastic "silverware" can rest in style.
Happy crafting everyone.


Updated Look:

  So last night I decided that I needed to add sections to the inside of my box.  I took the lid to my shoe box and cut it into 2 pieces that would make dividers for the inside.  I covered them in felt and then glued the hemp cording to the top of the dividers.