Victorian Santa Tissue Box

Supplies available at Designaholic Studio:

Wood Tissue Box

2 x 4” Wood Coaster (coming soon)

Winter Scene Rice Paper

DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paint – Buttermilk (coming soon)

Stamperia Allegro Acrylic Paint – Avocado

Stamperia Allegro Acrylic Paint – Ivory

Finnabair Art Alchemy Metallic Wax – Vintage Gold

Craft and Glue Brush

Round Sponge Brush

DecoArt Satin Varnish (coming soon)

Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue

Other supplies: paper towel, ruler, pencil, painters’ tape

 Over the years, I have been on the lookout for a square tissue box cover that I could bring out and use every Christmas.  I have been unsuccessful in my quest and finally decided to create one for myself.  Because I lean toward the look of Victorian decoration, I’ve done my box in that style and hope that you like it.  As we get closer to Christmas, I may do another to suit a different decorating approach.  Here are the step-by-step directions for the Victorian Santa:

• Paint entire box (inside and out) with Buttermilk. Let dry.
• Re-paint the top with Avocado (2/3 coats)
• On the 2 wider sides of the box, measure in 1/2cm from each side and mark with a small pencil mark.
• Repeat a little lower down.
• Using your ruler, join the two marks.
• Place the ruler against one of these joined lines, measuring and marking at 2cm intervals.
• Repeat this process further down the box
• Join the marked spots
• Tape off every second stripe and paint them Avocado (3 coats) – see picture
• Remove the tape once painting is complete (you do not have to wait until dry for this)
• Tidy up edges as necessary
• Paint the top of the coaster Ivory and the sides Avocado.
• Tear Santa wreath from rice paper\cover the coaster piece with mix media glue, place the Santa wreath onto the middle and put a second coat of mix media glue over the top. Let dry.
  
• Put out a puddle of Ivory, buttermilk, and Avocado paint.
• Use your round sponge by pouncing up and down on a piece of paper towel and then onto the area around the Santa wreath after you’ve dipped lightly into one or more of you 3 colours – blending as you go. Let dry.
• Using paper towel around your finger, dab and blend some metallic wax around the coaster piece and on the sides.
• Complete the 2^nd coaster in the same way.
• Using Aleene’s glue, attach the coaster piece to any side of the box and the second to the opposite side. Let dry well!
• Place gold wax around the edges of the box top and on the top and bottom edges of the box sides.
• Varnish the entire box (including coaster piece) with at least 2 coats of Satin varnish and let dry well between coats

Now you are ready to put that rather unattractive tissue box into a cover that is lovely and that you created.  Take your time, enjoy creating and have a fun crafting day.  I leave you with my mantra “try it, you’ll love it”.