How to Make a Decoupage Wedding Memory Box

When you are invited to a family member or friend's wedding, it is customary to purchase a gift from their registry. But, if you are of the creative nature, you can also make them a personal gift they will use and cherish. A decoupage memory box is the perfect gift for the newlyweds to keep their wedding memories in.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wooden Box
• Decoupage Medium
• Surface Paint(s)
• Paint Brushes
• Paint Roller
• Photos of Family Members or Friends
• Painter's Tape

1. 

   Purchase a box for your decoupage memory box. Go to your local craft store and look down the aisle for wooden products. This is one of many decoupage boxes in the aisle of wooden products for purchase.

2. 

   Purchase all other items needed for your project. While at a craft store, purchase paint(s) you need, paint brushes, small paint roller, glue gun and possibly painter's tape.

3. 

   Purchase specific wooden items for the decoupage box. At the craft store, look for small wooden items that represent wedding, sailing or other memories. These can be something extra to add on the wooden box top or sides. This is another way to make your gift special for the blessed couple.

4. 

   Print out family or friend photos. If you plan to place photos on your decoupage wedding memory box, this is the time to print them out. The photos can be printed out in 3 by 2-inch and wallet sizes so they will fit on wooden box top or sides.

5. 

   Begin painting the decoupage box. Now, with the color of paint you plan to use in hand, shake it up, then pour some paint into bowl or plate. Use a paint roller like this to cut the painting time in half. This paint roller can be used to paint the top and bottom of decoupage box.

6. 

   Add whatever amount of painter's tape you need. It is not necessary to use painter's tape. This is only if you want to make the wedding box look unique.

7. 

   Begin painting the box top in whatever colors you want. This box top is painted in a light yellow and sea foam green.

8. 

   Once box top is painted around the painter's tape, remove tape and see the results. Here, I accidentally did it incorrectly. So, I improvised and added another color.

9. 

   Add another color if a mistake has been made. Here, I added another color, brown, because when I took the painter's tape off, the natural wood was, of course, still there. So, I added this brown color which complemented the green and yellow colors. Let paint dry while you begin painting box bottom. It is not necessary to paint inside of box top, but you can if that is what you decide to do.

10. 

    Paint Bottom of Box. Once box top is painted and drying, begin painting box bottom in whatever color or colors you want. This is the color I used. Paint the sides and bottom. It is not necessary to paint the inside, but you can if that is what you decide to do.

11. 

    Glue small wooden pieces to side of box. With box bottom dry, place box top on bottom of box. This is to see where each small wooden piece will fit on sides of box bottom. With glue gun warm, turn over,one at a time, each small wooden piece and apply some hot glue. Place each wooden piece to side or top of wooden box. Here is where each small wooden piece was glued for this wedding memory box.

12. 

    With box top paint dry, place photos being used on box top. Do not glue them on yet, this is only to see how you want them situated.

13. 

    Turn over each photo. Do this one at a time. Dip medium or large paint brush in decoupage medium and being painting back of photo from left to right.

14. 

    Place all photos on box top. Once each photo is painted with decoupage medium, place each photo on box top as you wanted them to look before gluing each photo into place.

15. 

    Once all photos are glued on box top, dip paint brush, again, in decoupage medium and paint over all the photos and box top. It takes up to four weeks for the aged look to begin showing. If you want the wedding box to look more aged, apply more decoupage glue to box top.

16. 

    Again, dip medium or large paint brush into decoupage medium and paint sides and bottom of box. Just like box top, if you want a more aged look, paint over it again.

17. 

    Finally, once all decoupage medium is dry, place box top on box bottom and see the end results. If you want, spray on some lacquer for a completed look. This is what the wedding memory box will look like. Your family member for friend will love it, and use it!

Tips & Warnings

• Remember, it takes four weeks for decoupage glue to show aged look. So, begin project a month or so in advance.
• If you have toddlers around, keep hot glue gun out of reach. Little hands love to reach out and grab anything.

[Karenc1972]

on 6/14/2008 What a touching present idea...perfect!

[acole]

on 5/22/2008 Nice idea. It's pretty!