Abstract Floral Gift Boxes From Recycled Packaging Are A Gift In Themselves

This year’s crafts for chanukah are all about bright colors and abstract shapes that look oh so artful and festive! Practicing some painting techniques on gift bags, cereal boxes or even smaller recycled cardboard food boxes is a great way to make some art that isn’t precious and has a use, and if it doesn’t turn out so well……recycle it, which is where is was going in the first place (hopefully.) I actually made this painted gift box from an etrog box left over from Succot, which is a great way to take the energy from one Jewish holiday into the next. Not of course that Chanukah is about gifts, as tradtionally it is certainly not, but in our house I use it as an opportunity to give some fun, practical, and warm presents as an added touch. After all, Chanukah is 8 nights, as to keep it festive one has to do something a bit out of the ordinary. For many that may be whipping up lots of treats, including doughnuts, for me I’d rather spend the time getting creative with little gifts and wrapping them just so. And I will let you in on a little secret, I definately re-use the hand painted gift boxes this year throughout the holiday, as well as the home made wrapping paper, so make sure to let the recipients know not to destroy the art! Want to spend a little bit of time making some of your own gift boxes that in themselves are works of art, let’s do it!

You’ll Need:

• a recycled box
• acrylic paint
• hot glue
• a white paint pen

How To:

This box was made in three steps as follows:

1. Paint a base layer with a mix of reds and pinks that is full of pattern and depth. Start with a light color and then add more vibrant colors on top, but don’t cover that first layer entirely, let it show a bit. Layer in some secret messages written with a permanent marker, or write your name, or any number of things, or simply doodle something. You can see some of my doodles barely peeking through in the flower shapes, and that adds interest, and depth, which is what abstract art is all about, generally. Set aside to dry completely.
2. Now paint a layer of green on top of the first layer, making sure to leave rough flower shapes that are unpainted. You can circle them or loosely mark their shapes with chalk, or chalk pastel, that is then wiped off with a damp cloth once this second layer is dry, or you can use a permanent marker by just dotting around the areas you want to preserve, no solid lines though in black that would be too heavy.
3. Once layer 2 is dry, bring your flowers to life by drawing petals and little lines to indication petal shape, as well as stems and leaves. Be loose with this part, so that it feels fun and free, and after all it is just a package, so don’t go crazy!
   Even though I just said this is “just a package” it is currently on display on a shelf in my kitchen, as a fun piece of art, together of course with some more painted boxes that I’ll share with you soon. Boxes like these look great in a group, stacked, for example, so the more the better!
   So dear readers, take your gift wrapping to a new level this year with recycled boxes that become mini works of art! And if you start now you’ll have plenty of time to paint to your heart’s content, which is really what it is all about anyway, bringing joy to others through art that gave us joy to create!