Recycled from Fast Food! A Change-able Box for a Little Girl

You know how you order the family pack at a local fast food place? You know... the kind (say... Del Taco or Wienerschnitzel) that has multiples of your faves in there to satisfy your family or at least part of it... or maybe just yourself (that's me!)? I collect those. I have my friends collect those for me, too! Why?

Well, they look like little A-line houses. Or boxes. Or fun little things to put other little things in. And... they look like they have LOTS of potential. And so... I have a large stack or two sitting around my craft room, ready to go... whenever I need them.

Sometimes, I wrap them. Um... take that back. I cover them. I cut the paper to fit, so the recipient can re-use it. (Wrapping just means you fold it all over, and the recipient would have to tear it all off... Making the box back to square one and looking just like the fast-food box it started off being.)

Other times, I have a little more fun with them...

Marissa was invited to a birthday party. That's what kids do. And of course... She wanted to just throw the gift in a bag with some tissue paper or no tissue paper at all. But... I'm her mom, and I just don't do that. (Of course, not!) The birthday girl's favorite color is turquoise? Alrighty then! I had some left-over turquoise chalkboard paint that should do the trick.

And paint it, I did. Three coats of it... the red from the box kept bleeding through. So... my recommendation to YOU, if you should decide to do this: Prime it first. Then it should only need one coat of the more expensive paint.

 I had Marissa wrap the gift in tissue (that way, I rationalized it as a compromise... she got the tissue part, didn't she?) and put it in the box.

 Put a shiny pink curly-ribbon bow on (and sealed it that way, too!)

And had Marissa doodle in pink (the birthday girl's "other" favorite color).

Reusable box to last for many years that can be changed on the outside? I think so! And... since the birthday girl plays softball (and the gift was a pair of batting gloves...), it was a hit! A Grand Slam!

*** Just a Note ***

For many of you that have written to me or commented regarding my grief... Thank you. I know there are no words that are the "right" thing. And just thank you. Some of you have sent me treasures, cards, and always kind words. I really appreciate it.

This post was meant for back in December... but it didn't make it. I am going to keep trying to catch up to life and the real world, even though all this life stuff has been pretty real for me. I just keep trying to go back to what makes me happy.

I have been crafting, on several occasions. I try to take pics... it just never seems to make it to here, my blog, where you all can see. Only because a friend's post of an RRR item today made me think... "Dang... it's been quite a while!" I didn't realize it had been since JANUARY! Ugh. I'll catch up a little at a time. (Thank you, Michelle, for inspiring me to post something!)

But again... Thank you. For all your thoughts, prayers (if you pray), and for just simply coming back here.