Altered AOL Mailer

Okay, so this is an oldie – but I think a goody! AOL (and other Internet service providers) periodically send out mailings to entice me to sign up. I have never signed up through them, but I like to confiscate their boxes and CDs. <evil grin> The CDs make fabulous paint palettes. And the boxes were just calling out to me to alter them. So, I did.

Here’s a picture of the "before" product.

Altering this was very simple. I first did a quick coat of paint, to cover the edges and designs. Gesso is ideal for this. I chose some favorite patterned paper (SEI’s Aunt Gerti’s Garden) as well as coordinating embellishments. **Candy’s Tip** To make any project easier, use paper and embellishments from the same line – it takes away all the guesswork and makes it a snap to coordinate your project.**

Another tip? What if you have a favorite paper and it’s several years old? Use it anyway! In 10 years, are you going to remember what year it was released? Do your children care? if you like it, use it! I know I personally  have enough patterned paper to wallpaper the Biltmore house – I need to use it up.

I then adhered the paper to the box with an aggressive adhesive (mod podge, ATG, etc.). The accordion album inside? Simply some cardstock folded and adhered to each other in accordion fashion. Just secure one end of it to the inside of the box.

I embellished the box and tied it all up with a ribbon. Cute and easy!