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Make A Sewing Storage Box From A Jewelry Box

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An old vintage jewelry box and a new pretty jewelry box

My Sewing Storage Box Vision

Join me on my journey to Make A Sewing Storage Box From A Jewelry Box. It does require a little imagination and you will understand once you see what I started with.

I spotted this ugly beat up old jewelry box in one of my favorite thrift stores several months ago. It was half price, only $3 cha ching!  I’m in the process of ‘decorating’ my craft room. I knew I could upcycle this piece into some cute sewing supply storage. So into my cart it went. Yep, that’s right, I get a shopping cart when I go into my favorite thrift store, don’t you?

Old wooden Jewelry Box with two drawers Jewelry box inside picture

Oh my goodness, it’s so ugly and dirty. 

Supplies for making a sewing storage box

  • 1 ugly old vintage wooden jewelry box
  • Drawer pulls, wooden thread spools
  • Spackling like this
  • Flat black spray paint
  • Americana chalky finish paint, Innocence
  • Spray Lacquer 
  • Mod Podge
  • E6000 glue
  • Fine grit sand paper
  • Decorative paper, Vintage black toile 

First I washed the outside and I do mean washed. This jewelry box is wood so it held up just fine to a good washing. 

Then I removed the drawer pulls and that horrible yellow flocked stuff masquerading as velvet. I was having flashbacks to the 70’s.

Spackle

Removing the drawer pulls left small indention’s on the drawer fronts. I filled those in with spackling.

Paint.

I used three coats of paint.

Jewelry Box first coat of paint

Our first coat of paint is a very light spraying of flat black. I didn’t intend to cover well, just a good dusting of black.

Jewelry Box pink coat of paint

The second coat of paint is a pink chalk paint which I brushed on. This needs to be underneath for the antique finish coming later.

Third coat of paint, flat black

A final coat is sprayed on flat black. I almost forgot to snap a pic. I was already beginning to sand the top. I forgot to paint that little strip in the front so it’s in progress in this photo.

Antiquing was next. No photos of the process. Sometimes when you get busy crafting, you forget to stop and snap pictures. I used a fine grit sandpaper and moved slowly. It was actually kind of fun.

Paper lining a drawer

Fitting and gluing paper to the drawers was next. I found this pretty toile paper and knew I just had to have it! It is only .44¢ per sheet at Hobby Lobby.

Cutting and fitting was a matter of trial and error. I used Mod Podge to glue the paper down. A top coat of Mod Podge was added as a sealer. This step was the most tedious part with lots of cutting and fitting.

Mod Podge is one of my favorite mediums to work with. That is why I curated this list of 20 Mod Podge projects to do around the house.

TIP: Manicure scissors are perfect for trimming the edges of the paper which poked out at the tops of the drawers.

Gluing the paper into a drawer

You can see in the photo above that all the bottom paper from the ugly yellow stuff wouldn’t come out. I just covered over it.

I added the paper to the sides first in every section.

I began adding Mod Podge on the back side of each section and drawer and worked my way across to the opposite side. I painted the glue onto small sections of the paper at a time. I’m so glad I remembered to notice the design of the paper was facing forward before beginning. 

Empty Wooden thread spools

Adding the drawer pulls. I had these cute little wooden spools in my craft stash. Because I intend to use my new storage box for sewing supplies, I thought these spools would be perfect drawer pulls.

It was pretty easy to cut them in half using a hack saw. They received the same three coats of paint. I glued them into place using E6000.

The last step was to spray on a coat of lacquer to seal the paint and make a nice looking finish.

Inside look into a made over jewelry box

I’m in love with the finished project. It was a lot of work with multiple steps but I love it!

Black Jewelry Box

This was my first experience with antiquing. I’m happy with the results and my choice of paint colors. This old jewelry box was easy to work with.

Black Jewelry Box

Sewing supplies inside a storage box with drawers

Prior to this project the sewing tools in my new sewing storage box were in various places around my craft room. Hunting for them when I needed them was a real pain. That ugly old vintage jewelry box solved a problem for me.

I’m very happy with how this project turned out. I’m using it for some of my sewing supplies that I tend to reach for most often. That seam ripper and I are on a first name basis anytime I sit down to sew.

More Craft Room Storage Solutions I Have Made

My DIY Framed Pegboard hangs in exactly the right wall space behind my craft table and holds quite a few of often used crafting supplies like that E6000 glue.

I came across some really pretty craft paper at a yard sale and had a great idea. Mayonnaise jars became pretty see through craft supply storage containers and it’s at arms reach on my crafting table right now. Problem solved.

It took some imagination to make this Two Tier Spinning Craft Room Storage Tray and a trip to the thrift store. My Mayonnaise jar storage containers fit perfectly on it.

When you are short on space you go up instead of out, right? That is why my Sewing Pin Cushion is Two Tier also. You won’t even believe what it is made of and what the project costs.

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Thrift Store Jewelry Box Upcycle. Craft Room Storage project.intelligentdomestications.com

 

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Shirley
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Comments

  1. Susan says

    I am so in love with your makeover. I would have had a hard time seeing it’s future loveliness if I’d seen it in the thrift store. So glad you had the vision. Thanks for sharing at the #ThisIsHowWeRoll Link Party.

    Reply

  2. At Rivercrest Cottage says

    Ran across your post via a blog party. Really intrigued by the unusual finish/distressing of your box. Love it. Glad to find your blog. Am your newest follower.

    Reply

  10. Terri Beavers says

    That really turned out so cute. I have a picture frame I’d like to use your ideas for. You got a lot of use out of the box after the fact. It’s a great way to get organized.

    Reply

  11. Mar says

    I always forget to take pictures when I’m crafting so I feel ya! Love the paper you chose for the inside 🙂 I always hate how the foam of jeewlery holders get dingy!

    Reply

    • Shirley Wood says

      I was rocking along doing pretty good with remembering the pics for a while but then I got involved and forgot. You are so right, those foam jewelry box insides leave a little bit to be desired, don’t they!

      Reply

  12. Chris Hoover says

    I like the make over. It looks new and cool. We all should try this for those who wants to save money.

    Reply

    • Shirley Wood says

      Thank you Chris. It will be a nice savings for sewing storage for my craft room decor. It may take me forever to finish the craft room but I’ll keep working one project at a time until it’s eventually finished.

      Reply

    • Shirley Wood says

      Thanks Alexandrea. This project was a lot of fun! I’m itching to go find another one to do now! I’ve got a couple of things planned, if I can find the right items which mean more thrift shopping so Yay!

      Reply

    • Shirley Wood says

      Thank you Dawn. This was my first experience with creating the distressed look. I’m trying to use some pinks and black in my craft room so that’s where the color combo came from. I’ll be on the lookout for another jewelry box to flip.

      Reply

  19. Bonnie @wemake7 says

    That is so fun and awesome. That’s so cool that you teamed up with others to do this. Your jewelry box looks amazing.

    Reply

  23. Eloise says

    I LOVE that jewelry box, I want it! I love working on old beaten up things and giving it new life… I did it with my coffee table, and everyone loves what I turned in into…

    Reply

  29. Paula@SweetPea says

    This project looks so cute post-makeover and it’s perfect for holding sewing supplies. I like the colors that you used for antiquing the piece and also like how you lined the drawers to make it extra pretty.

    Reply

  31. Kim says

    Hey Shirley! Great job! i like that you used pink as the base color. I have a Pottery Barn Jewelry box my Daughter want to toss out I may use it for supplies. I had not thought of that! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply

  34. Anita says

    This looks really great! The paper insert really adds something extra to it. I’ll definitely check out others as well, great challenge for us vintage lovers!

    Reply

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