Wedding Card Box 2026 Variation

Ten years ago, I made a satin-covered card box for my niece's wedding, and this year I was asked to make another for her twin!

The inspiration:

The overall simplicity and card slot trim

The card slot trim and ribbon trim

The side opening

The colors: white and various shades of lilac.

I loved developing my skills on the last one, and with this one I can address the few things that I wanted to change after the event. From the notes on my final project post, the new plan is:

1. one large box instead of three stacked
2. a larger card entry slot
3. a more secure top so no-one can get into it until end of event

This time, I had to do without the lovely Joann Fabrics (RIP) and the amazing stretch satin they had then. Luckily, Wal-Mart's little fabric department came to the rescue. They have 2-yard bundles of fabric available, which included a pretty decent satin. Luckily, my niece chose a lilac shade for her wedding color and they had a great color match in the satin and ribbon. To complete the decoration, I have leftover rhinestone gems from her sister's box design to decorate the card slot.

In my search for a strong base box, I had a hard time finding one that was large enough, but not flimsy. After a month of research, I saw a portable storage box on IKEA's website, the Fjaderharv, that was perfect. Made of two interlocking sheets that are screwed together, plus a lid, it fulfilled the brief; sturdy, portable, and could provide a reversible way to secure the lid to the box. I will do this by running decorative ribbons through the carry hand holds similar to the second inspiration pic above. 

Materials:

• Fjaderharv 12" x 12" x 12" storage box with lid, $7.99, IKEA
• One purple wisteria bush by Ashland, $19.99, Michaels
• AMAZLINEN sequin table runner, 14" x 108" in silver $11.99
• 1 lilac satin table runner (borrowed)
• 2 yards of Shason Textile Inc. costume satin in White, $7.13, Wal-Mart

• 2 yards Casa Collection stretch satin in Bright White,  by Michael's
• Gwen Studios 1.5" purple satin ribbon, 7 yards, $1.97, Wal-Mart
• Offray 1/4" purple satin (100% polyester) ribbon
• Two Bead Landing Sticky Gems Value Packs in clear crystal rhinestone $4.99 (2)
• Elmer's Multi-Purpose Spray Adhesive $6.9
• Elmer's Clear Glue
• 3 Elmer's Washable School Glue Sticks $.95
• Olfa 45mm rotary cutter
• 1 emery board (or sandpaper, of course

Construct box. The assembled box has two gaps where the sides overlap, so I applied glue stick to eliminate a slight gap which would have showed when the fabric was applied. I had tried the spray adhesive before remembering this was the same ten year-old can from the first box!

Enlarge card slot opening. Next I enlarged one of the handle openings so that it works as a envelope slot. This was easily done with my rotary cutter. Now I can cover the box with fabric. Very conveniently, the lid will eliminate me having to embellish the top edge of the opening, which works with how much trim I have left.

Apply fabric. Calculate the amount of fabric needed. This box was much larger than the ones I did before. Those were easily made from large sections of 44"/45" fabric.

The costume satin was much thinner so I thought I'd need to do two layers of satin or use muslin for the first layer. Update: I couldn't do it. I remembered the name of the fabric I used before and luckily Michael's* still carried it online!

I started with covering the lid. No measurements needed, I draped a corner over the lid with an extra overhang of 3/4"-1" on all four sides that will be glued to the underside. I applied glue stick liberally to the top of the lid, flipped it and centered it over the back side of the fabric and thoroughly pressed it down. I let that part dry a bit before applying glue to the sides and folding in the corners.

Now for the big deal, attaching the white satin to the entire surface,

I laid the box on its side on my fabric and cut, leaving 3 to 4" for the top and bottom overhang, making sure to use the selvage. I took the box outside and sprayed adhesive on all four sides making sure to only hold it through one of the handles from the inside. I didn't want the adhesive to get on my hands too much.

I then carefully placed the box, side down trying to center it perfectly. Manipulating from the inside I pressed the entire surface into the fabric, especially at the corners, trying to make a crisp edge. I continued rolling the box over and pressing until I reached the first side again. I used the rotary cutter and ruler to cut a straight edge. I folded this under 1/4" and finger pressed it flat, using a glue stick to apply, making a pretty flat seam at the corner.

I turned the edges down inside the box, trimming the width and into the corners to make it neat. For the bottom, I completely removed the bulk at the corners so the box would stand level. These edges were attached solely with glue stick, no longer trusting the traveling aerosol of the adhesive around the satin fabric. I used up two glue sticks in the process.

Add rhinestone embellishment.

This step was easy. I added two rows around three sides of the card opening. They're self-adhesive, but being ten years old, some of the adhesive failed and some clear glue came to the rescue.

Add ribbon trim.

I added a row of the ribbon around the bottom. I had covered the lid in satin, but I didn't like how bulky the folds at the corner looked. The ribbon was exactly the same width as the lid edge, so I applied it along the sides.  This also added balance and interest. I then added a line of darker ribbon at the bottom for contrast.

 

Add more bling.

For a finishing touch, I used the rest of the rhinestone trim above the darker ribbon. Yes!

Construct ribbon bow.

Now, for the main attraction...what to put on top?

I know I she wants a ribbon bow, and with such a large box, it has to be substantial. That's where the wired ribbon comes in. I checked out a few video tutorials on Pinterest and chose a multiple segment bow. I also decided not to permanently attach it. I would tie it on with a long length of ribbon at the event, therefore securing the lid to the box for the length of the event.

The wired ribbon let me down! I couldn't get any structure for they bow. So I abandoned it. All that research and procrastination on even attempting it...

Conclusion

At the venue during set up I decided to just use the faux bunch of wisteria in the bridal color as the focal point. Arranged on a white satin base with a lilac satin sash and a silver sequin table runner side by side. I think it looked great. In addition, this was the same silver sequin table runner that I used for her twin sister's card box. 

It was beautiful and functional. Success accomplished!

*Who bought out Joann Fabrics and has most of their stock and manufacturers...online.

Adult Life, Mess, and Soft Furnishings

A year ago I bought a velvet sofa and a long-held dream was finally achieved.

However, I was terrified to sit on it-- so true. This was justified as I'd already spilled on the homemade quilt I was using to protect it. Luckily, that was easily laundered, whereas it would not have been easy to clean the velvet upholstery. 

A chance pin on Pinterest revealed a solution: a sofa pad in a homey cottage style. This is what I needed -- pretty protection.

Etsy

W Concept

I tried to find a similar fabric to the inspiration but nothing was close. I had it in my mind that I wanted a small black-and-white check or a black-striped cotton ticking.

I also loved the idea of gingham but needed a fabric that could stand up to the extreme lounging happening on this piece of furniture. When those fabrics didn't materialize at Joann, I turned to finding a complementary heavier canvas fabric that would work in the space. Using my handy West Elm Tarragon velvet swatch I located a green canvas that almost matched and complemented the upholstery. I have a lot of luck with this particular shade of green.

Richloom Fiera Apple cotton canvas

How it came together:

Using the dimensions of my 76" Harris sofa bench cushion I knew I needed a cushion at least 66" x 22".  Pre-made ones were normally at least 72" which is more than the length of the cushion I need. Luckily, if using a 44/45" wide fabric that meant I could buy for the length (nearly 2 yards) and simply fold it in half lengthwise and stitch three sides. Easy-peasy!

 

Also lucky for me, when I moved I purchased 1/8" thick furniture pads from U-Haul and had six of them to store or give away. What if I cut one up to use as batting? 

When playing around with it I realized when folded over and over again into four layers one pad fit the needed dimensions almost perfectly. I only needed to cut an inch off the length to account for the seam allowances on the cushion cover.

 

To make the padding stable when inside the cover, I basted through the layers on at least two sides to eliminate it migrating once enclosed. 

On the canvas I stitched from the short side around to the other end and sewed an inch into that side. I made sure to reinforce all the corners and the ending point. I pressed my seams open, clipped the corners, and while holding a corner of the moving pad between my fingers with the open corner of the cover I turned the cushion inside out while inserting the cushion inside. Using quilting safety pins I secured the pad at one end and manipulated the rest to fill out the cushion evenly. Once turned, I pinned the other end to keep the pad in place for the next part.

  

The last step was stitching the open end closed. I had originally thought I would tuft the cushion like the inspirations above but decided against it. This will allow removal for laundering. Knowing me, I will need to do that for sure. It will also work as a protective "mattress topper" for when guests sleep over. Without the back cushions on the sofa makes a comfortable bed.

Thanks to this project I feel secure in knowing that my sofa will survive living with me and look great while doing it!

Update: Months later, searching for examples of sofa toppers, I discovered that West Elm had the exact product (they call it a sofa overlay) I was looking to make! Funny. Though of course their version only fit their larger sofas at 84" x23" and cost $130. But its the same idea and it's for one of their sofas.

West Elm Reversible Sofa Overlay

First Steps in Home Decor

My condominium has been stuck in the 1980s. That was fine because I didn't have to deal with any prior owner "upgrades" I disagreed with. I liked the majority of the wood trim and could live with the hollow core doors (with some future changes), but there were things I needed to change for it to feel like me:

The Goals

No wallpaper border in the primary bedroom - remove and repaint - DONE

No brass door knobs - change out to sleek matte black - PURCHASED

No half melamine/half wood cabinets - paint them a solid color

No bent vinyl blinds - either curtains or roller shades

No wooden bathroom accessories (including the toilet seat!) - change them out

No messy paint job on the loft stairs - use a straight edge, maybe a stencil

No patterned globe bulbs in the bathroom light fixture - frosted globes or ribbed glass

These are my marching orders. 

The Plan

 Primed

 Painted, part 1

• I plan to create a border of a different type. After painting the walls, (Behr Establish Mint in eggshell at 50%) to replicate my inspiration pic, I'll tape off the wall using the straight bottom edge of the border and paint the top 5 inches of the wall a crisp border of white paint. A fresh coat of white on the ceiling will wait until later.

• I immediately bought new matte black doorknobs with one of the Big Box home store gift cards from my realtor. (Kwikset Cove and Casey styles in matte black)

• I copied from the family home bathroom by using the same leftover paint for these bathroom cabinets (Behr Coco Malt in satin.)

• The blinds will stay until I decide what to do. If I got curtains now, they'll probably be white, but if I wait, maybe a color scheme or patterned fabric will come to me. I have found these green linen drapes that seem that they would work with the green of the sofa. The color is cilantro (which tastes like soap to me) but I won't hold that against them if they work.

• I am changing the wooden bathroom hardware using the same basic set we used in the family home en-suite bathroom (Lowes Project Source set in Seton) but in brushed nickel, not chrome, to match the sink faucet.

 

• I will use a straight edge and leftover door paint to clean up the black edge of the stair treads, but I might also try using a stencil on the risers.

• The floral etched globes came from Lowes. They do have them in a solid white and a clear ribbed glass version. I might change them one day, but for now, it is okay. Another option is spraying these bulbs solid white.

More to come later.

"Three-In-One" Room Makeover

Since I moved back into my childhood home six years ago, this little 10.5' x 11' room (115 sq ft) has fulfilled two purposes; a guest room (mainly for my sisters) and my sewing room. From March 15, 2020, through the first part of 2021, it took on a new function and became my work-from-home (WFH) office. 

In the past, my sewing room could go from dull but tidy (see below) to a mass of fabric, pattern paper, and loose threads quite quickly. When I got the heads-up that a sister was coming to visit, it meant a lot of stuff would be stuffed into the armoire, into the closet, or moved to my bedroom next door. There was just so MUCH STUFF. Luckily, my go at the KonMari Method has made it much easier to keep things tidy and easily accessible, so I don't have to "excavate" stuff anymore.

So yeah, that's great, but how about not just being tidy and maybe also looking cute? I have always hated this paint color. (FYI: decades ago, this was my childhood bedroom, so at least it isn't still PINK!) I have described the current color as a "dirty bandaid," but in reality, it is Oops paint or a mistint from a hardware store or a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. An even darker and more pinky-orange-brown shade currently coats my bedroom walls. Ugh.

So guess what I'm doing? Makeover!!! Two, Two makeovers!!

I've already decluttered both rooms, decided what furniture stays or goes, and selected a selection of art that may live in either room. Not only will I be painting both rooms (they have 10-foot ceilings!), but I am also painting three pieces of furniture. Two of those pieces I have been planning to paint for longer than 10 years! For someone who LOVES to paint wood furniture, that is ridiculous! Color indecision is sometimes paralyzing. But no more, the paint is already here and waiting. 

Before: 

After:

Leviton 1-gang Midway duplex outlet unbreakable nylon wall plate in Light Almond, four for $3.08 ($.78 each.)

Behr Ultra (Scuff Defense) Coca Malt in Eggshell, $42.98

Richmond Multi Purpose Tandra Lagoon fabric from Joann Fabrics

Benjamin Moore Clover Green (2034-10) in Satin

Minwax Polycrylic protective finish in Satin

A Green Armoire, Finally!

Years ago, I bought an armoire from the Spiegel catalog. The assemble-it-yourself kit was made by American Moulding & Millwork and was a joy to put together. The accomplishment made me aware of my ability for DIY. 

This cabinet has served me well over the years, storing books, sewing fabrics, and supplies. But, almost from the beginning, I knew I wanted to paint it green.

While debating on the exact shade, I sealed it with a clear finish. Well, it ended up wearing that for years! I chose different shades over the years, even buying one twelve years ago that went bad. Yes, paint can go bad, horribly bad, even if it has never been opened. The smell was disgusting, nauseating!

Last year, I bought a new shade, a small 8-ounce tester pot of Clover Green in satin by Benjamin Moore, and finally got around to painting it a few weeks ago.

I had to wipe the piece down with prepaint cleaner Krud Kutter and give it a good sanding. I first attempted to paint without primer but thought it might take too many coats, so the rest received a coat of Kilz 2 primer.

I have to admit, I took a somewhat lazier approach to paint this piece than I usually do. I didn't sand between the paint layers and probably should have painted the inside, especially those doors. I didn't think of it at the time, was limited on the amount of paint, and I was very impatient to finally have it done. So, so many excuses! 

So there will be no open door photos in this blog post; 1) because I didn't paint the interior doors, and 2) it still hides a mass of stuff and materials despite my very thorough decluttering.

It is what it is.

But check it out? I even refolded all of the fabric for my "near-future" projects using a tutorial pinned from Pinterest. It is so much neater and easier to comb through to see what I have. The first thing I noticed is how neutral the fabric within is compared to the cabinet itself, It is all white, cream, gray, black, and navy blue. So, I guess I'll have to change that!