At Paper Cowgirls, there will be a fund raiser where transformed Velveeta boxes are auctioned off. I was happy to join in and make one, even if it meant I had to eat some fake cheese. It had been so many years since I'd had any of the artery clogging stuff that I forgot just how creamy and decadant it was. I could easily slip back into my old trailer trash ways and start making pots of mac and cheese with it again… but NO, it was a one time slip, and I'll not be buying any more of that, no matter how tempting it is. I ate it growing up and I raised my kids on that goo when I had a near zero dollar grocery budget, but now Sugarwings gets to eat some good, healthy foods and I've never fed it to her. (but honestly, is there anything creamier when melted over macaroni??)
But I digress with my love/hate cheese saga. The story is really about the box itself.
Anyway, I turned the box into this.
The lid and the bottom are turned on end, side by side and covered in paper, inside and out.
It has feet made up of 4 Scrabble tiles covered in old velvet ribbon.
Shelves are chip board and the "hinges" are ribbon.
There is a chipboard drawer too.
Its topped with a beautiful, old rose, and decked out with lots of laces and trims. I added a heavy antique clasp from a vintage photo album to the chip board door.
(rhinestone chain sold for $3.50 per foot available here, to make your own trims!)
The clasp was hefty and made the piece top heavy, so I balanced it by hanging lots of pretties on the side, a key, a chandelier drop, and jewelry.
Speaking of jewelry, I filled it up with some jewels too, just in case no one guessed it was actually a jewelry armoire instead of a cheese box now.
So, is this a case of making a silk purse out of sow's ear, or just slapping lipstick on the pig?
ps-The Dolled Up Dress Forms online tutorial is available here.
Or leave a comment if you'd like a chance to win one. (if you already are signed up, and you win, you will receive a kit full of vintagey goodies to make the dress form)
Oh my goodness this is beautiful!
Oh wow just when I was feeling good about my bit of craftiness and I see this lol its really beautful and I shall recover ha ha
Love your box Karla. The color are perfect and so are all the details. Just beautiful.
xo Tina
Oh my goodness girl! just when I think you’ve outdid yourself you just jump to another level! This is just gorgeous!
Karla ~ Your box is just beautiful!!! I love all of the sweet details ~
xoxo
Lori
OH, OH< OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE THIS!!!!!!! LOVE this, love this! I'm probably the only person on the planet who doesn't like Velveeta though... Rats. The box is adorable. I could buy the cheese and give it to the food pantry sans the box. Do you suppose they'd mind? :o) "Here's the cheese, but I'd really like that box back." hahahahha! - Have a great Sunday! - Kathy
That box is gorgeous Karla!!!! Love your little dress forms too. Hope I win that kit of goodies……
Your jewelry box is beautiful! Love all the lovely details!
Wow! What magic you created out of a cheese box! It’s beautiful!
The Velveeta box is beautiful! You always transform ordinary items into beautiful pieces of work!
Velveeta melted with a can of Rotella (I think that’s what it’s called) makes a great chip dip! I could eat it all, but that would crash my diet!
Thanks for sharing!
I never would have come up with the idea to use a velvet box, it was a fund raiser and challenge. But now I want to make more!
Sent from my iPad
Are you kidding me?? This is amazing! Your creative spirit just amazes me!! I am sure your box will be one of the more bid on boxes!!
Gorgeous!! This is so creative.
Thank you for the inspiration.
Much love!
Who would have thought you could make something so beautiful out of a velveeta cheese box! And yes, I used to love velveeta and macaroni!!
beautiful job Karla. How about a class in this at the next Bird Song???
Silk purse and then some!
Holy Moly, that is a gorgeous piece. Wonderful work
and now I do want that casserole my mom made with
the velveeta……MMM MMM Good…
I would be bidding on that for sure!!
Karla, only you … it looks like it could be a miniature of one of the cabinets in your studio! What lucky gal got that at Paper Cowgirls, I wonder? I can’t wait to hear about the event!
Beautiful!! Love the little drawers! You are, indeed, a very talented woman!!
Sandy
Holy Smokes! That is one amazing box! You are unbelievable in your creativeness. WOW! I’m so inspired, if I could just get my jaw off the floor and move now and get busy!
So this is absolutely 100 percent true. Thursday night I made White Velveeta Queso Blanco sauce… (Try it, says the temptress)…. As I pitched the box, I gave it a long look. My mind was saying: “Do I pitch this or keep it? I mean… I think it could be something… I’ll bet Karla or Beth would make something adorable.”
But it’s gone. And oh, baby… You sure did.. That is awesome… and I have only the inches on the hips to show for my guilty pleasure… Hmmmm.. There’s a lesson there somewhere.
Oooo! That box turned out soooo pretty! You are awesome Karla! xoxo karen…
Karla, You have the most Creative Ideas, and the Armoire is just precious. Now I know what to do with the pieces of chipboaed I have had hanging around and almost tossed!
I hope you are having a Great week end!!
Huggs, Nancy
Isn’t that just the prettiest little jewellery box, and to think it started life so humbly.
Love it!
Such a cute box. Perhaps I’ll have to buy some velvetta, although as far as I know I have never had any.
oh goodness,I grew up with Velveeta….made into a cream sauce with lots of pepper and smothering little cubes of pototoes, an Easter Brunch staple! My mom would always save the box bottoms, and every drawer in her house used them as drawer organizers. And now I have drawers of them too, inherited from her, perfect for holding pencils and brushes and xacto knives and… I don’t eat the “cheese” (if you can call it that) anymore, but my mouth started watering remembering those potatoes 😉
and your box is gorgeous!! forgot to mention that…
OH I am loving it….. it is just gorgeous…. I wish I could have seen it before you transformed it.. you have such a great talent..
Hugs;
Alaura
what a yummy darling “velvet” box..fabulous..loved that cheesy stuff once upon a time myself…
Karla,
That is just stinking cute! I hate Velvetta, too. Never liked it as a child either. There is on recipe in which is is melted with mayonnaise and horseradish, then chilled and you eat it on crackers. That’s pretty darn good!!!!
Great piece, though…I also digress!!!
Hugs,
Suz
That is so fabulous!
Hi Karla I bought the dress form tutorial where do I go now to download it?
I want to come play with you one day and eat mac-n-cheese for lunch. This box is just fabulous and what a neat place for antique treasures. Hope-hope-hope I win the tutorial. Keeping my fingers crossed (toes, too).
Our pal, kana won the box in the silent auction!
Sent from my iPad
I LOVE that box, Karla! It’s gorgeous!
Hugs,
Julia
I have absolutely no idea what Velveeta cheese is (as I’m not from America) but when I scrolled down and saw what was done to the box I was stunned – so beautiful!
I would have hardly guessed this was a Velveeta box!! So beautiful – I LOVE it!! xxoo Heidi
I never would have guessed that was a Velveeta box!! Very nice!
Karla,
Down here Velveeta (along with Cheez Whiz) are included in the basic food groups. You can’t attend a Sunday social without a casserole laden with it. Wars are fought over it…just as they were Saturday night over yours and the other beautiful boxes!
Debbie
P.S. Next time…bring me the Velveeta. I’ll dispose of it for you!
Very beautiful, Karla! I’m sure the bidding will be heavy on this one! Totally worth the Velveeta escapade! 🙂
Stunning creation, Karla! What an incredible transformation!!!
Hi Karla, the velveta box is so adorable, what fun, you are so talented, makes me want to drop everything and play, then look around and realize oh, yeah, have to finish these other projects first! ha!, Celeste, victoriantailor.com
Hi Karla!
Love the box.
I am organizing a virtual party my blog, I invite you to participate if you like it.
The theme of the party are the fairies.
On 24 June, “World Day of the fairies”.
You can wear a button to your blog.
In my blog I have a translator.
Hugs
Absolutely stunning Karla!!! Who would of thought cheese box. Incredible details! Great job! Xoxo,Jenn
Wow — a Velveeta box? Who knew? Looks fabulous in every way!
ahhhh- that is soo gorgeous! i bet it helped raise some good money!
That is stunning!
Lori
What a gorgeous box! I would love the chance to win a dressform tutorial. I just found your site and love your work! Kate