Cover Old Tissue Boxes With River Rocks To Make Stylish Decor That Looks So Nice

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Standard tissue boxes aren't very aesthetically pleasing pieces of home decor, no matter what's printed on the cardboard exterior. But just because they clash with your interior design doesn't mean they should be hidden in a cupboard. While you can hide ugly tissue boxes, YouTuber Make It With Micah shared this simple project that turned it from just plain shabby to delightfully shabby chic. Best of all, she used almost all Dollar Tree items, making this not just a fun project, but an inexpensive one, too.

Aside from a box of tissues, you'll need scissors, super glue, decorative river stones, craft sticks, and spray paint. In Micah's version, she uses a square cube box with a subtle geometric pattern. Avoid boxes with branded characters or loud prints because they might peek through the stones and paint, clashing with the overall design. No matter what the underlying pattern on the box, the beauty of this project is that it's perfectly customizable, from the box size to the exterior color. Pick up the rest of the supplies, like Polished Black River Rocks and Scottie's Tissues, from Dollar Tree. The only thing more than a dollar or so is spray paint, but this Krylon Flat Spray Paint is less than $7.

Give your tissue box new life in minutes

To make this project, begin by cutting out the bottom of the box. Micah uses an X-Acto knife for a sharper line, but a pair of scissors should work fine. Remove the tissues from inside, but keep them handy to return them to the box when you're done. Then, start gluing the river stones as close together as possible. The box might feel flimsy under the stones' weight, so glue the craft sticks to the inner walls as extra support pillars. 

Take the project outside because you'll be working with the spray paint next. Micah's off-white paint gives a luxurious minimalist vibe, but any warm neutral color will have a similar effect. Because there are so many gaps and crevices in this project, spray paint works better than regular paint for an even coat on textured surfaces. Once it's completely dry, replace the tissues inside the box. You can even save some of the supply for this decorative jar tissue holder or a teapot version made from a thrift store find.

Remember that we cut out the bottom of the box, so if you plan on moving it to different locations, you may want to set it on a dish so the tissues don't fall out. Another way to keep the tissues inside the box is to repurpose a thrifted tissue box cover for this craft, which is designed to accommodate standard size boxes. The steps are the same, just apply the stones and paint to the decorative cover, and slip it over the tissue box when you're done.

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