Hello everyone! I’m Quinn from zquinns_art, and I’ve created a reusing and recycling craft for you. I’m already in love with the Archer and Olive watercolors, but I have so many watercolors already and my previous container cannot hold them anymore. On top of that, I’ve started getting into gouache and definitely don’t have room for all of those paints. So, I decided to do something with the amazing boxes that the Archer and Olive journals come in: I’m going to make a storage container using the box and some cardstock. I figured it would be space efficient, beautiful, and great a way to reuse items I already have. Besides, I always have trouble getting rid of the boxes my journals come in since they’re so sturdy and gorgeous. 

Supplies

For this project, you will need:

1. Archer and Olive Box that comes with your journal: I am using a box from the fall collection and a box from the Messy & Bright box, but any journal box should do. I included the dimensions for each size excluding the 8in x 8in boxes.
2. Paper: I use both cardstock and paper from the Archer and Olive Neopolitan Notepad. Both work, but the cardstock is definitely sturdier if you have larger paints. 
3. Adhesive: any will do
1. Best: I like double sided tape the best. Any brand will do, but I used a Scotch tape roll.
2. Other options: double sided tape, tape, washi tape, glue, glue dots, etc.
4. Ruler 
5. Scissors OR Exacto knife with cutting mat 
6. Pen/pencil  
7. Watercolor Box Diagram Printable (found on this document)

Steps:

Feel free to follow the video along with the following written steps. Together they should best explain how to make your own box! For the box, you will be making cubbies to organize your supplies (be that watercolor, pens, or something else). The number of cubbies you have will depend on the size of your box: B6 has 4 cubbies; A5 and Travelers have 6 cubbies; and B5 has 8. To make the cubbies, you will be folding a long piece of paper. Here is how you make it: 

1. Decide what box you want to use and find the associated diagram with the measurements for it. The diagrams are available as the free printable attached to this blog. Make sure to note that they are not to scale, they simply show you how many measurements and folds to make in the creation of the cubbies for your box.

2. Cut paper to total paper width. Follow the chart on the diagram to find the total paper width. It’s easiest to cut the paper before you tape it all together (I learned this the hard way).

3. Tape paper to create total paper length. If you look at the diagram, you’ll see the measurement for the total paper length. This is how long your paper should be after you glue or tape it together. For my A5 boxes, I needed 2 pieces of 8.5x11 paper or three sheets of the B5 Neapolitan Notepad. By the end you should have a long and skinny piece of paper that matches the total paper width and length measurements. 

Note: some of the boxes didn’t divide evenly into the same-width cubbies. So the last cubby on some of the diagrams is longer than the others. Make sure to include this extra length to the last cubby! 

Do this for both sides of the paper.

5. Fold paper along the marks. Now that you have your measurements marked, you get to fold along each one in a straight line! You’ll make a nice roll of paper by the end. 

6. Fold paper to make pyramids. Now you get to start making the cubby shapes. Fold the paper so that each adjacent “cubby height” section is touching. You should create a series of jagged peaks like pyramids.

7. Tape cubby heights together. When you do this, the pyramids will close and you will just have straight lines. Don’t worry if your paper curls a bit still; it won’t once it is in the box. 

8. Test current creation and make proper corrections. Before you tape your cubbies into the box, put it in to make sure that it fits. Each box is slightly different, so you may need to adjust the last fold to fit it best. 

9. Tape/glue in the cubbies to the box. Once your cubbies fit perfectly, you can glue or tape them in! 

10. Add your supplies! This is the best part! Just add your watercolors or gouache or pens or whatever you’re using your box to store. 

And now you have a beautiful box that you can enjoy and use. The best part is that it’s even portable. The lid definitely won’t be falling off very easily.

If you end up making this craft please let me know! Tag me or Archer and Olive on Instagram so we can see your amazing creations. Happy Crafting :)