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I do love a good cocktail, but you know what I love even more? A wooden craft cocktail box. Seriously! 

I’m a sucker for quality packaging, it’s much more easily repurposed than plastic or cardboard. Plus, it just has that Sean Connery vibe to it. Like, if you drink anything that came in a wood box, you probably also have badass house slippers and a glorious satin robe. And a library with one of those sliding ladder things. 

Anyhow. You may remember this particular box from my Upcycled Coffee Themed Tablescape, I upcycled the eucalyptus into linen spray and a wreath, and the coffee sack into a tree skirt and a set of pom pom coasters. When it came to the wood craft cocktail box, however, I was so excited I literally couldn’t decide what to do with it. (I know, I know, epic nerd alert.)

Then, I was getting my house ready to sell and I had to deal with my crafting clutter - the horror! - and it hit me: this craft liquor box would actually make the PERFECT portable craft organizer with a little TLC. And ironically, this company apparently makes delightful non-alcoholic shrubs and drinking vinegars, which you may remember I adore. 

How to Upcycle a Craft Liquor Box into an Adorable Craft Organizer

What You’ll Need

• Wood craft cocktail or wine box

• Sander with 180 or 220 paper, depending on your box

• Drill and appropriate drill bit 

• Handle (if your box doesn’t come with one)

• Rose gold paint

• Gold paint

• Craft paint for your cactus in appropriate colors

• Paint brushes in large, medium, and fine

• Craft wire and wire clippers (or strong scissors)

• Assorted small cloth bags (such as from the bulk spice store)

• Velcro, if desired

How to Make a Craft Organizer from a Craft Liquor Box

(ah, I love a good play on words!)

1. Using your electric sander, sand down any logos or undesired designs. If the surfaces you’d like to paint have a varnish, you’ll need to sand those down as well so your paint will hold. 

2. Select a small drill bit, but one that will easily allow your wire through, and make pairs of holes in the middle of your interior slats (do NOT drill into the exterior pieces of your box). This is where you’ll thread your wire to hold your tools in place. Using your sandpaper, smooth out any splinters around your holes. 

3. Drill small holes or screws to attach your handle, if needed. You can use old drawer pulls, rope, or whatever as needed.

4. Decide what areas of your box you’d like to deck out with your metallic paint. I only wanted to add some pizzazz to the sides and let the rest remain simple designs or natural wood. Paint those edges and allow to dry thoroughly. Repeat with your white paint. 

5. Once your box has thoroughly dried - don’t rush it if it’s tacky - sketch out your cactus. Paint and let dry, then add in your cactus spines. Finish with your flower! 

6. While you wait for your paint to dry, you can embellish your bulk tea bags with more cactus designs. If you have velcro, you can also superglue one strip of velcro to the back inside of your box and the other complementary strip to the back of your bags to help keep them in place. (I’m out of velcro and trying not to buy any more on account of plastic pollution.)

7. Measure out about 2-3 inches of craft wire and thread through your holes. Arrange your tools and twist the ends of your wire in place to secure.
   

   And that’s it! You can now rest easy knowing that your craft du jour (in my case, more Upcycled Wrapping Paper Bead Necklaces) is not only neatly packed away in a cute case that prevented usable materials from ending up in a landfill, but you can easily take it with you, too.