These decorative shoe boxes are really fun to make. You can decorate them with any design that you wish in any papers that you wish. I have chosen to use pictures of shoes from an old shoe catalogues. I made them like this as I have a small collection of vintage shoes, and wanted some vintage looking boxes to keep them in. They are great for anything though.

It's such a shape to throw away a nice shoe box. Some shoe boxes are so nice they are almost like gift boxes in their own right. They just need decorating.

You can personalise a shoe box in any way that you like. They also make great boxes to put gifts in for family and friends, as you can personalise it to them.

First, get your shoe box and wrap it in the brown wrapping paper, make sure that you wrap both the shoe box and the shoe box lid. Glue them in place using either PVA glue or Pritt stick. Then roughly cut out your designs from the decorative papers. I have chosen shoes for mine.

Next, fill a bowl with cold tea and place each of the pictures in for a few seconds to stain the paper slightly to get a vintage look when the tea penetrates the papers. Then pin them up on the cork pin board to dry thoroughly. If you hang them vertically, this should prevent them from creasing. If they do crease, you can use an iron on the back side through a piece of greaseproof paper to straighten them out.

Next, you need to carefully cut around each of the designs now that they are dry. Then arrange them in your desired position on the shoe box and lid.

Once you are fully happy with your design, glue each picture into place on the box. Then finally apply two coats of varnish to seal the whole thing.

These really do end up being nicer than you might think. A very simple idea and easy for create for crafters of any age. Decoupage shoe boxes make a lovely gift or actually nice to keep for yourself. Make yourself your own personal, keepsake boxes with this technique.