DIY: Cereal Boxes

Cereal is as important to a broke-ass as ramen noodles. It has zero prep time and requires only two items which can usually be purchased at any corner store. Plus, it’s tasty and has vitamins and calcium and all that. Hell, I’d be having some myself, RIGHT NOW, if I had any milk. Instead, I’m left with a dinner of Lay’s potato chips and an apple.
My empty fridge woes aside, cereal boxes are also extremely important to a broke-ass because they provide you with an essential raw material: cardboard. While you can obviously use cardboard for pretty damn well any project you want, here are my favorite cereal box crafts:
– The Magazine Rack '“ using a ruler and an exacto blade, cut a diagonal line down the front, back and sides of the box. Use mod podge to cover it with paper, or use fabric (and hence, fabric glue).
– Journal/Notepad '“ grab some paper, needle/thread, rounded corner punch (or, scissors), paper cutter (aka, scissors), painters tape and that Captain Crunch box. Then cut your cardboard and paper to whatever size you’re diggin’, sizing the paper smaller than the cardboard, natch. Round the corners (or hey, don’t), score the cardboard down the center using a ruler and place it plain side up on top of the paper. Tape with the painter’s tape, to hold in place, then sew along the scored line (use your machine at your own risk here, tension set to low, long stitches) using a needle and thread. Remove painters tape carefully.
– Gift Boxes '“ get your Cheerios box, scissors/exacto knife, ruler, and any ribbon/string/yarn/shoelace/tying instruments you desire. Then print out this template (enlarging 200%), cut it out, trace it over your unfolded cardboard box and fold according to the template folds. Use ribbon to enclose, if you like, but it will fold shut naturally. (Also see: pencil boxes and business card holders).
Extra Bonus: draw/paint Gravestones/Monster Face Halloween decorations.