NEXT! The Wedding Card Box!

So my lovely son's lovely fiance saw these boxes that folks are pretty in love with on Pinterest. They are using them to collect cards and cash at the wedding reception as well as showers and the like-like this one-found on Amazon.

 Did you notice it sells for 65.99 PLUS $15 shipping? Well Lovely Jean sure noticed that. She mentioned that surely someone could make on for less than that! Oh lovely Jean! Challenge accepted!!

DD and me were at the dollar General Store a couple of weeks ago and we checked out the frames there.

 And I looked at the frames at Hobby Lobby.

Cute frames, but still kind of pricey even at 50% off when you take them times 4. 

So we went with these frames from the Dollar General Store. 

They're plastic and the backs are removable, so I think I can work with them. And at $4 each, that's the lowest price I've seen. I of course let them sit around for a few days or maybe weeks.....but I think I got the plan now. Here we go!

 So I took apart the back of the frames first-all those tiny screws-wow! Then I drilled holes in the top and bottom of the frames frame...edge....whatever you want to call it.
I bought a board at Lowe's that was 11 1/4" inches wide and had them cut it into squares for me.

I'm so glad I have some power tools! I sanded the edges and smoothed the boards out. I'll use one for the bottom, I'll cut one out for the top and then use the 3rd one for the lid. It's a PLAN!

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I figured I'd assemble the cut out top first so I'd be able to work on the bottom from the inside-great PLAN!

 I drilled corner holes after measuring in about 2 1/2" so I made a frame!

 And sanded it like crazy! I'm ready to attach the frames now! I bought these self tapping screws thinking it might make it less likely to crack the plastic-even though I pre drilled the holes.

Now for the test! I eyeballed the frames onto the wooden top and then I used masking tape to hold them in place while I marked the places for the holes. More pre drilling!

 Then I screwed all the frames on to the wooden frame.

 It worked great-no breaks, no cracks!  Now to mark the wood bottom base.

 Being cheap plastic frames they do have little variables so I mark the frames and the way I plan to put them on.

 I gotta say I was a genius to do the top part first because it's kind of orgami-like to get to the screws inside on the wood bottom!. If I had a skinnier drill I would have used it!

 But I got it done-no cracks, no breaks!

 This is starting to shape up, now I'm going to put the backs of the frames back on...all those little screws again!

 See how that inside frame covers all the screws I put in.

 8 tiny screws in each frame...my fingers hurt by the time I was done-thank goodness for tiny screwdrivers!

 Then the heavy cardboard back that holds the glass in needs some attention. I yanked off the ribbon tab that keeps the stand in place then used the pliers to pull off the stand.

 There-it won't show on the inside so I'm not spending time on it.

 TA-DA! Look at that! Here's the box so far. I'm thinking about the lid now.....

I was kind of thinking of a lid like a cookie jar-that you lift off, but then I looked at the original, and I guess it should lock and have a slot.
So I cut a slot in the top and my wonderful SIL came over and drilled a 3/4" hole for the lock. 

 I used my sander and sanded like crazy around the lock hole-I need to make sure it will latch under the top wooden frame.

 See, here's the finished inside

That latch on the lock fits tight under the wooden top frame. I think I got lucky there!

There-doesn't that look great! I had a little hinge trouble-I'm not a very good woodwright so the carved out spots for the hinges to sit in were a little rough.

It looks great! I love it! But it's missing a little something......

Yup-little ball feet! OOOH!!, now that's a great look!

Done and waiting for a coat of paint or something. I am in love with this project! It will be a lot easier to do another one now that I know what works well.  And the final tally?
4 frames.........................$16.00   from Dollar General
1 board 1X12X4'............$7.26   From Lowe's and I have a hunk leftover
2 packs screws..............$1.96    From Lowe's
2 hinges..........................$2.59    From Menard's
1 lock...............................$4.27    From Menard's
4 ball feet....................... $4.35    I used a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby for the balls and had to
 TOTAL                        $36.43                buy hanger bolts to screw into them at Lowes.

So I came out pretty good. I spent probably 4-5 hours in actual assembly and sanding and stuff. And probably 100 hours thinking about how to make it work!!LOL! If you had to buy sandpaper, and a drill and drill bits, and a saw and saw blades  and a sander you'd be in the hole for sure. I'll probably still end up painting this-we'll see what LJ (lovely Jean) has to say about it, so there will be a few more dollars added on then.
But it was fun to make and I think if you wanted a rustic look you could use pallet boards and reduce costs there-and if you just made board sides (you could pin photos on the sides-or chalkboard them) and skipped the frames you'd probably save some there too. Still we beat 65.99 plus $15 shipping!!