Covered Mailbox Tutorial

Last year I posted a tutorial on how to make these cute little mod podged mailboxes for Valentine's Day. So when I saw that Target had them again this year, I thought I'd repost my mailbox tutorial for anyone who missed it. They make really great happies stuffed with chocolate for V-Day!

I used white ones, but they also have red, pink, and silver.

Here goes......

Cut a strip of paper measuring 4"x 12". These dimensions are specifically for the $1 mailboxes from Target. If you have a different one, you may need a different size piece of paper.

Hold your paper up against the mailbox so that one of the ends is about halfway across the bottom. Now smoosh it really good up against the base of the flag to make an impression.
(Hello, I have man hands!)

Now flip your paper over and you will see that the smooshing (my directions are amazing in their technicality) left an impression of the base of the flag. It will be a little circle. See where I so lovingly penciled it in and drew an arrow to it?




Punch out the circle and cut a slit from the edge of the paper into the hole.




Trace the lid twice with a fine tip pencil. These will be the front and back covers to both lids. Only one lid actually comes off. Don't try and pry the other lid off. It may result in the whole mailbox falling apart...not that I did that or anything. Just a random thought.

When you cut out your lids, be sure and cut them a little smaller than the tracing...right inside the line. This will prevent paper from hanging over the edges.

I chose to mod podge mine because I wanted them to be more durable. I didn't take pictures of wrapping the mailbox, but you definitely want to do that first. Start with the little hole and slit and just work it around the base of the flag. I put that on first and then brushed on the glue in sections, working my way from the bottom...to the flag... over the top...and to the other side of the bottom.

When your paper is good and dry and adhered to the mailbox, then you can slap on a really good coat of mod podge to seal the outside. A second coat won't hurt either.

When the outside dries you can sass up the flag with some cute ribbon. Have I ever mentioned before how much I HEART ribbon? No... I didn't think so. I added a rub-on letter to the top of the flag to personalize it. I am giving these as gifts to the teachers for Valentine's Day stuffed full of yummy chocolatey goodness!

Good luck!

Let me know if you try one...I'd love to see it.