This poor post has been on the back-burner for FAR too long. Darn that Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot for getting in the way (I hope you can sense by INTENSE sarcasm…I obviously welcomed that little interruption). But anyway, do you know about Birchbox? I’ve chatted about Olive Box before but, although the concept is similar, each brand definitely has its own unique playful element. One is all about paper products, while the other (today’s post star) is all about beauty products – in ADORABLE sample sizes!

I’m actually so late in posting this feature, that I’ve already gotten my second Birchbox in the mail, so this is me playing catch up. The good part though is that I get to gush about not one, but TWO groups of fabulous products.

My first box was so much fun to unwrap – It was packed full of colorful, girlie beauty samples, all of which I couldn’t wait to try out. I’ve never been much of a beauty gal. I’m a die-hard Bare Escentuals wearer, so I never thought to go outside of my box. But then my friend Alyssa told me about Birchbox and I just had to go a little wild. This first one didn’t disappoint either:

1. Serge Normant Meta Revive Dry Shampoo, Skin&Co Bagnodoccia Body Gel
2. MAKE Silk Cream Lipstick, MAKE Dual-Phase Eye Makeup Remover
3. Madewell for Birchbox Nail Emery Board

But then THIS month’s box arrived and I was hit with another dose of sample sass. I loved all of the skin care products in this particular shipment. With spring underway, I’m looking for anything to make my winter-riddled skin look fresh again – The macaroons didn’t hurt either:

1. Ojon rare blend™ Deep Conditioner, Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser
   
2. Hail Merry Macaroons
3. Supergoop!® Advanced SPF 37 Anti-Aging Eye Cream, Juice Beauty Stem Cellular Repair CC Cream, Caudalie Divine Oil – 100 ml

But this post isn’t just about what’s inside the box – I found a way to incorporate a little DIY action using the Birchbox itself, and wanted to share the details with you guys. You see…After I unwrapped my goodies and put them away, I naturally grabbed the cardboard box and packaging to toss into the recycling heap. But after picking up the empty box, I noticed how heavy and nice it was – MUCH too nice to throw away.

So I did what any DIYer would do – I wrapped it in pretty paper! I just happened to have a roll of polka-dotted clearance T.J.Maxx wrapping paper on hand, as though it was waiting for this project to appear in front of me.

Five minutes later, I was done. So simple, so cheap and so practical. The only thing I’d change is my lack of crisp edges, but that perfection will come with time…I’ve got months and months worth of boxes to practice on!

Once all was said and done, I popped my newly refinished box on top of the bookshelf in the studio to corral anything from pens, to notecards, to office supplies. I just love the pretty gold color and white dots. It’s neutral enough to fit in with the rest of the decor, but spunky enough to add a little character to the room.

Oh, and it turns out that remixing empty Birchboxes is a bit of a “thing.” Check out some of the other crafty ideas fellow subscribers have come up with here, here and here. What would you do with your Birchbox?

P.S. Today’s “Friday Feature Round Up” is a bit of a quiet one! With a birthday, new job and BHG shoot in the past week, I’ve been spread a little thin. But I DID manage to make it over to Le Papier Studio for a “Pin of the Day” post, and I also popped over to Anne the Adventurer for a fun guest feature! Enjoy.