My Nearly Free Canvas Covered Magazine Files

$1 Canvas-covered Magazine File!

I love magazine files, especially the ones with the little hardware window, like this one, from Target:

But I don't really want to pay over $5.00 for one file, especially when I could use about 5 of them.

So, I thought about using (upcycling!) some old postage boxes I had lying around from Christmas, they were the perfect size, so I went about cutting. This is the shape I ended up with:

I didn't bother opening the boxes all the way, because the bottoms are already sealed shut, so I just trimmed the sides where necessary.

I shopped around for wrapping or contact paper but I didn't like anything I found, so one night I was wandering around and found these huge canvas tarps for $10.00

I grabbed one, and a can of spray glue. I went home and used my flattened box as a template, drew the outline and gave about an inch excess on all sides, cut the canvas and steamed it nice and flat.

Putting the canvas on was really easier than I thought it would be. It was my first run in with spray glue and that stuff is pretty awesome, actually.

I'm by no means a seamstress, so my bottoms and other hidden areas are kind of messy.

Tee hee, no one will ever see this.

When you're finally all done you'll notice you've ruined a manicure.

But but... the finished product looks great!

I'm going to get some hardware and some chalkboard paper so I can label and relabel contents.

Cost:

Boxes: Free
Glue: $5, I used about 1/4th of the can, if that.
Canvas: $10, I used about 1/6th of it.

So for four boxes before hardware, not even $4.00. Yay!