When I spied a giant round box the other day, it reminded me of a drum. I’ve seen some really cute fancy ones around Pinterest, but being on a budget and mildly crafty, I figured I could make one. The boys really need some storage and this is just the thing to disguise a few toys while adding some fun.The bonus? It’s storage that looks like a drum, but flip it over and voila, it actually is a drum. Perfect for little musicians.

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You will need:

– round paper mache box, save the lid for something else
– three bottles of paint, white, gold and your choice of color
– pencil
– measuring tape
– paint brush
– clear coat

There were many round boxes to choose from. Get one that is wider than it is tall so it resembles a drum. Paint the entire outside of the bottom part of the box white. Discard the lid (I’m saving mine for a dessert platform.) Use two even coats, letting dry after each.

Take your measuring tape and measure around the outside of the box. Divide by 8. Use that number to mark out the top of the box. For example, my box was 33.5 inches around and I marked every 4.2 inches. Mark the center between each tic mark with a small dot, and make a tic mark at the bottom of the box from that dot.  This forms a triangle or pennant shape. Use the measuring tape and lay flat against the top edge, and trace for the upper drum rim. Repeat tracing the tape for a drum rim on the bottom of the box.

Use the measuring tape, connect the tick marks (ignore the dots.) Start at the top tic mark, line up the tape with the bottom tic mark, and trace a line from inside the rim. Continue, making a modified zig zag pattern around the center of the box. The shape will look like triangles that have the points cut off. This is what you want — remember there will be a rim around the top and bottom of the drum.

Paint inside half the triangles, alternating by leaving some white. Let dry. Paint the rims red. You could also tape your edges and have perfect lines, but I preferred to have a hand painted edge. Paint the top of the drum, aka the bottom of the box red. Let dry and apply a second coat. Paint one coat of gold on just the rim section — this will make it look like a real(ish) drum. Let dry. Spray with clear coat or coat with ModPodge. Let dry.

We’ll be using these for storage, but it’s great that they can be used for play also. Give your little one pair of wood dowels  or spoons and let them rat-a-tat-tat away.