When Halloween rolls around, creepy decorations can make the holiday memorable. Coffins made out of cardboard offer a great way to use those old cardboard boxes lying around the house or at the store. That way, you can recycle while still creating decorations. You can make a cardboard coffin in just a few hours.
1 Paint the shoebox a solid color with acrylic paint. Use black, brown or dark blue paint for a classic coffin style, or select a hue that says something about the pet. For example, if you're burying a parrot, paint the shoebox a color to match its feathers. Cover the entire shoebox with at least two layers of paint so that you can't see the logo or wording underneath. Paint the inside of the box's lid, too. Allow the paint to dry completely.
2 Adorn the outside of the shoebox coffin. Create a trim around the container by gluing on a piece of ribbon with a hot glue gun. Adhere a picture of the departed to the outside of the box. Write the name of the deceased on the top or side of the coffin in a contrasting color to the base paint. For example, if the box is painted black, use a yellow pen or white paint to scroll the letters. Allow the paint, glue and markers to dry.
3 Measure the inside of the shoebox, including the length and width of its four side walls and bottom. Use a piece of chalk to draw these dimensions on a piece of fabric, such as velvet or felt, that you'll use to line the inside of the coffin. Cut out along the marked lines. You should now have five rectangular pieces.
4Place dabs of glue from a hot glue gun along the back perimeter of one fabric cut-out. Line up the material with its corresponding wall and adhere it to the shoebox. Press and smooth the fabric in place to ensure there aren't any wrinkles. Repeat the process for the three other wall pieces, as well as the bottom cut-out of the box. Allow the glue to dry to complete the shoebox coffin.
