A Little Potion Pantry to Take Along: Make a Viola Tablet Case Insert

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Apparently, building Viola a little potion shop was not enough. Now she needs to come along when I pick up my tablet, too. I can hardly blame her. There are books to read and probably a few recipes she would like to check.

This little project turns printed artwork into a removable paper insert for a clear tablet case. I used the shop background from our Viola project pages, pasted the focal image onto it, then filled the scene with plants and bottles. The clear case holds everything in place and lets the artwork show through.

A little potion pantry to take along, tucked inside a clear case.

You do not need to build a miniature cabinet to enjoy this collection. A few printed pieces, a little cutting and a clear case make a lovely smaller project.

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Your free Viola project pages

Download your free file here.

This two-page PDF includes the shop background and a coordinating cutout sheet of potion bottles, plants, herbs, mushrooms, books and a crate. It is laid out on US Letter pages. Resize the artwork to suit your own case and test on plain paper first. The Viola focal image is separate.

What I used

• A clear MoKo tablet case matched to my tablet; use a case made for your exact model and generation
• The Viola focal image
• The shop background page from our Viola project set
• The coordinating plants-and-bottles page for extra details
• Printer-compatible paper thin enough to fit comfortably inside the case
• An inkjet printer; my everyday artwork printer is an Epson EcoTank ET-2800
• Scissors, a pencil and a ruler
• Paper adhesive, applied sparingly
• A plain scrap of paper for a fitting template

Keep the finished insert flat and thin. This is a paper collage that slips behind the clear back, so there is no need for foam tape, raised gems or other bulky embellishments.

1. Make a paper template before cutting the artwork

Remove the tablet from its case. If the case came with a removable paper insert, use that as your starting shape. Otherwise, make a plain-paper template to fit inside the clear back. Check the corners and the camera opening carefully.

Test the plain template in the empty case, then check the fit with the tablet. It should sit smoothly without forcing the case, covering the camera or interfering with buttons, ports or ventilation. Trim a little at a time until it fits comfortably.

There is no universal tablet-insert size. Fit the template to your own case rather than copying the dimensions of the example. If the case is too tight to accommodate paper, choose a different case instead of forcing it closed.

2. Print and plan your little shop

Print the background and decorative pieces at a size that works with your template. An inexpensive draft print is useful for checking scale before using your preferred paper. Let the ink dry before handling.

Place your template over the shop background and lightly mark the finished outline and camera opening on the reverse. Keep the focal image and your favourite details inside that outline. Leave enough room around the edges for the case rim.

I like to arrange everything before reaching for the glue. It saves discovering that the camera has claimed the best potion bottle.

3. Cut out the focal image

Cut around the outside of the Viola scene. Keep the little companions and decorative details that belong to your chosen focal piece together wherever practical. You do not have to cut every tiny gap to make the scene look lovely.

Set it on the shop background and try the placement against your template. Check that Viola’s face and hat will remain visible once the case is fitted.

4. Paste Viola onto the shop background

This is the starting point I used: I pasted the focal image onto the background page of the shop from the set we made for the projects.

Apply a thin, even layer of paper adhesive to the back of the focal piece, paying attention to the edges. Position it on the background and smooth it gently. Too much wet glue can curl the paper, so use only what your adhesive needs.

Cut the focal image, paste it onto the shop background, fill in with plants and bottles, then fit the finished insert inside the clear case.

5. Fill the scene with plants and bottles

Next, I used the plants-and-bottles page to fill it in. Cut out a selection of the coordinating pieces and arrange them around the focal scene before gluing.

Try taller plants beside the scene and smaller bottles along the bottom. A little overlap helps the separate pieces feel like one busy potion pantry. Keep Viola visible and check the camera opening again before fixing anything down.

Glue the pieces directly to the background. The overlapping artwork gives the impression of depth without adding bulky spacers. Stop when the scene feels balanced; you can save the remaining pieces for a card or journal page.

6. Let it dry, then trim to fit

Allow the adhesive to dry completely before placing the insert against your tablet. Keep the collage flat while it dries, following the adhesive’s directions.

Use the tested template to trim the outside edge and camera opening. Cut conservatively, then check the fit in the empty case. Make small adjustments until the paper lies flat, with no folded corners or loose edges.

7. Slip the insert into the clear case

Place the finished artwork inside the clear back with the picture facing outward. Refit the tablet according to the case instructions and check that the case seats normally all the way around.

Leave the camera, buttons, ports and ventilation clear. Do not glue the insert to the tablet. If the extra paper makes the case difficult to fit, remove it and reduce the thickness rather than applying pressure.

And there she is, with a shop full of bottles and greenery, ready to supervise my reading. When I fancy a different look, I can take the insert out and change it.

Make it your own

Use the same approach with your favourite colours and a different arrangement of the coordinating pieces. The useful part is the order: fit the template first, plan the scene, glue it flat, then trim and test.

Explore Viola’s Potion Pantry colouring book in my Etsy shop for more cosy witchy colouring. The colouring-book listing is for the colouring pages. Download the free companion background and cutout sheet above; this project is trimmed to your own case rather than supplied as a universal pre-sized insert. Check the listing contents before buying.

Looking for another way to take your colouring off the page? Our Best Ghoulfriends waterslide canvas tutorial is coming soon, with autumn foliage and silver cobwebs.

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