Homemade Trinket Boxes

Total Time: one hour

Yield: one trinket box

Supplies:

• pine trinket box sized 9 x 5.5 x 4.5cm
• silver mirror word
• one 1" high cerise pink wooden heart
• pearl seed beads
• cerise pink felt
• acrylic paint in the following two colors: mother of pearl rose pink and white
• Heritage Gloss craft varnish
• paintbrush
• standard scissors
• small screwdriver
• clear-drying wood glue (such as Qualigrip)
• clear-drying craft glue (such as Bostik Clear)

Steps:

1. Use the screwdriver to remove the hinges and the lock unit.

2. Add a layer of wood glue to the top of the lid.
3. Place the mirror word and wooden heart in position.
4. Cover the rest of the lid with seed beads, carefully gluing the beads all around the mirror word and heart. Remember to check that at the edges the beads fit in nicely.

5. Give the bottom part of the box an uneven wash with the mother of pearl rose pink paint and allow to dry thoroughly. Do not paint the inside of the bottom part, as this will be covered with felt. Also give the remaining areas of the lid an uneven wash with the mother of pearl rose pink paint.
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6. Now add an uneven wash with the white paint to all the areas painted in the previous step and allow to dry thoroughly.

7. Cover the inside of the box with felt. Make sure that the felt is glued thoroughly into all the edges and corners.

8. To protect the paint from wear and tear, add a layer of water-based varnish to the box. Do not varnish the top of the lid.
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9. Replace the hinges and lock unit.

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: one

Supplies:

• square wooden trinket box
• acrylic paint in the following colors: mother-of-pearl rose, plum, and antique bronze
• white daisy, made from plaster of Paris
• two small natural wooden words ~ for this project, the Afrikaans words for Faith and Hope were used
• quick-drying matte spray varnish
• white taper candle
• paint brush
• fine sanding paper
• a sponge ~ use one that was inside a medicine bottle
• old dry cloth
• clear-drying craft glue
• few sheets of old newspapers to protect the working area

Steps:

1. Begin this project with the bottom of the box. Lightly sandpaper the whole box, and dust well with a dry cloth.

2. Paint the outside of the box with the mother-of-pearl rose acrylic paint.

3. Allow to dry and add a second coat.
4. Turn the box around and paint the inside of the box in the same way.
   
5. Rub the outside of the box with the candle on the areas where you want to add an aged look.
6. Paint the outside of the box with the antique bronze acrylic paint and allow to dry.

7. Use the sponge to give the inside of the box a wash with the antique bronze acrylic paint. Remember not to use too much paint when using a sponge, as this will cause the paint to smudge. Remove excess paint by dabbing it onto a sheet of newspaper before applying the sponge. Allow to dry thoroughly.
8. Sandpaper the box lightly on the areas where you have applied the wax. The top layer of the paint will peel away, revealing the bottom layer of the paint.

9. Use the mother-of-pearl rose acrylic paint to add a bit of color to the words.
10. Glue the words on one side of the box. This side will now be the front of the box.
11. Allow to dry thoroughly.
12. Spray the outside of the box with the spray varnish. Remember to work in a well-ventilated area when spraying the varnish.
13. Allow to dry.
14. Turn the box around and spray the inside of the box with the varnish.
15. Now to work on the lid: Lightly sandpaper the whole lid, and dust well with a dry cloth.
16. Paint the top of the lid with the mother-of-pearl rose acrylic paint.
17. Allow to dry and add a second coat.
18. Turn the lid around and paint the bottom of the lid in the same way.
19. Rub the top of the lid with the candle on the areas where you want to add an aged look.
20. Paint the top of the lid with the antique bronze acrylic paint and allow to dry.
21. Use the sponge to give the bottom of the lid a wash with the antique bronze acrylic paint. Allow to dry thoroughly.
22. Sandpaper the top of the lid lightly on the areas where you have applied the wax.
23. Use the mother-of-pearl rose and plum acrylic paints to add detail to the daisy.
24. Glue the daisy to the top of the lid.
25. Allow to dry thoroughly.
26. Spray the top of the lid with the spray varnish and allow to dry.
27. Turn the lid around and spray the bottom of the lid with the varnish.