A Box for Julie

A while ago whilst I was having a pedicure Julie and I got to talking about how she needed a box to keep clients jewellery safe whilst they have massages in her room at home.  She couldn't find one that was suitable so I offered to decorate one for her.

I found this box on Happy Daze and sent for immediately.  Julie has teal as the main colour for her business and I know her room is cream so the colours were nice and easy to decide!  I first gesso'd the entire box, inside and out.  I maybe should have sanded it but it seemed smooth enough already.  I then used Claudine Hellmuth Studio Classic Teal to paint the whole box.  The box had its clasp already attached and painting round it was quite difficult but thats where baby wipes come *really* handy.

I created the scalloped edge using one of Sir Tim's On the Edge dies (Scallops).  I used paper we were given at the Graphicus Paradise Retreat in 2009 (its still really fresh in my memory) to use on a Italian inspired Diptych book.  It was perfect for this project.

I originally tried to stamp some baroque style swirls directly onto the box but they just didn't work so I had to cover up my mistake and the scallops were it.  But they weren't quite tall enough so I put a Grunge Paper swirl over it too.  I painted all of the Grunge Paper swirls with Golden Titan Buff.  Its one of those colours I bought when Graphicus closed and when I got it I thought I'd never use it.  Its one of my faves now!

The littles feet that I put on the box are small wooden balls that Jo and I bought in the sale at Hobbycraft.  Another purchase that I thought 'that'll come in handy' and they finally have!  Painting them was fun ;)  I stuck them on with silicone.

For the sides of the box I used the scallops again and put shirt buttons on with silicone.  I tried to choose different styles of button but eventually just put some of them on upside down to change the look.

For the top of the box I used swirls (Elegant Flourishes die) and flowers (Tattered Florals die).  I covered both sides of some Grunge Paper in the same paper as the one I used for the scallops using Glossy Accents to stick it and then used the die with my Cuttlebug.  I shaped the flowers and the paper started to come off a little, so I ended up covered in Glossy Accents trying the stick it back down!  As the paper was coming away it started to show more Grunge Paper so I diluted a little Classic Teal and Titan Buff and painted a wash over all of the flowers.

I used buttons for the centres of the flowers.  I stuck the swirls on with Glossy Accents and used silicone for all of the flowers.

I gave the box to Julie last week and she loved it.  Job done :)