Embellish a Treasure Box

by Judy Larson

We don't always have to make jewelry with our jewelry making supplies. Altoid-type boxes have been embellished by crafters for years. But you don't always have to think small. Around most holidays, various sizes and shapes of empty tins or tins filled with goodies are available. There are so many hinged or removable lid metal boxes on the market that could be embellished.

Instructions

Years ago, I got together with some friends to embellish the tops of a bunch of mini hinged tin boxes using our jewelry supplies. Because more boxes were ordered than needed, I then let the neighbor kids pick supplies to embellish the tops of the remaining boxes. These are such fun to make, and the sky is the limit with design ideas! I never thought to take process photos, but the boxes are so simple to embellish that they are not needed.

Finished jewelry pieces could be attached to the boxes. Some people created mosaics with broken beads, cabochons, and bits of metal. Some boxes were spray painted before embellishing. Some were made into small jewelry boxes by adding a padded bottom inside the box. Most people chose to glue embellishments to the box tops using e-6000. If riveting the piece to the top, a small bench block set on end inside the lid would be needed.

These boxes, left unpainted, just as they arrived, are simply embellished with finished parts that did not make it into jewelry-rivets hold the parts in place. If I were embellishing these, I would probably just keep adding parts and pieces because much of the time I am a More Is More designer. Can't you just imagine these boxes loaded with beads, too.

Judy Larson's Embellish a Treasure Box - , Hair Accessories, Zipper Pulls, Christmas Ornaments, , embellished boxes

When I recently found the last two unused boxes, I realized they would make great presentation cases. Now to start embellishing them!

How will you embellish your treasure box?

Materials

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E6000 Adhesive Glue 3.7 oz. - Pack of 1

G16-18

G16-18
Lesson Quantity: 1.00 pieces
Purchase Quantity: 1.00 each
Price: $8.99
Gold Club Price: $6.74

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Category: Non-Jewelry Items
Technique(s): General Education

Reviews

Judy Larson

My philosophy has always been "I will never live long enough to learn everything I want to learn, go everywhere I want to go and see everything I want to see!" So, what I make and how I create it is always changing and evolving. I was born shortly after WWII to parents who grew up during the Depression. They always had a "we can do it, we can make it" attitude which rubbed off on my two younger brothers and me. My brothers are amazing and can make and do ANYTHING! When I was a little girl, my mother gave me an old carved cigar box, which I cherish, filled with pop beads, wooden beads and yarn for stringing. That was the beginning of my jewelry making journey.

On a visit to the Grand Canyon when I was a young woman, I was fortunate enough to help a Native American silversmith sand cast my first silver bracelet and bezel set a large turquoise nugget on top. I was in love, hook, line and sinker! While working full time and having a family here in northern Minnesota, my artistic endeavors slowed down but never stopped. I am an artist, scrapbooker, seamstress, woodworker and jewelry artisan. Now that I am retired, I am able to indulge in all my hobbies. However, there just never seems to be enough time in the day to do it all, but I try!

I have been teaching community education beginner and intermediate jewelry making classes since my retirement. Many of my students have been bitten so hard by the jewelry making bug that they say I have turned them into monsters-they just can't get enough. Making jewelry, seeing something take shape from small bits and pieces, is so rewarding that I hope it brings out the "monster" in you, too!

Embellish a Treasure Box

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