Boxes Galore 2018 Part 5

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 5

I have entitled this Box my Flower Power Box because of its flowery pattern.

Flower Power Box

I have decided on a change of colour. I am starting with Red, Bright Pink and Pale Pink

Inner Petals

After the initial Inner Petals were finished using a Red, Pale Pink and Bright Pink I changed the order.

The alternative Inner Petals were Bright Pink, Red and finishing with the Pale Pink

All around Inner Petals

Now I had the basic pattern on all the Inner Petals I needed to join them up. This involved adding two extra Gems on the longer Petals.

Towards the Centre

I continued the process of adding extra Gems working towards the Centre.

Full Bloom

Once I had finished the Inner Petals I could start work on the Outer Petals. In addition to using the Red and Pink Gems I also added a Pale Purple. This helped spread out the other Gems and gave me flexibility when it came to designing the pattern.

There were two other possibilities with this Box. I could add more to the Centre and I could also put Gems around the Square lid. In the end I decided that less was more. Next blog is a new Box with a new pattern.

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 4

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 4

Finally I am on to the fun part.

Glue 

I got out my self-adhesive sparkles only to discover that they were not self-adhesive. Once again Laura from Alyssa Rose Boutique came to my rescue by giving me some proper Gem glue.

Four Blue Corners

 

I had a choice of which Box to go for first. I decided on this Box for two reasons. One reason was because in my packet of Gems I had only had 4 Blue Gems. Therefore it seemed a good idea to use them on corners.

The second reason I chose this Box is because unlike the other two its pattern is not geometric. Therefore I wouldn’t need the exact number of certain Gems.

Double Blue

Since I had started the Box corners off with Blue it seemed a natural process to continue with this Colour albeit a lighter shade

Green In Between

The first two selections were easy. The question now was what Colour should I use next? Since it was a Green Box I thought it would tie in well.

White to Hi-light

I now wanted to brighten it up a little. As I looked at the Box the pattern began to remind me a bit of crashing Waves. So with that in mind I thought I know what to do.

I decided to mimic the sea idea and beside the already Blue and Green Gems I had already placed I added White ones. The idea was they were the crests of the Waves.

All for Now

With the Colour scheme now firmly imprinted on my mind I set to work. I tried not to place any Gems of the same Colour next to one another.

I am quite pleased with how it has come out. I may add a few more but I want to see how far the Gems will stretch with the other two Boxes so that is all for now.

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 3

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 3

The last week or so has been pretty uneventful craft-wise due to ill health. However some things are ready for the next stage including the Boxes

Painted Box Lids

Waiting for these to be ready to move on has been frankly as boring as watching paint dry. That is because it is what I have had to do over and over again.

Box Clasp with Paint

After waiting for them to dry the next part is also a tedious but necessary one. As you can see whilst painting I have inadvertently caught the Clasp with the paint brush.

Part Cleaned Hinges

I have also managed to get paint on the Hinges too. This one is part cleaned.

Cleaned Clasps

Cleaning the Clasps was difficult because of all the little bumps and hollows. I cleaned them using a baby wipe and a small pin.

Cleaned Hinges

After cleaning the Clasps I also had to clean all the Hinges. I used the same process as before. One thing to note is to be very gentle whilst cleaning because otherwise you may scratch the metal. I think I may have done that at some point.

Also during the cleaning process in order to get the Hinges cleaned properly I have accidentally rubbed some paint off on the insides of the Lids. These will have to be touched up. Unfortunately I cannot do that at present as somebody has borrowed my paint.

Self-Adhesive Crystals

 

Rather than messing around with glue which no doubt I would get everywhere. I decided that I would buy some Self-Adhesive Crystals in which to decorate. Then next thing to do is to decide which colours to use on which Box.

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 2

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 2

The Boxes are now dry so I can start work again.

Cardboard Catastrophe

I had used Cardboard to keep the Boxes clean but unfortunately some of the paint had dripped and slid underneath. This led them to stick to the Cardboard.

Boxes Bottoms Painted

Before I could start painting the Bottom of the Boxes I had to scrape away the Cardboard. I then began to paint the Bottoms. As you can see some of the colour of the Bottoms is very uneven due to where extra paint has accrued.

I am hopeful that after a few more coats the colour will even out. Looking at the photo from left to right you can see various stages of layers.

Painting the Sides

Since the Bottom is wet and I cannot hold it from underneath I have to paint the Sides by holding the Lid from the inside.

Drying the Box Bottoms

I do not want to make the same mistake with the Cardboard as I did earlier. I am therefore drying the Bottoms and Sides by propping the Lids open at an angle.

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 1

Boxes Galore 2018 Part 1

I was given some Boxes as a present some time ago. They were made from wood and therefore in a natural state when I received them.

Natural Boxes

The Boxes have lids that have patterns cut into them or should that be patterns cut out?

Natural Boxes Lids Open

I wanted to decorate these Boxes so they could match in with my décor. However I have had so many other projects on the go I have not had a chance to make a start.

Choosing a Colour

Most of my décor is Green therefore that is the colour I chose. However since the kind of wood I normally paint are doors and skirting boards I needed a little assistance. Fortunately there is an art shop near me called Heaps.

Whenever I have an art query it is my first stop. The gentleman is extremely friendly and knowledgeable and pointed me to the correct type of paint to use. It is a water-based Acrylic and the shade is Sap Green

Boxes First Coat Inside

Since I had already opened the Boxes I decided to do the insides first. I used a medium sized brush and added a little water to the paint.

Boxes Painted Outside

Once I had painted the inside of the Boxes I then started to paint the outsides. I always paint with along the grain of the wood so it goes on smoothly. I also start at the top and work downwards in case it drips.

I haven’t as yet decided on what I am doing on the lids so I have left them natural. This is only the first coat so I will need to do more. However I cannot do anything until the first layer sinks in and dries.