The funnest part of working on a vintage cigar box is getting started - creating layers of texture using a variety of media, scraps of paper, fabric, tissue and whatever else I have handy. And sponging on paint... sometimes I use as many as 8 - 10 colors to get the depth and finish I'm looking for. And then the endless possibility for adding elements from the rather extensive stash of 'stuff' I've been collecting for the past few years.
This box was commissioned as a gift for a gal who is studying graphic design in California. No, that wasn't daunting!! Too much anyway.
I photographed the box before I finished the clean-up on the hinges, which can be very tricky. Lots of E6000 comes in handy when attaching metal, glass and ceramic objects - I gathered the fabric from the top and glued it under a Czech glass button.
I wasn't able to use any photos on the outside, so creating an angel seemed the ideal way to go. Her dress is made of several layers - lace, fabric, tulle, trim, an old doll cape and topped off with a brooch. Her wings are cut from canvas paper that I textured and painted and embellished with Swarovski crystals.
The inside issue I had was lingering odor - I put small trays of baking soda in the closed box for a few weeks and it still had the vintage touch, but that really is part of its authenticity. I had several ideas for framing the photos and ended up covering each one with a piece of mica. I also used Golden mica paint for the inside lid base and Indian Sari trim, pearls and other fun touches.
Now that the job is finished I'm going to start on the cardboard box I gessoed last week - yay, time to play! Hope you are finding time to create, not always easy for me, but well worth the wait. Now, if I can only get my scanner working...
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