Cigar Box Charm
I never pass up a wooden box for my craft supply stash. When a friend offered me several cigar boxes, it was an opportunity for creativity to go into overdrive. While converting cigar boxes is nothing new, it’s nice to revisit old ideas.
Starting with a standard cigar box, the outside was lightly sanded and the top & bottom lining on inside removed.
Annie Sloan Old Ochre is one of my favorite neutral paint colors. For this project, I wanted a light base and painted the entire outside.
The inside was partially painted to allow a pattern piece to be glued to the wood area.
Wood craft clothespin holders seemed perfect for base feet and Annie Sloan’s Duck Egg Blue was my choice for contrasting paint.
A simple stencil using the Duck Egg Blue and a stipple pattern was added to the top of the box. My method of stippling is to dip my stencil brush lightly in the paint and dab on a piece of paper before dabbing / stippling a project.
To give the color more depth, I stippled Aubusson Blue over the Duck Egg Blue.
A pretty floral scrapbook paper worked well with the blue & ochre outside. Cut to the correct size, Elmer’s Glue helps seal the paper to the bare wood. And by painting a small border around the edge, any discrepancy in my cutting or the cigar box itself, is hidden by the border.
Clear soft wax is applied to the box and feet to seal the paint.
Using a heavier glue, E6000, the feet were positioned on the base.
My craft stash had this peacock knob purchased ages ago from the “I don’t remember where” store. Needing an embellishment for the box top, it was time to give the peacock a nicer home.
Using the Aubusson Blue Chalk Paint, I dissolved 2 tsps in 1/3 cup of water. Lace ribbon cut to the size of the box top side was bathed in the chalk paint bath for an hour and then rinsed and dried.
The lace ribbon is glued to the sides of the box top.
One of my favorite finishing touches is gilding wax. This time Annie Sloan’s Warm Gold rubbed on edges and borders gave the project more interest.
The inside of the box needed an extra something, so a metal flower with a quote “be amazed” was added with 3d tape.
What once housed cigars is now a feminine trinket box. And, once I finished this one, I kept thinking up other ideas. Now I know how a craft obsession begins.
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