CRAFTS WITH ANASTASIA - BEADED TRINKET BOX

Craft this beaded box as an Easter gift for a young girl, get a jump on a Mother’s Day gift, or treat yourself to this cute box for storing tiny treasures. The sample was made with a 2-3/4” x 4-3/4” box, but you can choose any size, depending on what you want to store in it. I went with a basically monochromatic palette with a few pops of color, but this box would also look great in a combination of pastel colors or even rainbow hues. -- AP

Beaded Trinket Box

Materials:

Papier maché box, primer, acrylic paint in your choice of color, foam brush, piece of scrap paper at least the size of the lid dimension, pencil, assorted decorative buttons and glass seed beads in your choice of color(s), jewelry glue, fabric glue, ribbon and decorative trims

1. Trace the lid onto the scrap paper.

2. Prime the box and lid. Allow to dry.

3. Paint the box in your choice of color, applying two coats. Allow to dry between coats.

4. While paint is drying, arrange the buttons on the template you’ve drawn on the paper. Play around with the buttons until you have a pleasing assemblage.

5. Using fabric glue, glue ribbon or lace trim around edge of lid.

6. Apply liberal layer of jewelry glue to top of lid. Place buttons one by one on the lid, following the template you’ve created. Sprinkle seed beads over the lid to fill in areas between buttons. Allow glue to dry for several hours before moving the lid.