I often “find” objects either in the craft store or in my treasure troves of assorted objects that I would love to highlight. The best way is to cover a box in Sculpey and incorporate your object as the “star” of the box!!
I have a quick, simple way of covering the box so that you can get on with the more fun, creative part of your project.
Take a pencil and mark along the bottom edge of the lid where it meets the box bottom. THIS IS IMPORTANT! (I forget all the time..)
Create a long thing strip of the Antique Gold clay on the #1 setting the Clay Conditioning Machine and texture the strip. NOTE: Spray the stamp with a light spray of water to keep the clay from sticking to the stamp. I like to put the sheet of clay on a sheet of plain paper, set it on my cement work floor, place the stamp on stop and step on it. This gives me a nice deep, even texture. Just remove the stamp and place it next to the stamped area to continue stamping. When the stamping is complete, use the length of the Sculpey blade to cut a straightedge in one side of the clay.
Apply a thin coat of glue to the edge of the lid, using a recycled foam brush.
Apply the straight edge of the clay around the top of the lid so that it is flush with the lid edge. Trim the edges of the clay so that they meet flush. I prefer to cut through both edges of the clay at a 45 degree angle. Gently peel up the top edge, remove the small cut portion of the bottom edge and butt the two pieces together tightly.
Take your Super Slicer blade and slide along the bottom edge of the lid to trim the excess clay away.
Texture a wider piece of clay so that you have enough textured area to cover the top of the lid. Paint the glue on the top of the lid and place it face down on the back of this piece of clay. Use a craft knife to trim around the edge of the box. Your box lid is covered and it's nice and neat looking!
Create a long thin strip of Sculpey and stamp it repeatedly for the length of the clay. Cut a straight edge into one side of the clay. Paint the box bottom to the line with glue and apply the straight edge so that it just covers the line you drew. Trim the clay as you did for the box top edge. The top and bottom of the box should fit together perfectly now!
Position your “found object,” in this case a bow, in the center of the box lid and glue into place. Now at this point, we could stop and have a perfectly pretty box. But no, not us! We've got to go a little more ornate, a little more bling..
Extrude about 2 feet of black clay with the medium round dye. Run a line of black clay from the top center ring on the bow over the edge of the side of the box lid. Repeat on the other side. Press gently into place. Glue a large crystal on top of the clay ends.
Put the box lid onto the bottom and add matching black coils on the box bottom.
Continue adding curling patterns around the box bottom.
Glue the medium rhinestones into place through the coils. (Tweezers help to position the crystals.)
ALLOW THE GLUE TO DRY THOROUGHLY BEFORE BAKING!!! This helps to keep the clay from bubbling up or cracking during baking.
Bake according to the clay package directions. Paint the inside and bottom of the box if you wish!
