"Suzette Egglette" Jewelry Box

Read why Sandra Evertson crossed-over from antiquing to crafting and learn how to make her "Suzette Egglette" Jewelry Box.

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Sandra Evertson fell into crafting by accident. She was operating a booth at an antique fair and found herself left with an assortment of odds and ends at the end of the day. She decided to incorporate these items into creative craft projects and set them out at her booth. To her surprise people loved them. This "accidental crafter" started spending more and more time creating and less time antiquing. These days crafting is a full-fledged pastime.

Materials and Tools:

wire cutters
pliers
scissors
drill
sandpaper
black thin line marker
3-1/4"x 2" x 2" wooden trunk
lamb's wool

19-gauge wire
porcelain arms and legs*
silk ribbon
antique rouge
2" x 2-1/2" wooden egg
eye shadow
book print
white glue
glue gun and hot glue
gel medium
screwdriver
acrylic paints: pink, white, ivory, red, blue, gray
paintbrushes
kiln
construction adhesive
paper
*Make your own porcelain arms and legs from an antique doll mold and porcelain slip.

Steps:

1. Drill the arm and leg holes in the 2-1/2 inch tall wooden egg with a power drill fitted with a 1/16 bit. Drill all the way through the egg. Sand the holes smooth.

2. Paint the egg with two coats of ivory acrylic paint. Set aside to dry.

3. Remove the screws from the front latches on the wooden box. Paint the box with two coats of pastel pink acrylic paint. Let dry. Sand the edges lightly to give it a softly worn look. Re-attach the hardware.

4. Optional: Decoupage a tiny antique photo onto the interior top and an old book print onto the exterior bottom of the box using gel medium.

5. Paint gray polka dots on the box exterior.

6. Draw a sweet little antique-looking face on the wood egg. The face adds a lot of character and attitude. Draw eyes, nose, lips and eyebrows and then paint with acrylics paints.

7. Outline the facial features with a black thin line marker. Rub on rosy red cheeks with antique rouge. Add a bit of eye shadow.

8. Spray with a coat of sealer.

9. Create porcelain legs and arms either using an antique doll mold or a reproduction of a mold or purchase from a craft store.

12. If you are using a mold, put a very large rubber band around the combined leg and arm mold, then pour in the porcelain slip, filling the mold to the top. Let it settle a moment then pour again. What remains is a shell that will stiffen up a bit in about 15 minutes.

13. Open the mold and remove the arms and legs. Lightly clean any rough seams and cut holes for wires. Soft fire at cone 18 in a kiln for two hours. This soft fire stage allows the delicate porcelain to be handled more easily.

14. Remove from the kiln and soak the arms and legs in water. Clean all seams and any flaws thoroughly.

15. Bisque fire at cone 6 for eight hours.

16. Sand the pieces smooth and china paint. Then china fire at cone 18 for two hours. Let cool.

17. Run a wire through the holes in the wooden Egglette body and through the holes in the legs and arms and twist the wire to secure the legs and arms.

18. Hot glue a curly blonde lamb's wool to the top of her head.

19. Tie the hair up with a pink vintage silk ribbon.

20. Glue the finished egg to the top of the box with construction adhesive. On an old strip of paper write a good fortune, for example: "Good fortune to you, mine was a beautiful life". Curl it up and tuck it inside the box.

Website: www.parisfleamarketdesigns.com