Holiday Theater Music Box

Materials:

6" x 4" vanilla papier mache box with lid
2 sheets of 8-1/2" x 11" decorative paper
adhesive-backed paper
6" x 4" piece of painted paper with music notes printed on adhesive paper
2 pieces of 3" x 6" paper
3" x 4" piece of 1/4" foam
3" x 4" piece of black-and-white checkered paper on adhesive paper
two-part epoxy
white glue
1 yard of silk ribbon
4" high dancing elephant rubber stamp
6" x 4" piece of patterned paper
clip-art "frame", approx. 4-1/2" x 3-1/2"
clip-art banner
4" decorative border
silver glitter glue
small star rubber stamp
black and gold inkpads
watercolors, various colors
very fine glitter
black poster board
2" x 1-1/2" music movement with turnkey
utility knife
color copier

Steps:

1. Glue a clip-art frame to the center of a 6" x 4" piece of patterned paper. Let dry. Paint the patterned paper around the outside of the frame with pink watercolor paint. Let dry. Make a color copy onto a piece of adhesive-backed paper. Peel away the backing and adhere the copy to the top of the box lid.

3. Paint the design of a decorative stamped border with orange watercolor paint. Let dry. Glue the border onto black poster board. Let dry. Cut out the border and glue it to the inside top of the frame. Let dry and set aside.

4. Cut one 8-1/2" x 11" piece of decorative paper in half lengthwise. Wrap the two pieces to cover all four sides of the box, use either adhesive-backed paper or glue to attach the decorative paper to the box sides. Cut the second 8-1/2" x 11" sheet into a 4" x 9" strip and use it to cover the back and top of box.

5. Paint the 6" x 4" piece of sheet music paper with watercolor paint. Let dry. Adhere it to the inside back of box. Adhere the decorative 3" x 4" papers to the inside sides of box (figure B).

6. Stamp the dancing elephant image onto plain white paper. Draw on a Santa hat. Write or stamp "Happy Holidays" onto the clip-art banner. Glue it across the elephant (figure C). Paint the dancing elephant with watercolors. Let dry. Adhere the image to black poster board. Let dry. Cut out the reinforced elephant image.

7. Adhere the black-and-white checkerboard paper to the 3" x 4" piece of foam. Adhere it to the inside of the box for the stage floor. Cut a small 1/4" x 3"strip of black poster board and dip the long edge and bottom in white glue. Adhere it vertically to the back of the elephant image and top of the stage floor. This is a stand to keep the image upright and glued to the stage floor.

8. Punch a small hole into the top of the theater box with a Phillips screwdriver. Place the music movement inside the box toward the back. Following the instructions for mixing epoxy, apply epoxy to the bottom of the music movement and secure it into the box. Let dry. Adhere the theater stage floor with the attached elephant image to the inside of the box bottom. (figure D)

9. Stamp small stars around the lid rim using a gold inkpad. Let dry. Place the lid on the box. Add the turnkey to the top of holiday theater music box by screwing it on the music movement. Tie silk ribbon around the turnkey to adorn.