Keepsake Boxes

Handmade Shadow Boxes

Hi, my name is Lynda Nunez. I just started onto the crafting scene a couple years ago and have lots to learn.
I have always being interested in creating things, it all depends on what is available at the time. I wanted to share what I stumble upon with you and hope you find it interesting. See the box to the right, well this has been my latest venture.
I found these being thrown away, so thought I could make something with them. The piece you see in front is the insert from inside the box.
The actual box is right behind the insert.


Sushi Dinner: Diorama keepsake box

I love sushi and thought maybe I could create a little scene with two geisha girls having some sushi in a bento box using tiny chop sticks. I wasn't sure where to start but I knew I wanted it to fit inside the box insert (shown above).

After a few weeks I came up with a plan. I wanted the box covered with fabric. So I covered the insert as one piece and the main box as another piece. Then I worked on the inside. I found these Giesha dolls at a swapmeet, the bodies were too tall, so I just used the heads and used wood beads to recreate their bodies. The girls are only one inch tall.

My friends from AngelScrappers, gave me great ideas, one was to use polymer clay to make my own pieces (people/food/hanging fruit/etc), since its very hard to find anything thats 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter. So I made the sushi myslef and the box from popsicle sticks. I hand painted them. I place tiny glass beads for the floor.

I finished the inside off in a bright contrasting yellow felt. The box end points all covered in black satin ribbon and yellow laced ribbon. The box has a velco closure with a button I made. I place a clear crystal in the center surrounded by smaller red facted beads. for the closure. On the inside cover I placed a mirror in the center and flanked with decorative sconces in complimentary colors and gemstones.

White Workshop: Diorama keepsake box








The workshop was a great challenge initially. Since again, very new at this and not sure what materials to use. After a few weeks of trying several different methods, I ended up with using popsicle sticks. Cutting them to size and painting them for all the furniture you see. The bench with the folded throw on top, the desk and chair, the wall shelf and the bookcase.

The knobs are tiny stones, I made books and drawers too of popsicle

sticks. Then I added the ribbon rolls, potted plant, cup with pens on desk and corkboard with pics on the wall. I made the floor lamp from pipe cleaner and the shade from felt. Inside the lamp is a clear crystal to appear as light. The inside of the box lid has a inspirational note I made with torn craft paper and dimensional butterflies. The box was finsihed with glass beads dangling all around the outside. The bead length staggers from 1/4 to 1/2 inch long.







Beach House: Diorama keepsake box
This beach house was the most fun to create. In the insert for the beach scene, I used construction paper for the house and fence. There are paper seagulls in the sky. On the left is a lighthouse with a path to the beach house. The foreground has a boat with oars and pelican resting on a rope wrapped wooden post with a liferaft around his neck



There are real sea shells individually placed throughout the front line of the sand. The sand is actual white pebbles, crushed. On the inside of the box lid are 3D ocean liner window propped open a cascading puca shells. On the right is a fabric embroidered caption with SUN-SURF-SAND. On the front outside of the box and on the lid is a 3d wooden twig with white berries.









The box was covered in a seaside blue with sandstone color fabric. The inside was covered in a creamy white velvet.On all my boxes the insert fabric always matches the inside box fabric. All boxea are finished with hand painted to match wooden feet with felt at the base to protect your surfaces.